White Sweet Potato-Cranberry Chili

Heather and I made this chili on the fly, and it came out super good. So good, in fact, that it won the ward Halloween party chili cook-off. I'm pretty proud of us. Here's an approximate recipe written after-the-fact. Feel free to adapt it to your own culinary whimsy. Also, it looks pretty cute when you serve it in a pumpkin. If you can cut the pumpkin to fit a bowl in it, bigger win for you because you don't have to clean it out all the way :)

White Sweet Potato-Cranberry Chili 

(if you have a better name for this, send it my way, because this is pretty lame)

3-4 sweet potatoes, diced

Olive oil

Sea salt

Pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 small onions, chopped

1.5 Tbsp rosemary

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced

4 cans Great Northern beans

3 cans chicken broth

1 1/2 tsp chicken flavored bouillon

1 rounded tsp meat curry masala powder

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp basil

1 cup milk

2 Tbsp maza flour (or regular flour)

1 hot yellow pepper (or any hot pepper you like)

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds (without shells!)

1.5 cups dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

Pre-heat oven to 400°. Line two baking sheets in aluminum foil. In a medium mixing bowl, combine 4 Tbsp olive oil, 1.5 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Add sweet potatoes, toss to coat. Spread evenly on baking sheets. Bake about 8 inches below upper heating element for approximately 20-30 minutes. (I was checking them about every 5 minutes. Take them out when they're sufficiently roasted and "screaming.") Set aside.

While the sweet potatoes are cooking, combine 2 Tbsp olive oil, garlic, onions, rosemary, and cayenne pepper in a large pot. Cook on low heat until onions are translucent. Add chicken, beans, broth, masala powder, thyme, basil, and whatever other herbs tickle your fancy. Bring to a boil. In a small bowl, mix milk and flour. Add to soup while stirring constantly. 

Cut off the stem of the pepper and cut the pepper in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and white membrane. Flatten each half of the pepper and place skin-side up on an aluminum-foil lined baking sheet (I transferred all the sweet potatoes to one baking sheet, and then re-used the empty one). Broil 4-6 inches below the upper heating element for 8-10 minutes, or until the skins are dark. Remove from oven and wrap foil tightly around them. Take care, as foil will be extremely hot. Let peppers "sweat" in the foil for at least 15 minutes—this makes it easier to remove the skins. (I sped up the process by sticking them in the freezer.) When they're done, peel off the skin. Chop finely and add to pot.  

In small mixing bowl, combine 2 Tbsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp sea salt. Add pumpkin seeds, toss to coat. Place on aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Roast under broiler, about 5 minutes. Add to pot. 

Add sweet potatoes and cranberries. Salt and pepper to taste (it will definitely need salt ... we added it so sporadically that I have no clue how much it was. So taste liberally). 

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Braised and Barbecued Chicken

This is the ultimate in impressing people with your food skills. It should be renamed. Something like Boyfriend Chicken. Or The Husbandmaker. Ow ow. Let me tell you ... this stuff is completely divine. :D

MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH BRAISED AND BARBECUED CHICKEN

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned (about 2 pounds)
1/2 cup TROPICANA PURE PREMIUM Orange Juice
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons ketchup
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 regular-size bags SUCCESS Boil-In-Bag Rice, uncooked
1/4 cup chopped green onion, green tops only

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and sauté 6 minutes, turning once.

Combine fruit juices in a large bowl. Stir together cornstarch and 1 tablespoon juice mixture until smooth; set aside.

Stir soy sauce and next 6 ingredients into remaining juice mixture; pour over chicken. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes, turning chicken after 20 minutes.

Prepare rice according to package directions. Keep warm.

Uncover chicken, and stir in cornstarch mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Spoon rice onto a serving platter, top with chicken and sauce. Sprinkle with green onions.

Chicken Hawaiian

CHICKEN HAWAIIAN

1 large green pepper, cut in strips

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. salad oil

2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 cups cubed, cooked chicken

1 13-oz. can pineapple tidbits with juice

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

3 cups cooked rice

1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

In saucepan, cook green pepper with garlic in oil until tender. Blend in soup and pineapple juice, add chicken, pineapple tidbits, and soy sauce. Heat, stirring now and then. Serve over rice. Top with almonds. Makes 6 servings.

(This is a Kofford famile recipe :))

King Ranch Chicken

KING RANCH CHICKEN

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 Tbsp. butter

3 cups cooked, chopped chicken (or 4 breasts)

1 green pepper, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

2 10-oz. cans diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained

1 medium onion, chopped

12 6-inch corn tortillas, cut up

2 cups (8 oz.) shredded cheese

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat, cook onion and peppers, stir in chicken, soups, tomatoes, spices.

Place 1/3 tortillas in greased 13x9. Top with 1/3 chicken mixture, sprinkle with 2/3 cup shredded cheese. Repeat layers twice reserving 2/3 cup cheese. Bake uncovered at 352 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake 5 mins more. Let stand 5 mins.

Dora's Chicken El Paso Soup

DORA'S CHICKEN EL PASO SOUP

1 small onion, chopped

26 oz. can cream of chicken soup

26 oz. can cream of mushroom soup

4 14-oz. chicken broth

2 1/2 cups milk

2 lbs chicken, cooked and cut up (Reserve broth and use instead of canned)

3 cans Rotel or tomatoes with Jalapeño. (Dora uses 1 can to taste.)

1 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder (may be teaspoons? Taste!)

6 flour tortillas, fried in butter, cut in thin strips or chips

Sauté onion, add rest of ingredients, simmer.

Toppings: Cheese, black olives, chips, avocado, cilantro, sour cream.

Italian Soup

ITALIAN SOUP

2 tsp. oil

2 chicken breasts, cut into chunks

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped celery

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. basil (can use 1/2)

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 cup water

1 10-&-3/4 oz. CONDENSED chicken broth

1 14.5-oz. can sliced stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 cup corn

1 oz. (1/3 cup) uncooked vermicelli, broken into 2-in. pieces

1 Tbsp. Parmesan

Heat oil in saucepan; stir fry chicken. Add onion, celery, garlic. Cook until veggies are tender. Stir in basil, pepper, broth, water, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, simmer 5 min. Stir in corn and vermicelli. Cover, simmer 10 mins until heated vermicelli is tender. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Brunswick Stew

BRUNSWICK STEW

1 3lb broiler fryer

2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 small onion

7 cups water divided

2 10-oz. packs frozen corn

1 cup chopped onion

2 28-oz. cans tomatoes, chopped, undrained

2 10-oz. Lima beans

1 8-oz. tomato, chopped

3 med. potatoes, peeled and diced

2 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. red pepper

10 saltine crackers

Combine fryer, celery, quartered onion, and 5 cups water. Bring to a boil. Cover, simmer 1 hour. Remove solids, reserving broth in dutch oven, discard celery and onion. Bone and skin--chop meat. Add chicken, baby Lima beans, and remaining ingredients, except crackers. Bring to boil. Simmer 4 hours. Add remaining 2 cups water as needed.

Alpine Chicken

This is a family favorite. It seriously is so delicious. And every time I see the name of it, I think of Alpine, Utah (even though I'm not sure whether or not I've ever actually been there) and of little yodelers.

ALPINE CHICKEN

12 boneless chicken tenders

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 16-oz. package of Swiss cheese, sliced

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 soup can of water or chicken broth

1 8-oz. package Pepperidge Farm herb stuffing

3/4 cup margarine, melted

Arrange chicken in sprayed 11x9. Season with salt and pepper. Layer cheese over chicken. Combine soup and broth. Pour over top. Toss stuffing with margarine. Spoon over all. Bake covered at 350 for 1 hour. Uncover, bake additional 30 minutes. Don't let stuffing get too brown. Yield: 4 servings.