I adore Fall.
I love the windy days and hearing rain hit the roof. Putting on warm sweaters and Uggs, and curling up with a thick blanket. Fall brings many cozy feelings from candles burning throughout the day to our fire burning late at night to smelling the heat turn on for the the first time since early spring.
One of my most favorite parts of fall is falling back into making soups, stews and chilies! Last week we had our first windy storm of the season, so I pulled out my green french oven and cooked up my first chili of the season - Chili Blanco!
Last year I got this fantastic magazine!
Soups, Stews and Chilies from
Betty Crocker. It listed 321 warm & cozy recipes and tips - I just could not resist! I laid my eyes on the my first Chili Blanco recipe ever and fell in love - chilantro, white beans, Monterey Jack cheese, green chiles, and chicken - oh my!
First off, I haven't tried Monterey Jack Cheese. After my first bite of this yummy cheese - I fell in love, so did Goose! It was late, last year, "cheese" became one of his first food words and he wanted it all the time. For breakfast - "CHEESE!", for lunch, dinner and snack - "CHEESE!" and only Monterey Jack Cheese.
Second, we all ate two huge bowls of this delicious soup. As I recall we ate the entire batch between us 3! I made it some many times last year I began to wondered when I would get sick of it, but it never happened.
When I made Chili Blanco last week, I used onions and garlic from our garden! The garden we grew this last year was such a success we even had a few visitors this year whom decided to eat all our corn...
Chili Blanco
from
Soups, Stews and Chilies (Volume 20, Number 5) by Betty Crocker
Prep Time: 55 minutes
Start to Finish: 55 minutes
Servings: 5 (1 1/2 cups each)
1 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 to 1 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoons of red pepper (cayenne)
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 can (15 to 16 oz) of great northern beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (15 oz) cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained, rinsed
2 cans (4.5 oz each) chopped green beans
2 cups of chicken broth
1 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (more the better!)
1. In 4 to 5 quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook onions and garlic in oil 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are softened.
2. Stir in cumin, salt, red pepper and chicken. Cook 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is lightly browned.
3. Stir in beans, chiles and broth. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; cook 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Add cheese; stir until melted. Stir in cilantro.
This recipe is so easy and quick! I found if I prepared what I could and pulled out the ingredients, which didn't need to be refrigerated, at the beginning of the day, I could just walk in the door and put it all together. I would have it ready right when my husband walked through the door.
I did try to change things a few times, like replacing chicken with fake chicken, and only northern beans. I found that this recipe is perfect exactly the way it is.
I like to make double batches of soups and then freeze half, but we found that we would eat it all before we could get it to the freezer. Therefore, I don't know how it is after it has been frozen. I am hoping I will be able try this season sometime.
Welcome to Fall!!
