Cilantro Lime Rice

Chipotle is a go-to place for burritos when my partner and I don't feel like cooking. I decided to try making rice like theirs at home for a Mexican style meal.

Verdict: It's not *exactly* like Chipotle's, but it's tasty! I would definitely make it again.

---------------

RECIPE: Chipotle Style Cilantro-Lime Rice (Epicurious)

White Bean and Chicken Chili

My mom started making this after I left for college, but it reminds me strongly of her. I had it once during a visit home and couldn't get enough of it so I had to get her recipe.

Notes:

• The original recipe called for 1 tsp ground white pepper but I found that a little too much for my tastes. 1/2 tsp is good for my mild-end-of-medium preference.
• If you can find canned Hatch chiles, they are particularly good in this! I accidentally bought the spicy/hot ones rather than mild ones but found that they're not terribly spicy and I was able to handle them.

------------------

RECIPE:

White Bean and Chicken Chili
Adapted slightly from the recipe from the Appleton Post-Crescent, early 2000s
Serves 4

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast halves (2-3 breast halves)
1 tsp olive oil
1 large onion
1 tbsp bottled minced garlic
15 oz Great Northern white beans
19 oz cannellini beans
4.5 oz chopped green chilies
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp pepper, preferably white (use less)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
14.5 oz chicken broth
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional, for topping)
Sour cream (optional, for topping)

Partially defrost chicken. Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat. Peel and coarsely chop onion, adding to the pot as you chop. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Cut the chicken into bite-size chunks, add to the pot and stir occasionally. Add garlic and continue to cook. While the chicken cooks, rinse and drain both types of beans and drain the chilies. Add the chilies to the pot along with the cumin, white pepper and cayenne pepper. Raise the heat to high and add the broth and drained beans. Cover the pot and bring the chili to a boil. Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch and water in a small container that has a lid. Shake well to remove any lumps. When the chili boils, the chicken should be cooked through. Add the cornstarch mixture a little at a time, stirring constantly. Continue to boil until the chili reaches the desired thickness. Remove from heat and serve. Garnish with cheese and sour cream, if desired.

Mexican Spice Blend

I first came upon this while trying to recreate food from Chipotle. I'm not normally into fast food type restaurants but theirs has vegetables and beans and stuff that tastes like actual food. However, I now live kind of far away from one and don't always want to make the trip there.

I usually put this on chicken for taco seasoning/Mexican style meals but have also used it on pork, ground beef, ground turkey, and even sauteed summer squash for vegetarians/vegans. I bet it would taste good on sweet potatoes too.

Notes:

• I have a huge stash of Korean red pepper flakes and that's usually what I use here because the standard red pepper flakes in the US are too spicy for me in this large an amount.
• I have used both chili powder that is meant for use in the soup (such as Mexene) and one that is just a straight roasted and ground pepper like ancho chile powder. Both are good.
• Sometimes I use kosher salt to make it a little less salty. You could also omit the salt.
• If using as a dry rub, the flavors are stronger if you let it stand for a couple of hours after rubbing it on the food of choice.

----------------

RECIPE:

Mexican Spice Blend
Makes about 1/3 cup (40 g)

1 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp mild chili flakes
2 tsp Mexican oregano
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Stir together all ingredients in a bowl or shake together in a glass jar with a lid.

Spanish Rice

A while back, for a few years in a row around Christmas, my family cooked a Tex-Mex/Mexican style dinner. Most everything was made from scratch and tasted great, but for some reason that did not extend to the rice. I never really liked Spanish rice but decided to try the boxed mix version at our dinner anyway and was disappointed. It tasted too much like canned tomato and lacked general flavor and was mushy. I do like the rice in burritos, so I knew it could be good if we just gave it some thought.

Fast forward to a few months later where I somehow really wanted to have some good rice with a Mexican style meal, and chose this. It was easy AND really good. It is no harder than preparing it from a package, and has LOTS more flavor than the boxed mix. I now make it regularly with Tex-Mex/Mexican food. I like to serve it with refried beans and spicy chicken tacos.

Notes:

• My favorite kind of rice to use here is jasmine rice, though you can use any long grain rice you wish.
• I have not tried it with brown rice but I imagine if you did it might just take a little longer to cook.
• It will end up highlighting the flavors of whatever salsa you use, so make sure you like the taste of the salsa you plan to make this with. My favorite is a tomato based salsa with peach and mango, which makes it slightly sweet.
• To make it vegetarian, use a vegetarian broth of your choice instead of chicken broth. 

RECIPE: Spanish Rice

Red Chicken Chili

A number of years ago I decided to get a side of chili with my hamburger instead of fries at one of my favorite pubs, and it completely surprised me. It was easily the best chili I'd ever had up to that point in my life. It was smoky but not incredibly spicy, and had chicken (even though it was a tomato based chili!) and dark red kidney beans and green peppers in it.

I quickly set to work looking for a recipe like it, and tried one from Everyday Annie. With a few tweaks, I was able to get it reasonably close to the restaurant version I so desperately wanted. After making this a bunch and re-trying the restaurant version, I am fairly sure the meat in the restaurant's version is smoked or there are smoked peppers that are less spicy than chipotles/jalapeños in the base, because I have not been able to get the same level of smokiness without it becoming too spicy for me to eat. However, the version below is close enough for me to be happy. It is my go-to chili and has warmed me up on many a cold day. It is less heavy than a beef chili, which I also like.

Notes:

• I have prepared the chicken shredded as well as diced, and I prefer the texture of shredded because it holds onto the soup a little better.
• I cook the onions and peppers until they're really soft because that is how I like them, but feel free to cook them less if you like them a little more crisp.
• If you want your chili to be less spicy, use less of the red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, and chipotle. Add more if you want it more spicy. Add more chipotle for more smoky flavor with your spicy heat.
• My favorite chili powder to use is Penzey's Chili con Carne spice blend since it adds lots of flavor with minimal spicy heat. Your preference may vary based on your level of spicy tolerance.
• If you can't find tomatoes packed in puree, get some that are packed in juice instead. You might also like to add some tomato paste in that case.
• Better Than Bouillon makes a really great tasting chicken soup base.
• If you don't like dark red kidney beans, you can substitute another color of kidney beans, or black or pinto beans.
• This freezes pretty well, though you might need to add a little more water after thawing.
• You can serve it with Greek yogurt, sour cream, crackers, corn chips, and/or grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese but it is also tasty on its own.
• *When I buy a can of chipotles in adobo sauce, because I eat so little of it at a time, I blend the entire can in the blender to make a paste, and keep it in a jar in the refrigerator. I generally use about 1 tbsp of this in a batch. Its spiciness diminishes over time but it will keep for a long time (it does not spoil because of the capsaicin).

----------------

RECIPE:

Red Chicken Chili
Adapted from Everyday Annie
Makes about 12-14 cups; serves about 8

1 to 1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp dried Mexican oregano
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cups chopped yellow onion (2-3 medium onions)
3 sweet bell peppers, seeds removed and chopped (any color you like)
2 cloves garlic, minced
56 oz (2 large cans) diced tomatoes, packed in puree
1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, finely chopped (or 1 tbsp puree* see above note)
1 tsp chicken soup base
30 oz (2 small cans) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Rub the chicken with 1 tsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until chicken has cooked through. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Combine chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, Mexican oregano, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Put 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot and set burner to medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add onions and peppers and saute for 10-15 minutes until translucent and very soft. Add garlic and continue to cook another 30-60 seconds, until fragrant. Add dry spices and chopped chipotle, and continue to cook for about 5 more minutes. Pour in the entire contents of the cans of tomatoes (do not drain), turn the heat up to high, and bring the pot to a boil. Add the chicken soup base and stir until dissolved. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes, uncovered, to let the flavors blend. Stir occasionally. Meanwhile, shred cooled chicken with a fork or dice into bite size pieces.

When the 30 minutes are up, add the chicken and beans to the pot and stir gently to combine. If you prefer more liquid, add 1-2 cups water and 1-2 tsp soup base if desired. Allow to simmer for another several minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve warm.

Veggie Nachos

Tonight my cooking buddies Sarah and Caroline came over for some fun times before Sarah heads to France for 3 months. I had just sprained my ankle really badly and could barely stand up, and Caroline had quite a tumultuous first few weeks at her new science teacher job. Sarah had recently found Smitten Kitchen's Corn and Black Bean Weeknight Nachos and couldn't get enough, and wanted us to experience them too. We all worked together to get them in the oven as quick as we could, talking the entire time.

I didn't think it was possible, but it turns out I DO like radishes if they're pickled. Sarah finds a way for me to appreciate lots of things I thought I didn't like.

Cheesy food calls for cheesy entertainment. We brought the cookie sheet full of nachos into the living room, set them on the coffee table, and shared them while we drank red wine and watched Michael Bolton's Big Sexy Valentine's Day Special. (If you have not seen it, please do yourself a favor and watch it. Yes, it's dumb, but it's also amazing.)

Bon voyage mon amie.

RECIPE: Corn and Black Bean Weeknight Nachos