Ghost Chili

Growing up we would have everybody over at our house to go trick or treating in our neighborhood. Mom needed something warm (even though in Pensacola it wasn't always cold on Halloween), comforting, and easy to serve everybody. Her go to dish was Ghost Chili which soon became a tradition to have on Halloween night.

1 lb large white beans

6 cups chicken broth

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium onions, chopped (divided)

1 tablespoon oil

2 4-oz cans chopped green chilies

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon chili powder

4 cups diced cooked chicken breasts (or more)

3 cups grated Monterrey Jack cheese

Combine beans, chicken broth, garlic and half of the onions in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are very soft, 3 hours or more. Add more chicken broth, if necessary. In a skillet, sauté remaining onions in oil until tender. Add chilies and seasonings and mix thoroughly. Add to bean mixture. Add chicken and continue to simmer 1 hour. Serve topped with grated cheese. Serves 8-10.

Blackberry Spring

On the menu at Dram, our favorite bourbon bar in Mountain Brook Village, is a fabulous bourbon drink called a Blackberry Winter... But I have to say it reminds me of Easter and springtime!  Saturday rolled around and I had already purchased the ingredients to make my own... Here it is!

2 oz Bourbon of your choice (I chose Makers... comes with Knob Creek at Dram)

2 oz orange-juiced based juice (I chose a mix of OJ/pineapple/apple, but Dram uses Sour Mix)

a hefty squeeze of lime juice

1 Tbs of coarsely pureed blackberries 

Puree 1 container blackberries (save about 4 berries for garnish), coarsely, with chunks.  This keeps if you choose to make the drink several nights in a row.

Pour all above ingredients in a shaker.  Fill shaker 2/3 of way with ice.  Shake.  Delicious served in a double-old-fashioned... but I bet even better served up and neat!

Enjoy!

Chocolate Bark

aka CrackBark... because you can't stop after you start

1 sleeve saltine crackers
2 sticks butter
1 cup brown sugar
12 oz package milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a rimmed cookie sheet with foil, turning up edges.  Spray with Pam.  Line cookie sheet with saltines.

In a small pot melt butter and stir in brown sugar.  Bring to a boil while stirring.  Cook around 5 minutes until the sugar and butter are incorporated into each other and boiling.  Pour over saltines and spread with spatula.  Put in oven for 12 minutes.

Once out of oven pour package of chocolate chips over saltine mixture.  Let sit for 3-5 minutes or until melted.  Spread chocolate with spatula.  Pour pecans on top and lightly press into chocolate.

Put bark into refrigerator for at least 1 hour.  Break into small pieces.  I like to keep mine cool in the fridge.

Chicken Peanut and Red Pepper Thai Stir-Fry

3 3/4 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
2 Tbs low-sodium soy sauce, divided
2 tsp dry sherry
1 tsp rice vinegar
s3/4 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 pound chicken breast tenders, cut lengthwise into thin strips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanuts (or cashews)
2 Tbs canola oil
2 cups julienne-cut red bell pepper (about 1 large)
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
3 Tbs thinly slice green onion

For Rice:
jasmine rice, enough to make 4-6 servings
1 small can water chestnuts
crushed red pepper flakes
S&P

Combine 1 tsp cornstarch, 1 Tbs soy sauce, and next 4 ingredients (through hot pepper sauce) in a small bowl; stir with a whisk.

Combine remaining 2 3/4 tsp cornstarch, remaining 1 Tbs soy sauce, and chicken in medium bowl; toss well to coat.

Cook 4-6 cups of jasmine rice according to directions.  Combine cooked rice with 2+ Tbs drained chopped water chestnuts, 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper, some of the scallions, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add peanuts to pan; cook 3 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring frequently.  Remove from pan.

Add oil to pan, swirling to coat.  Add chicken mixture to pan; saute 2 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove chicken from pan; place in a bowl.  Add bell pepper to pan; saute 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add garlic and ginger; cook 30 seconds.  Add chicken and cornstarch mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until sauce is slightly thick.   Sprinkle with peanuts and green onions.

Yield: 4 servings.  I double recipe for the two of us to have leftovers.

From: Cooking Light April 2009.

Chicken Piccata

Who doesn't like chicken piccata??  This one is from Everyday Italian, Giada De Laurentiis.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved crosswise

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

All-purpose flour, for dredging

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

½ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)

¼ cup drained capers, rinsed

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour to coat lightly. In a large sauté pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with the 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate.

Add the broth, lemon juice, and capers to the same pan. Bring the broth mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan for extra flavor. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. Whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into the sauce. Pour the sauce over the chicken, garnish with the parsley, and serve. 4 main-course servings.

Mom's Meatloaf

2 lbs ground beef

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 egg

bacon strips

S&P

Worchestershire or Dale's seasoning

Put onions and peppers in skillet with butter, get soft

In bowl put meat, S&P, Worcestershire, possibly some Dale’s, depending on Mom’s mood, garlic powder, and then the veggies. Add a raw egg, possibly two. Shape into loaf, put in Pyrex dish. Put strips of raw bacon and tomato paste on top. Put in at 350° for about 1 hour.

Chicken and Conecuh County Sausage Gumbo

I have been a bit afraid to enter the world of making a roux, but this one was not too challenging and very very good with a unique flavor!!

makes about 16 cups - 10 -12 servings

1 c peanut oil
1 1/4 c flour
3 cups diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced red pepper
1 cup diced pablano pepper
2 T minced garlic
2 Bay leaves
2 tsp.  fresh thyme leaves
1 12. oz. bottle light beer
7 c chicken stock or broth
1 T salt + 1 tsp.
2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 lb. Conecuh sausage
3/4 /b. - 1 lb. sliced okra, thawed( I reduced this from 11/2 lbs.  too much okra!)
2 cups diced tomatoes ( I used canned tomatoes)
1 1/2 lbs. cooked chopped chicken
1 cup chopped green onion tops
5-6 cups cooked rice

Roux -Heat oil and whisk in flour stir constantly over med. heat until chocolate brown ( 30 - 35 min)
add next 4 ingred. and cook, stirring, 2-3 min.  add next 3 ingred.  cook 2 min.  whisk in beer scraping bottom of pan.
Put in large dutch oven add next 4 ingred.  bring to boil and simmer for 20 min.  Slice sausage in 1/4 in. slices and cook over med. heat for about 10 min. until brown.
Pat dry and add sausage, okra and tomatoes and simmer for 30 min.  Add chicken and cook 10 min.  Adjust seasoning, remove bay leaves,stir in green onions,
Serve over rice.

*  This is very spicy - I cut the salt by a  good teaspoon because I used regular chicken broth- I used black pepper out of a can so I cut that in half since it is finer than when you use a pepper mill.  You can always add more after you make it if you feel it needs it.  If you use dried thyme you use less as well - about 3/4 tsp.