Chicken and White Bean Soup

Hello All, I hope you had a good Christmas!  I was on vacation, and therefore, not motivated to do much of anything computer related, aside from playing the Sims.  But that doesn't mean I wasn't cooking!

I adapted this recipe from a couple I had, and it turned out fabulous!  It was originally supposed to be a white chicken chili, but ended up as a soup, and I was not disappointed.  I've learned if I want something to thicken, I need to get a good stock pot and cook on the stove.

I had all the ingredients, and kind of winged it as far as amounts go, so I will try to guestimate, but use your judgement depending on pot size and amount you actually want to make.  This filled a 6 qt slow cooker nearly to the brim, and it took a while, and me bringing some to work for my coworkers for us to get rid of it all!

Ingredients:

6-8 cups Chicken stock or broth

2-3 16 oz cans of White Kidney (Cannellini) Beans (I used 3)

5-6 cups diced cooked (or boiled) chicken

2 cans Cream of Chicken condensed soup

1-2 cups Salsa of your choice

1 cup water

1-1.5 cups chopped onion (I use sweet onions in everything)

1-2 Tablespoons Chili Powder

1-2 Tablespoons Oregano

2-3 Garlic cloves, minced

1/4-1/2 teaspoon Cayenne powder

1-2 tablespoons Cumin (my new favorite spice!)

If you like other spices, or some salt and pepper, feel free to add those in if you like

Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese - for serving on top of soup (optional)

Preparation:

There's really not much to it.  I boiled a few large chicken breasts and diced them up.  Then everything went into the crock pot and was mixed well.  Set the crock pot for 6-8 hours on low and you're done!  You oculd also cook on high 3-4 hours.  When it's done, stir, and serve topped with the shredded cheese or even a little sour cream, or let cool and store/refrigerate!

The Verdict:

No modifications for this one since it was somewhat my own.  Like I said, this was a combo of two recipes, and it came out way better than I ever expected!  We definitely ended up with a lot so if you don't want or need a whole lot, cut the recipe in half, or you can make the whole batch, then freeze the rest.  It was very flavorful and tasty.  Hubby and I both had quite a bit over the week our portion lasted, and 2 of my coworkers had some that I brought to work, and all I heard was rave reviews, especially since one of them ate 3 or 4 bowls over 2 days, then handed me the empty container with a big smile on his face.  It helps to have a husband and guy coworkers that are garbage disposals I suppose :)

Edited to Add:
I have also cooked this in the soup pot on top of the stove.  If you need it more quickly than in the slow cooker, go this route.  You can just toss everything in, and since it will be boiling, you can put the chicken in raw after you dice!

Click here to download a printable page for this recipe!

"Puppy Chow" or "Muddy Buddies"

I know this recipe as Puppy Chow, but the Chex Mix website calls it Muddy Buddies.  I decided to make this yummy treat over the weekend, and yes it is already gone.  To my defense, I did bring it to my parents house on Saturday, and then brought some into work for my co-workers today.  But I probably did eat most of it myself with some help from the Husband.

(Finally taking my own pictures, LOVE my new little camera!)

Ingredients:
9 cups Rice Chex®, Corn Chex® or Chocolate Chex® cereal (or combination)

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preparation:

1. Measure cereal; set aside in large bowl.
2. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
3. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

My Modifications:

Only one for this one, I remember doing step 2 on the stove in years past, so I did just that. The microwave usually ends up in an explosive mess of some sort. I also only used store brand corn "Chex." I wanted to use chocolate, but the only thing they had was Cinnamon, so I decided to be cheap. I may mix Chocolate and Cinnamon if/when I make this again, and if I can find both. Also, use more sugar to coat if necessary.

As I said earlier, this didn't last very long. I hadn't had it in a long time so I decided on a whim to make it. There are TONS of other recipes on the Chex site that look yummy so I might have to try those in the near future too!

Savory Herb-Crusted Chicken (or Turkey) Pot Pie

Ok faithful readers, here is yet another trial from the Campbell's Kitchen website.  The recipe originally says Turkey pot pie, but you can substitute chicken if you prefer, or in my case, that's what's in the fridge. I'm currently eating this for dinner while I type, and so far so good!

Ingredients:

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

6 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken

5 cups frozen mixed vegetables or your favorite frozen vegetable blend

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups Chicken Broth or Chicken Stock

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed according to package directions

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh herbs (parsley, thyme and/or oregano)

Preparation:

Heat the oven to 400°F. Mix the turkey/chicken and vegetables in a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Heat the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook and stir for 3 minutes. Gradually stir the broth into the saucepan. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until the mixture boils and thickens. Stir in the black pepper. Pour the broth mixture over the turkey mixture.Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 13x9-inch rectangle. Place the pastry over the filling. Press the pastry to the rim to seal. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork. Brush the pastry with the egg mixture and sprinkle with the herbs. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is hot and bubbling.

My Recommendations:

I followed this one to the letter except for the fresh herbs part. I love fresh herbs, but could not find oregano at the store, and figured it would taste just as fine with dried parsley and oregano that I already had in house. I didn't use Thyme. I also didn't have the full size dish, or a rectangular one for that matter, since my 3 qt spontaneously combusted in the sink one day (no it was not hot! At least according to my hubby :) ). My options were to go .75 qt smaller or 1.5 qt bigger, so until I get another dish, I opted for the smaller of the two. To save time, I just boiled the chicken breasts and then diced them. I didn't use the full amount, since my dish was a little smaller. Having the oval dish made the crust part a little awkward as well, but it worked out alright. I think I'm going to add more chicken broth to the broth mixture. The butter evaporated pretty quickly, and the flour kind of congealed when I added the broth, so I used a whisk to break it up while it was cooking. I think the extra broth will also help add some extra flavor, which I think is needed. I usually don't salt things but I put a little salt on my meal tonight, so I'll be adding a little of that as well, along with a few other spices to kick the flavor up a little bit. Other than that, it's fabulous! Hubby likes it too, so another plus in the recipe book!

The Verdict:

Overall, I really like this recipe.  I've been looking for an easy pot pie after the one I kind of put together myself didn't really work out too well.  As I said, I'll be adding a few more things to kick the flavor up a bit, possibly trying cream of chicken soup instead of the broth/flour mixture.  The only thing about this recipe is that it isn't as quick as some of my others, but if you have the time and don't mind making a bit of a mess, go for it!

I'm trying two more new recipes for next week, so stay tuned!

Click here to download a printable page for this recipe!