Apple Chicken Chili

Adapted from Rachel Ray's Creamy Chicken Apple Chili with what I had on hand. Turned out absolutely fabulous and you should definitely try it at least once ;). 

 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds chicken tenders, cut into chunks
• 4 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon of dried minced garlic
• Fresh ground pepper to taste (you could add salt too, but I think there is plenty from the chicken broth)
• 2 apples, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups water
• 1 packet of swanson's condensed chicken broth
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 15 ounce cans  beans (I used one black bean and one white bean)
• 2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese (about 8 ounces)

I added everything but the cheese and apples to the crock pot and cooked on high until the chicken was fully done and easily comes apart with a fork. Then I added the apples until they were soft. When the apples are soft stir in the cheese and serve. I served it with tortillas like the original recipe suggested. Husband ate two bowls so it passes the hubster test :) 

Whole Wheat Molasses Bread

Whole Wheat Molasses Bread- One Loaf 

I was really in the mood to make a loaf of bread so after going through a bunch of recipes I came across this one: Buckwheat Molasses Bread and I thought that it could be altered a bit to reflect what I had on hand. its a dense bread, but i thoroughly enjoyed it. This is what I came up with:
 
Ingredients:

• 1/2 teas sea salt
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp active dry yeast
• 2 1/2-3 cups white unbleached whole wheat flour (King Arthur brand) 

Preparation:

1. In large bowl, mix together salt, molasses, milk, and yeast. Stir in warm water.
   
2. Stir in 2 1/2-3 cups flour.
   
3. Turn dough out onto floured board. Knead in remaining flour if needed.
   
4. Put dough in greased bowl and make sure all surfaces are covered in oil. Let rise for up to an hour or until the dough doubles in size
   
5. Punch down dough. Turn out onto floured board and knead for about 5 minutes.
   
6. Form dough into bread loaf and place in greased loaf pan. Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes or until double in size.
   
7. Brush dough top with egg white. Score the loaves by make three quick slashes across the top.
   
8. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes or until dark brown. Remove from oven and turn bread out onto clean kitchen towel or rack.

Old Fashioned Cake Donuts

Got this recipe from my friend Gloria Steiger....not sure where she got it from 

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup milk
2 T butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, slightly beaten
Oil for deep frying

1. In large bowl, combine half the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; mix well. Add all remaining ingredients except oil for frying; add remaining flour& stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. If desired, refrigerate dough for easier handling.

2. Fill large saucepan or electric skillet 2/3 full with oil. Heat to 375°F.

3. On well-floured surface, knead dough 1 to 2 minutes or until no longer sticky. Roll half of dough at a time to 3/8-inch thickness. Cut with floured doughnut cutter. (or a glass and a pill bottle)

4. With pancake turner, slip doughnuts and holes into hot oil. Fry doughnuts and holes 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until deep golden brown. Drain on paper towels. If desired, roll doughnuts and holes in powdered or granulated sugar, cinnamon-sugar mixture or drizzle with glaze.

Apple White Bean Chili

Adapted from Rachel Ray's Apple Chicken Chili. Per usual I didn't have everything the recipe asked for and figured I could make due without ;) It came out fabulous. I will definitely have to make this again for when the husband is home. The marvelously picky daughter ate it right up too!

Apple White Bean Chili
2 15oz cans of chili ready tomatoes
1 15oz can of white beans (next time I'll probably use two; well rinsed)
2 large apples diced (I didn't bother peeling them)
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp hot chili powder
1 teas roasted cumin 
2 tbsp olive oil
2 fist fulls of mozzarella
3 slices pepperjack cheese
good amount of fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 swanson chicken broth little pouches
1 cup water

Directions:
I made a roux from the flour and oil then added the tomatoes, beans, garlic, onion, cumin, chili powder, pepper.
Then I cut up the apples added them w/the water and chicken broth concentrate
I let it all simmer until the apples where tender then mixed in the cheese and served it with lime tortillas.
It was very yummy, and really hit the spot on this very rainy cold October day :)

Pumpkin Pie Bar

It's October, so I am craving pumpkin....anything pumpkin. I had some puree so thought I could make some pumpkin cookies. Found a bunch of recipes that just didn't seem to do it for me. Mainly because I didn't want to use a cup of crisco and I didn't have chocolate chips. So instead I came up with what I am going to call pumpkin pie bars. They have the flavor and the center has the texture of a pumpkin pie, but doesn't have the crust and can be cut into neat little squares.


Pumpkin Pie Bar
1 can pumpkin puree
1 cup sugar
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch cloves/nutmeg
1/8 cup molasses

Combine all ingredients well. Bake in 5x9 pyrex dish in 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.

***note: I'm guessing on the size of the dish because it's my vintage pyrex dish that I got from my grandmother....

Mom's Frosting

2 egg whites till peaks
1/2 cups crisco
2 cups confectionery sugar
teaspoon vanilla
dash of salt

Shipyard Beef Stew

2lbs stew beef
medium bag frozen sliced carrots
medium bag frozen peas
2 small onions
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
good amount of freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoon of olive oil
1 bottle of Shipyard's Pumpkinhead beer
6 cups water
2 tablespoons of better than boulin beef base

Preheat cast iron dutch oven with oil
Combine flour and spices into a bowl or plastic bag and dredge beef.
Add beef to dutch oven when en hot and brown the beef approximately 10-15 minutes
Roughly chop onion and add to the pot and cook until translucent
Deglaze bottom of pot with full bottle of Pumpkinhead for a minute or two
Add the rest of the ingredients including the remaining flour mixture
Cover and simmer for an hour or so, then uncover and continue to cook for another hour until the liquid reduces and makes more of a gravy.

Serve with biscuits