Buffalo Chicken Chili

Source: Rachael Ray

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 2 pounds ground chicken
• 2 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 ribs celery with leafy tops, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika
• 1 bay leaf, fresh ordried
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup hot sauce
• 1 can tomato sauce (15 ounces)
• 1 can stewed, fire-roasted or crushed tomatoes (15 ounces)

PREPARATION

Place a large pot over medium-high heat with the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan. Add the ground chicken and break it up, lightly browning it for 5 minutes.

Add the carrots, onion, celery, garlic, paprika and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 7-8 minutes. Add the chicken stock and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot.

Add the hot sauce, tomato sauce and the stewed, fire-roasted or crushed tomatoes to the chili and bring up to a bubble. Simmer for 8-10 minutes more to let the flavors come together.

While the chili is simmering, pre-heat the broiler.

Comments: I made this, along with 2 other soups, in under 30 minutes for Bret's family. Amazing flavor, easy prep, and healthy to boot! The only changes I made was using ground turkey instead of chicken and adding 1 can of drained, rinsed black beans to make it more of a chili. Even though it had a little kick, this was a favorite with all ages.

Chop Suey

Source: Barbara Wihongi

Servings: 10-12?
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes (approx.)

Ingredients:

• 3 pkgs. bean thread noodles
• 1-2 lbs. beef or pork, cut into strips
• 1 small onion, chopped
• carrots, grated (I just used matchstick ones)
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small bottle soy sauce
• ground ginger

Directions:

1. Prepare bean thread noodles by soaking in water for 10 minutes.
2. Saute meat, onion, carrots, and garlic until tender.
3. Fill a large pot halfway with water and add soy sauce (about 1/2 of a small bottle), then boil.
4. Add cooked meat, onion, carrots, and garlic to water & soy sauce mixture.
5. Drain bean thread noodles and cut them into smaller pieces with kitchen shears.
6. Add noodles to the rest of the ingredients.
7. Remove from heat and let stand so noodles can absorb the water and soy sauce.
8. Season with ginger and remaining soy sauce to taste.
9. (Optional) Serve over rice.

Comments:

This is a Wihongi family favorite. . .especially with the grandkids. Scott's mom has made this for every major meal that I've eaten since I first started hanging out with these NZ folks! Mum just makes this from memory, so all the measurements are approximations. . .add or subtract ingredients according to personal taste and preference.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Source: Unknown (I got this online years ago and have no idea who to give credit to!)

Servings: 5-6 dozen cookies

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Bake Time: 9-11 minutes

Total Time: 30+ minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 c. canned pumpkin
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 2 c. flour
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda + 1 tsp. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 c. chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix well.
4. Dissolve the baking soda in the milk and stir in.
5. Add vanilla and chocolate chips and stir until blended.
6. Drop by spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet.
7. Bake at 375 degrees F for 9-11 minutes.

Comments:

These cookies are a tradition in our little family. To us, they are as synonymous with fall as changing leaves, starting school, carving pumpkins, and going trick-or-treating. I've taken them to every Wihongi Halloween get-together since Scott and I have been married and they're a hit with the grandkiddos. Plus, they're healthier than the average cookie with pure pumpkin, no butter, and all that vitamin A. We usually double or triple the recipe and gobble these babies down by the dozens! (Suggestion: The cookies are BEST eaten right out of the oven when the outside is just a little firm and the inside is warm and melty. Yumm. . .)

Indoor S'mores

Source: General Mills Cereal

Servings: 12 bars
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Bake Time: n/a
Total Time: 5-10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 c. Golden Grahams cereal


• 5 c. miniature marshmallows


• 1 1/2 c. milk chocolate chips


• 1/4 c. light corn syrup


• 5 T. butter


• 1 t. vanilla


• 1 c. miniature marshmallows, if desired (and I do!)

Directions:

1. Into a large bowl, measure cereal. Butter 13 x 9-inch pan.


2. In a large microwaveable bowl, microwave 5 cups marshmallows, chocolate chips, corn syrup, and butter uncovered on high 2-3 minutes, stirring after every minute, until melted and smooth when stirred.


3. Stir in vanilla.


4. Pour mixture over cereal; quickly toss until completely coated. Fold in 1 cup marshmallows.


5. Press mixture evenly in pan, using buttered back of spoon. Let stand uncovered for at least 1 hour, or refrigerate if you prefer a firmer bar.


6. Cut into bars and serve.

Baked Penne

Source: Laurel

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 lb. pork sausage

1-2 tsp. minced garlic

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 large green pepper, sliced

1 large can diced tomatoes, partially drained

1 small can sliced mushrooms

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 box penne pasta, cooked according to package directions

grated cheese

Directions:

Brown sausage, garlic, onion, and green pepper. When finished browning, add tomatoes, mushrooms, and spaghetti sauce. Toss with pasta. If desired, bake in 350 degree oven for thorough heating.

Comments:

I started by making a traditional baked ziti recipe, but after finding more potential ingredients around the kitchen and adding them to the pan, this explosion of flavor! A must try!

French Onion Soup

Source: Me

Servings: 2-4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. butter

1 large yellow onion, sliced

1 Tbsp. flour

4 cups beef broth

1 Tbsp. worchestershire sauce

1 tsp. pepper

1 french bread loaf

sliced swiss cheese

Soup Directions:

Saute onions in melted butter until soft and golden. Mix in flour. Add beef broth and worchestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Salt (optional) and pepper to taste.

Bread Directions:

Cut loaf into large (1-2") cubes. Spread on cookie sheet and toast in 425 degree oven for or until lightly browned. Remove from oven, top with cheese, and return to oven until cheese has melted.

Ladle soup into serving bowls and top with "croutons." Serve immediately.

Comments: Bret has said for years that this soup is one of his favorites, but I was too intimidated to try. However, after digging for a couple of recipes, I was pleased to see that the directions were actually very simple. So I made my own blend of the various recipes and after all was said and done, I was thrilled with the outcome! Not only was it delicious, but it was so easy to make! The presentation even seemed quite gourmet, so it could be a great dish for entertaining. (My poor photography skills provide no justice for the elegance within the bowl.)

Thai Glazed Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Source: The Food Network


Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Seasoning by McCormick)
• 2 T. vegetable oil, two turns of the pan
• 2 T. minced ginger root
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and very thinly sliced
• 1 c. packaged shredded cabbage and carrot mix
• 3 scallions, chopped at an angle
• 1/2 c. plum sauce
• 2 c. basil leaves, loosely packed
• 1 T. fish sauce
• 1/2 head of iceberg lettuce, cut into half again
• 1/2 seedless cucumber, chopped

Directions:

1. Thinly slice the chicken into strips and sprinkle with grill seasoning.
2. Heat a large skillet to screaming hot. Add vegetable oil, then chicken. Cook chicken 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Add the ginger, garlic, peppers, cabbage and carrot mix, and scallions and stir-fry another 2 minutes.
4. Add plum sauce to glaze mixture, toss 1 minute, then add basil and wilt leaves. Add fish sauce and turn to coat.
5. Transfer cooked chicken and vegetables to a bowl. Place spoonfuls of chicken into a piece of lettuce with cucumber and fold lettuce over to eat, like small tacos.

Comments:

These lettuce wraps were incredible! I've never made these before, but they will definitely become a regular in the future. Scott and I love lettuce wraps at restaurants; I was craving them tonight, so I Googled an easy recipe that I could make at home. I chose this one since I had nearly all the ingredients at hand (even the leftover basil from last night's bruschetta and the cabbage mix from last week's Sausage and Cabbage Skillet). . .all I had to grab from the store was fresh lettuce and the plum sauce (in the Asian foods section). I couldn't find any fish sauce at the store, so I just left it out and it tasted fine. I also substituted 2 tsp. ground ginger for the 2 T. minced ginger root.

These wraps were tasty, quick, easy, and healthy to boot. . .perfect for those of us watching our carbs. :)