Soups and Chilis | The Cookbook Smasher | Page 4

Stovetop Chili Mac

May 12, 2008 Author: Rachel
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Since my oldest has now asked to have chili mac 3 times since I first made it, I was planning on making it for dinner last night. Well, I got really busy doing some things around the house, and before I knew it it was too late to start the crock pot. So I adapted the crock pot recipe to make a stove top version and it was tasty and very well received.

Ingredients:
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb. 93% lean ground turkey
- 1 TBSP + 1 tsp. chili powder
- 3 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 1 15.5 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 lb. pasta (elbow, baby shells, mini penne), cooked al dente
- 1 c. frozen corn
- 1/4 c. black olives, sliced
- 2 c. grated cheddar or pepperjack cheese
- 1/4 c. cilantro for garnish
- Additional toppings of choice: Chipotle Tabasco, sour cream, salsa, or jalapenos
Directions:
1. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and cook onions and garlic until soft; then add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and turkey and cook until turkey is cooked through, stirring occasionally to break it up.
2. Add the tomatoes and kidney beans to the meat mixture and combine. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or so.
3. Stir the cooked pasta, corn, and olives into the chili.
4. Top with cheese and sprinkle with cilantro and/or any of the other toppings.
Chili Mac:
Slow-Cooked Chile Con Carne

May 9, 2008 Author: Rachel
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This week’s crock pot recipe comes from the April 2007 issue of Cooking Light. It was really good, and not spicy, which was good for the kids, but we added some chipotle to our bowls to give the chile a bit more punch. I also made it thicker by making a cornstarch slury, because I like my chile a little thicker than this recipe turns out. -s really enjoyed it, and it’s one of those dishes that doesn’t taste like it was made from a crockpot.

Our oldest has been asking for chili mac, so I mixed some of this chile with some pasta. He liked it, but he definitely loves that chile mac, so we’ll be having the chili mac next week.

Ingredients:
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1 1/2 c. chopped onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb. sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 1/2 cups diced grape tomatoes
- 1 TBSP chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
- 1/2 c. cooking liquid + 1 tsp. cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 chipotles with adobo sauce, minced.
Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and beef to pan; cook 5 minutes or until beef is browned, stirring occasionally. Combine beef mixture, tomato, and next 6 ingredients (through broth) in an electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours or until beef is tender. Uncover; cook 30 minutes or until slightly thickened. If you’d like it thicker, remove about 1/2 c. of liquid and put in a bowl; then mix in 1 tsp. of cornstarch; dissolve the cornstarch; add back to crock, and bring to a boil. Stir in salt, if desired.
2. Top with chipotle, sour cream or whatever you like.
Slow-Cooked Chile Con Carne:
Turkey Chili Mac

April 24, 2008 Author: Rachel
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It’s Thursday, which means it is time for a crock pot recipe. I found a Chili Mac recipe in Beth Hensperger’s Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Recipes for Two cookbook which sounded interesting. I changed up the original version quite a bit to create my own Chili Mac, and it turned out quite tasty. A good dish to feed a family that likes different levels of spicy food, because the dish as is, is not spicy, but if you like spicy food, you can add the spice by using your favorite salsa, Tabasco, or jalapenos.

Our son complained and complained when I told him what we were having for dinner. Even though I’ve never made this before he proclaimed that it is a “ucky dinner.” After a couple of bites he said “this is really yummy. Can we have this again?” That’s a glowing recommendation from a 4 year old!
Ingredients:
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb. 93% lean ground turkey
- 3 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp (use more if you want a more spicy dish) ancho chile powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 1 15.5 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 lb. pasta (elbow, baby shells, mini penne), cooked al dente
- 1 c. frozen corn
- 1/4 c. black olives, sliced
- 2 c. grated cheddar or pepperjack cheese
- 1/4 c. cilantro for garnish
- Additional toppings of choice: Chipotle Tabasco, sour cream, salsa, or jalapenos
Directions:
1. Spray inside of crockpot with cooking spray.
2. in a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and cook onions and garlic until soft; then add the chili powder, ancho chile powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and turkey and cook until turkey is cooked through, stirring occasionally to break it up; then place mixture in slow cooker.
3. Add the tomatoes and kidney beans, to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours.
4. Stir the cooked pasta, corn, and olives into the chili. Cover and cook on LOW for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until pasta and corn are warmed through.
5. Top with cheese and sprinkle with cilantro and/or any of the other toppings.
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili Mac:
Matzo Ball Soup

April 9, 2008 Author: Rachel
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Before I got really sick last week, the rest of my family was sick, so there hasn’t been a whole lot of cooking or eating going on here. Since no one was feeling great, I took the opportunity to make Grandma’s matzo ball soup recipe. I must admit that I believe this is the first time I’ve made matzo balls from scratch. I’ve had Grandma’s recipe for probably 15 years, but I’ve always just used the mix you buy at the grocery store.

Matzo balls are as personal as meatballs. Everyone has his or her favorite, and it’s usually Grandma’s. Some like light fluffy and airy matzo balls, while others prefer the denser variety. I’ve found that those who like the light airy and fluffy matzo balls, won’t eat the denser ones and vice versa. I definitely prefer the denser ones, but I’m not one to ever turn down matzo ball soup.

You can make your own chicken soup or use canned broth, either way, add some roasted chicken to your soup. I also had some fresh dill in the garden so snipped some dill into the soup. It’s delicious!

The soup and matzo balls are not only tasty, but very soothing on a sore throat. One last tip, and this is Grandma’s wisdom: “never count the matzo balls as you put them in the pot…it’s bad luck.” So don’t count!

Ingredients:
- 1 c. matzo meal
- Boiling water
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 TBSP canola oil
- Chicken stock, roasted chicken, and dill
Directions:
1. Put matzo meal into a bowl and slowly pour boiling water over it, using enough water so that the meal is wet. Mix very quickly. Beat 2 eggs separately, and add eggs to matzo meal mixture; then add the salt and oil. Mix and it should look like cooked cereal (not hard). Refrigerate for a few hours, until it is solid.
2. Boil a pot of water or chicken stock. Make small balls (1 TBSP each) rolling with wet hands. Boil until all float on top and get large, about 5-10 minutes.
3. Ladle matzo balls and broth into bowl, add roasted chicken and dill.
Matzo Ball Soup:
Cincinnati Chili

March 27, 2008 Author: Rachel
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I love Cincinnati Chili. I came across a new recipe and wanted to give it a try. I followed the recipe exactly and by the time the cooking time was up, the chili was super thick–too thick for my liking. I like mine a bit saucier. It’s been so long since I’ve made Cincinnati Chili that I can’t remember what my other recipe tastes like to compare, so maybe Cincinnati Chili Take 2 will be on next week’s menu.

Ingredients:
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 lb extra-lean ground beef
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 TBSP chili powder
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp red (cayenne) pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
- 1 TBSP cider vinegar
- 1/2 c. water
- 1 lb. spaghetti
- Toppings: kidney beans, cheddar cheese, onions, or oyster crackers
Directions:
1. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, saute onion, ground beef, garlic, and chili powder until ground beef is slightly cooked. Add allspice, cinnamon, cumin, cayene pepper, salt, unsweetened cocoa or chocolate, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, and water. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 1 1/2 hours. Remove from heat. Ladle chili over spaghetti.
2. Two way: Chili over spaghetti
3. Three way: Add cheese to the two way
4. Four way: Add onions to the three way
5. Five way: Add kidney beans to the four way
Cincinnati Chili:
Chicken Posole

February 22, 2008 Author: Rachel
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I love posole, and most recipes I come across use pork. Since we don’t eat much pork, I usually pass those recipes by. I found a vegetarian recipe on the Taste and Tell food blog, and I decided to use that recipe as inspiration for my own chicken posole. It turned out great! The original recipe called for feta cheese (pictured above) but we both liked it better with shredded pepper jack.

Ingredients:
- 4 Polbano Chiles
- 2 Anaheim Chiles
- 4 c. chicken broth
- 1 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
- 2 15 oz cans of white hominy
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 tsp Mexican oregano
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- salt for seasoning adjusting, if necessary
- 1 lime, quartered
- 1/2 c. cilantro, chopped
- 1 c. pepper jack cheese, shredded
- sour cream
- Garnish with cilantro, shredded cheese, and/or sour cream
Directions:
1. Broil the poblano and Anaheim peppers until they are blackened on all sides. Once charred, place peppers in a zip lock bag and close. This process will steam the outer skins so they remove more easily. After 15 minutes, remove peppers from the bag, and remove the skins, stems, and seeds. Then chop the peppers into 1/2 inch chunks.
2. Add the broth, peppers, chicken breast chunks, hominy, onion, oregano, and cumin to your crock pot. Cook on high for 3 hours. Taste and add salt if necesary.
3. Ladle posole into bowls, squeeze the juice of one lime quarter into each bowl; then top each bowl with cilantro and shredded cheese. For those who enjoy sour cream, add a dollop.
Chicken Posole:
White Bean and Chicken Rajas Soup

January 21, 2008 Author: Rachel
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Cooking Light sends me a dinner recipe everyday, and a few months ago the dinner recipe of the day was White Bean and Rajas soup, originally published in the December 2003 issue. I bookmarked the recipe, and tonight I used that recipe as a base to create my own version. It was really good, and -s said it was excellent. This soup is perfect on a cold winter day, and it’s super easy to prepare. You can always make this vegetarian by leaving the chicken out (the original Cooking Light recipe is vegetarian).

Ingredients:
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 TBSP, ground cumin
- 1 lb. chicken breast, but into bite sized pieces
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 poblano chile peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 4 c. chicken broth
- 1 c. frozen corn
- 2 (15-ounce) cans navy beans, rinsed and drained
- Juice from 2 limes
- 1/4 c. cilantro, chopped
- Toppings: grated cheese, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, chipotle Tobasco
Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sautÃ© for about 1 minute, then add chicken and cumin.
2. Once chicken is nearly cooked through, add onion, chile, and red bell pepper; sautÃ© 5 minutes.
3. Add broth and corn; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the beans, juice, and cumin. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.
4. Top with grated cheese, sour cream, avocado, cilantro and/or chipotle Tobasco.
White Bean and Chicken Rajas Soup:
Chicken Barley Chili

January 17, 2008 Author: Rachel
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This recipe comes from the box of Quaker Quick Barley in my pantry. It was pretty good, and a good way to use up the barley. Not superb, but warming and filling on a very cold winter day.

Ingredients:
- 1 14.5 oz. can tomatoes, diced, undrained
- 1 16 oz. jar of salsa
- 1 14 oz. can chicken broth
- 1 c. quick cooking barley
- 3 c. water
- 1 TBSP chili powder
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz. can of corn (I used 1 1/2 c. frozen corn)
- 3 c. chicken breast, cooked and cut into bite sized pieces
- 3 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced (my addition)
- Top with: sour cream, grated cheese, cilantro, or avocado
Directions:
1. Combine first 7 ingredients (through cumin) in a 6 quart saucepan. Over high heat, bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add beans, corn and chicken; increase heat to high until chili comes to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for another 5 minutes, or until barley is tender. If it’s too thick, add more broth or water.
3. Serve with cornbread.
Chicken Barley Chili:
Bean and Chicken Ranchero Chili

January 16, 2008 Author: Rachel
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I found the most delicious sounding recipe on the Picky Palate food blog, and I just knew we had to give it a try. I fully intended on roasting the Anaheim chilies, but I ran out of time. Next time I will definitely roast the Anaheims or I may try Poblano peppers. Poblanos would give the chili a really nice zing. Either way I will roast the peppers. I also added corn to my chili, which was a really yummy addition. Next time when I roast the chilies on the grill, I will throw the corn onto some foil and roast the corn as well. You can also make this chili completely vegetarian by not adding the chicken. So here’s my version of Bean and Chicken Ranchero Chili.

Ingredients:
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 white onion, finely chopped
- 2 Anaheim chilies or Poblano Peppers, roasted and finely chopped
- 1 c. frozen corn
- 5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 6 c. chicken broth
- 3 15 oz cans of beans, drained (I used 2 cans of Navy beans and 1 can of kidney beans, because that’s what I had in the pantry)
- 2 c. shredded cooked chicken breast
- 2 heaping tsp. ground cumin
- 2 tsp. dried Ranch Dressing Seasoning Mix (Hidden Valley)
- salt to taste
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- ½ c. sour cream
- ¼ c. fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- Serve with: Cilantro Crema, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, Chipotle Tobasco sauce, avocado, or mix 1 to 2 chipotles with the sour cream for a Chipotle Crema
Directions:
1. Roast the Anaheims or Poblanos in the broiler or the grill until all sides are darkened. Remove peppers and put in a ziploc bag, zip the bag and let steam for 10 minutes. Remove peppers, and remove the skins, stems, and seeds, and chop. Put some frozen corn on a piece of foil and either roast under the broiler or on the grill until the corn begins to darken.
2. Place olive oil in a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Saute onions softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic for 1 minute; then add the cumin and Ranch dressing mix to toast the spices, about 1 minute. Stir in chopped chilies, corn, broth, beans, chicken, salt and pepper. Simmer on med-low for 20 minutes.
3. Mix sour cream with the cilantro. Serve chili with a dollop of Cilantro Crema on top.
4. I also made some cornbread to go with the chili…D’Lish!
Bean and Chicken Ranchero Chili:
Chicken and Dumplings

January 10, 2008 Author: Rachel
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I’ve never made chicken and dumplings before, and I think I’ve only ever had it once in my life, and it wasn’t very good either. -s fondly remembers chicken and dumplings from his youth, and he keeps talking about getting his mom’s recipe. This recipe is so easy to prepare, and it’s quite tasty. I will definitely make this one again. My crock pot recipe is adapted from a Campbell’s Soup recipe.

Ingredients:
- cooking spray
- 1 1/2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 c. whole baby carrots, cut into thirds
- 2 stalks celery, 1/2 inch slices
- 2 cans Campbell’s Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
- 1 c. water
- 2 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- salt to taste
- 2 c. all-purpose baking mix
- 2/3 c. milk
Directions:
1. Spray crock pot with cooking spray.
2. Place potatoes on the bottom, then add the celery, carrots, and chicken in crock pot.
3. Mix soup, water, thyme and black pepper. Pour over chicken.
4. Cover and cook on HIGH 2 hours or until chicken is done.Â Taste and adjust seasoning with salt.
5. Mix baking mix and milk with a fork until batter is formed. Spoon rounded tablespoons over chicken mixture. Tilt lid to vent and cook on HIGH 30 minutes or until dumplings are cooked in center (it took my center dumplings 45 or so minutes to fully cook).
Chicken and Dumplings:

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