White Bean Chicken Chili (Soup)

Source: Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Extra virgin Olive Oil (or non-stick spray)
1 pound boneless chicken, cubed (about 3-4 boneless, skinless breasts) (I usually don't use this much - one or two (if I'm feeling really chickeny) is plenty)
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans Great Northern Beans
1 3.5 oz can green chilies
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon coriander (I know it's not common in a lot of spice cabinets, but I bought some just for this recipe and I'm very happy with it)
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh cracked pepper (or just regular ground pepper from your shaker, no need to be fancy)
1 lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
32 ounces chicken broth
additional toppings: tortilla chips, jack cheese, diced green onions, lime wedges, more cilantro, sour cream, avocado

Directions:
In a large pot, heat olive oil. Add chopped onion and cook for about 2 minutes- just until it starts to become translucent. While onions are cooking, drain beans and rinse with cold water and set aside.

Sprinkle chopped chicken with a little salt and pepper and add to pot. Add garlic as well. Cook until there’s no more visible pink on the chicken, probably 3-4 minutes. Then add green chills – along with all of the juices in the can.

Add beans, cumin, oregano, coriander, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and then add chicken broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat and add the juice from one lime and the 1/2 cup chopped cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle into bowls and top with toppings.

Makes about 8 cups of soup.

Optional: It's called a chili, but it’s really a soup consistency. If you want it thicker, just reduce the amount of broth. Or, alternatively, take an additional can of beans (drained and rinsed) and place them in a blender. Ladle in a cup or 2 of the finished broth (avoid the chicken pieces, etc,) and puree until smooth. Add this mixture to the soup. (I've never tried this with this soup because I like the brothiness of it, but it's a great idea if you're looking for something more chili-like.)

Also: I once tried this in the crockpot, literally "throwing everything in" (minus the lime juice and cilantro - I added that at the end) and starting with a frozen chicken breast.  It worked great!  I just cooked it on high for maybe 3 hours (ish?) and then dropped it to low till dinnertime (maybe 3ish hours more?).  I think I like the texture of the chicken and onions and such better when it's on the stovetop, but it's definitely doable in the crockpot if that fits your schedule better.

Notes:
This is one of my favorite southwest-y flavored soups and I make it over and over and over throughout soup-eating months.  And don't skimp on the toppings!  (Haha - maybe that's the reason I love taco/tortilla/chili type soups so much?)

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Source: my aunt, Nikie

Ingredients:
2 cups flour (I upped this to almost 3 cups when I made them most recently - it might have been a bit too much, because they're pretty cakey, but I think more flour helps them not spread too much, so if you want to add more than 2, you can definitely do that)
1 1/3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats (I like to use half and half)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt (I upped this to 3/4 teaspoon because I felt like it needed a bit more)
1 cup butter (I sometimes use half shortening, which also makes the spreading minimized)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup solid pack pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (I usually just use one)
3/4 cup nuts, optional (we like walnuts and pecans)

Directions:
Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl.  Beat butter and sugars until creamy.  Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla until well mixed.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.  Optional: chill dough for 30 minutes before baking (this helps the cookies "stand up" better (but a bit of extra flour does, too, I've found).  Bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes or until cookies are firm and lightly browned.

They're fluffy and soft and full of the good stuff!

Notes: I love the traditional, fluffy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies when it's fall (and anytime . . . like March, maybe?).  But I also love to switch things up a bit, and this recipe is perfect for that.  There is a little more texture with the oats and nuts to make things interesting.  But there's still the yummy pumpkin and chocolate combo that is so delicious.  Even if "pumpkin season" is long past, give these a try!

Don't let that face fool you - he gobbled it right up!

And she wasn't too busy reading to enjoy her
cookie, too.

Spaghetti Sauce

Source: My momma

Ingredients:
1/2 lb ground beef
1 large onion, diced
3 15 oz cans Italian style stewed tomatoes
1 heaping Tablespoon flour
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1-2 teaspoons basil
1-2 teaspoons oregano
1-2 teaspoons chili powder (I never measure the spices - I just kind of eyeball and shake)

Directions:
In a large saucepan, Brown the ground beef and onion.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add one can tomatoes, undrained.  Stir flour in corner until pasty (this is to avoid lumps).  Blend remaining two cans tomatoes until smooth.  Add blended tomato "juice" and tomato sauce to pot.  Season with basil, oregano and chili powder.  Simmer for a while.  Serve over hot spaghetti noodles, with plenty of cheese on top.

Notes:
Oh yum!  This is one of my favorite homey comfort foods ever.  It was my favorite growing up (according to my Dr. Suess's Book About Me entry (seen below)) and I am thrilled to find out that I can make it taste like my mom's, even when I don't use her home-bottled tomatoes and tomato juice.  We always ate it with green beans growing up (which was not my fave, also seen below), but the garlic bread (I should definitely post that recipe, huh?) certainly made up for those.  This freezes great, too.  If you have so many leftovers you don't know what to do.

Cranberry Cookies

Source: based on a recipe found here, pinned on Pinterest oh-so long ago and finally made and tweaked and loved this month

Ingredients:
11 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup sugar (I reduced this to 2/3 cup)
1 cup packed brown sugar (I reduced this to 2/3 cup, too)
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I didn't need that last 1/4 cup)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 cups halved fresh cranberries (I used 2 cups frozen and chopped)
1 cup finely chopped walnuts (I bet it would be great with pecans, if you like those better)
1/2 cup white chocolate chips (my addition, but a very good one, I think)

Directions:
Heat the oven at 350°F. Line a couple of cookie sheets with parchment paper or lightly spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

Beat in the egg and milk. Stir to combine. Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl with a spatula.

Combine the flour with the baking powder and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the cranberries and walnuts and white chocolate chips.

With a medium size cookie scoop (mine is ~1 1/2 TB), drop cookie dough on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Notes:
I had this pinned a million years ago but had never actually tried it till last week.  They were an immediate hit!  Callie's review was: "I love them! They're sugary . . . sweet . . . delicious . . . they're pinktastic!"  Sam's review was: "Mom, I DO like cranberries!"  Gregg's review was: "Whoa.  These are GOOD!"  And my review could be summed up as: "omnomnomnomnom."  They freeze great, and every time we took another handful out of the freezer to refill the cookie jug on the counter, we repeated our exclamations of love.

I know I said I wasn't going to make something once and post it here immediately; I wanted to wait to see if a recipe withstood the test of time.  But I just can't stop thinking about these.  So I made them again today.  And they definitely deserve a place in your life and on this blog.  Make them for your Valentine!  They're perfectly pink and festive.  And delicious.

Roasted Veggie and Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner

Source: Our Best Bites (are you noticing a theme here? if it's not from Mel, it's from OBB!)

We ate it before I could take a good "final" pic!  (If that's not
a ringing endorsement, I don't know what is!)

Ingredients:
1 12-14 ounce package smoked sausage, cut into 2″ slices (I like to use turkey smoked sausage to cut the calories and fat just a bit)
1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved
1 pound sweet potato, cut into 3/4″ chunks (the smaller the better so they cook quicker)
1/4 cup extra virgin lemon olive oil (or 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + zest of 1 lemon) (I always do the oil + zest, but I never have lemons, so I use limes instead)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dry parsley)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup pomegranate arils (really fun and different and delicious, but not necessary if you don't have them)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss the sausage, sprouts, and sweet potato on the baking sheet and set aside.

Whisk together the olive oil (and lemon (or lime - seriously, give it a try) zest, if using), garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper and drizzle over the sausage/sprouts/sweet potato mixture. Toss to combine. Place the sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then use a spatula to flip the sausage mixture and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and, if desired, season with additional salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Ready to toss with oil and spices.

Just needs pomegranate arils! (Or not!)
(Also, you can see I scrapped the foil - I don't have patience
for the stuff when I'm tossing and flipping and ripping it to shreds.)

Notes:
I first made this in 2016, shortly after it was posted by OBB, and it instantly became a family favorite.  And I became an instant fan of sheet pan dinners and sought out and pinned about a million the next day - but I always come back to this one over and over and over.  It's just so GOOD.  We love it with the pomegranate arils for a little pop of color and sweetness, but I don't always have them or use them.  Also, the veggies and sausage are totally customizable - get creative!  You could use regular red/gold potatoes, zucchini, green beans, peppers, onions, even grape tomatoes!  Same goes for the sausage - I just buy the cheapest smoked turkey sausage I can find at the store, but there are all kinds of flavors and brands available these days, so use what you like!

Update 3/6/2019: I made it with sweet potatoes and sausage,
like usual, but subbed asparagus for the sprouts and added
some onion and cauliflower - so yummy!  So versatile!

Pepperoncini Beef (or Pork) Sandwiches

Source: Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
1/2+ teaspoon kosher salt
1/2+ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of olive or cooking oil
3 lb. beef roast, trimmed of excess fat (OR, and I might even like this better: ~3 lbs boneless pork ribs)
4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 16-oz. jar sliced pepperoncinis, undrained  (these come in various heat levels - apparently the jar that looks exactly like this but is labeled "mild pepper rings" are the ones I need to look for next time for Callie's zero heat tolerance level)
Optional: 1 small packet dry Italian dressing
Crusty sandwich rolls (my fave are ciabatta rolls)
Sliced provolone cheese
Mayo

Directions:
Heat oil in a pot or high-sided skillet over high heat. While the oil is heating, combine the salt and pepper and rub it into the meat. Add more if necessary. When the oil is hot, sear the roast on all sides so the outsides of it is browned and a little crispy.  (Or you can just skip the searing part like I do - especially when I have frozen pork ribs - I just toss them in the bottom of the crock pot and sprinkle the salt and pepper on top.)

Transfer the roast to a slow cooker and add the minced garlic and the entire jar of pepperoncinis and dressing mix if using. If possible, cook on high until the liquid comes to a boil and then turn it to low and cook until the roast shreds easily with a fork, for a total cooking time of about 6-8 hours. If not possible, cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the beef is fork tender.


For sandwiches, slice the rolls and spread lightly with mayonnaise and then top with the shredded beef. Add a slice of provolone cheese and then place open face under the broiler for 1-3 minutes or until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.  Place the top of the bun on the melted cheesy/meat side.  Serve immediately. Makes 12 large sandwiches.  Leftovers freeze wonderfully and are especially good in Creamy Baked Taquitos, or on salads, nachos, burritos, etc.

Notes:
I made this first for my birthday dinner a few years ago and have made it occasionally since (when my mom has generously gifted me a frozen beef roast, usually - this is my favorite way to make roast beef).  But recently I when I was craving it and all I had in my freezer was pork ribs, I decided to try it that way (the idea was sparked by a commenter in the original post, so thank you to that anonymous person!).  I made the sandwiches the same way as described and was licking my lips the whole meal.  And the few meals that followed.  And then I mixed the leftovers into our favorite taquito recipe instead of shredded chicken and about died all over again.  Seriously.  Fave status, for sure.

Creamy Garlic Alfredo Sauce {aka "White Sauce" at our house}

Source: the one and only Mel

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into 6 pieces (you can use regular or low fat)
1 cup milk (anything from 1% to whole works great)
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup) (I only ever have that "fake" powdery stuff in the green can, so I use about 1/2 cup of that, and then set the rest on the table for people to add more as garnish if they want)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste, if needed
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (my own addition)

Directions:
In a medium pot or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, taking care not to let the garlic burn.

Add the cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. It will look curdled at first, but with constant whisking for 2-3 minutes, it should come together to form a smooth, creamy paste.

Add the milk gradually, about 1/4 cup at a time, whisking quickly and constantly until each addition is incorporated fully into the sauce. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, pepper, salt and nutmeg. Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is the desired consistency.

Cook for 2-3 minutes for a thicker sauce or remove right after the cheese is melted for a thinner sauce. Serve immediately over hot, cooked noodles.

Notes:
One of Cal and Sam's favorite meals of all time is "White Sauce with Noodles". (Grandma B. gave Sam a box of dinosaur shaped noodles in his Christmas stocking and this how he requested we eat them).  We make it at least monthly and for some reason we always have steamed broccoli on the side.  (I tell you what, this sauce spooned over the cooked broccoli is mighty fine, too!)  If we happen to have leftovers (which isn't super common), I like to use it on pizza with chicken and tomatoes and mushrooms and cheese.