Creamy White Chicken Chili
a la Mel's Kitchen Cafe

1 T oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/2 inch pieces (leave whole for crock pot method)
1/2 c chopped onion
1 1/2 t garlic powder, or 2 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
2 cans (15.5 ounces each) Great Northern beans =, or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 3/4 c chicken broth (14.5 oz can) 
2 cans (4 oz each) chopped green chilis
1 t salt
1 t ground cumin
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t pepper
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1 c sour cream
1/2 c heavy cream
fresh cilantro, for garnish
shredded cheese, tortilla chips, other toppings

Stovetop: in 4-5 quart pot, heat the oil over medium heat. add the chicken, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally for 1-2 minutes, until the onion starts to soften (it's ok if the chicken isn't completely cooked) 
Add the beans, broth, chilis, and spices. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 15-30 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream and cream. Garnish with toppings. 

For Crock Pot: Place chicken in whole, adding onions, garlic, beans, chilis and spices. Reduce the chicken broth to 1 1/2 c and add to slow cooker. Cook on low for 5-7 hours. 
Shred or cut up chicken. Mix together cream and sour cream in a separate bowl, and add to crock pot. Garnish to serve. 

 Mel's Kitchen Puppy Chow

2 c semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/4 c peanut butter
6 T salted butter
1 t vanilla
10 1/2 to 11 cups rice or corn chex (12 oz box) 
2 1/2 c powdered sugar
2 T cocoa powder

Combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter and melt together. Stir in the vanilla. 

Place the cereal in a very large bowl, and pour the chocolate mixture over it. Let the cereal rest for 5-10 minutes, ging from wet and shiny to sticky. 

Whisk together the powdered sugar and cocoa. Put cereal mixture in a large paper bag, sprinkling the sugar mixture on top. Shake shake shake! 

 Scotcharoos
a la Salt and Baker

1 c light corn syrup
1 c sugar
1 c creamy peanut butter
5- 5 1/2 c Rice Krispy cereal

Topping: 
1 c butterscotch chips
1 c chocolate chips

In medium saucepan over medium low heat, stir the Karo syrup and sugar until it is no longer grainy. Do not let this mixture come to a boil. Once the mixture is hot, almost boiling, remove it from the heat and stir in peanut butter. Pour the hot mixture over the cereal, in a separate bowl. 

Transfer the mixture to a greased 9x13 baking dish and spread into an even layer. 

In a medium bowl, melt the butterscotch and chocolate chips. Pour the melted mixture over the cereal mixture. Let set- I use the fridge.