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. 

Taco Tortellini Salad

a la Stacey 

 
(9-oz.) pkg. refrigerated cheese tortellini
(15.5-oz.) can Green Giant™ Kidney Beans, drained, rinsed
1 medium tomato, seeded, coarsely chopped
1/2 medium green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
2 T sliced ripe olives
1/2 cup Old El Paso™ Thick 'n Chunky salsa
1/3 cup purchased reduced-calorie thousand island salad dressing
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips, if desired
cilantro, for topping 

Cook tortellini to desired doneness as directed on package. Drain; rinse with cold water.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine kidney beans, tomato, bell pepper and olives. In small bowl, combine salsa, salad dressing and cumin; mix well.

Add cooked tortellini to salad mixture. Just before serving, pour salsa mixture over salad; stir gently to coat. Sprinkle with tortilla chips. (I used Doritos!) 

Cowboy Bacon Beans
a la the Pioneer Woman

4 cups dry pinto beans
1 pound thick-cut bacon, cut into pieces
2 whole green bell peppers, diced
1 whole onion, diced
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons mustard
1 tablespoon chili powder, optional
2 teaspoons salt, more to taste
2 teaspoons black pepper, more to taste
4 cloves garlic, minced

Rinse the beans under cold water, sorting out any rocks/particles. Set aside.

In a heavy pot (cast iron), saute the bacon pieces until halfway cooked and the fat is rendered. Add the green peppers and onions to the pot and cook until starting to get brown, about 3 minutes. Add the beans and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, and then add the brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, chili powder, salt, pepper and garlic. Reduce the heat to a simmer, place on the lid and cook until the beans are tender and the liquid is thick 3 to 4 hours.

chef's note: i did this the quick way, and used canned pinto beans. the flavors were great! i also only used half of the brown sugar- it was plenty sweet for me, especially with the ketchup

Beef and Bean Burritos
a la the Pioneer Woman

2 pounds ground beef
1/2 medium onion
1 7 oz can mexican sauce or enchilada sauce (El Pato tomato sauce is best)
salt and pepper to taste
cumin, oregano, chili powder and garlic to taste.
1 28oz can refried beans
3/4 c grated cheddar cheese
12 burrito sized flour tortillas
extra cheese and sauce, for sprinkling
cilantro, for sprinkling
optional fillings- mexican rice, guacamole, sour cream, green chilies, pico de gallo

Brown ground beef with onion and season to taste. Pour in sauce and simmer over low heat. Add water if mixture gets too dry. Heat refried beans in a saucepan. Add cheese and stir in till melted. Keep warm. Heat tortillas in microwave for one minute.
Spread a small amount of beans on each tortilla. Add meat. Fold over ends, then roll up. Place two burritos on a microwave-safe plate. Drizzle red sauce over the top and sprinkle with more grated cheddar. Microwave for one minute, or until cheese is melted and burritos are very hot. Or, place all on a baking sheet at once in the oven until cheese melts. Serve immediately.

OPTIONAL: Fill burritos with any optional ingredients you like. (I love them full, but my boys like them very plain.)

Black Bean Salad
a la Carlie

1 each of red, yellow and green pepper, diced
1/2 c chopped red onion
1 can corn, or frozen equivalent (defrosted)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/4 c olive oil
5 T red wine vinegar
1 t lime juice, to taste
i can (15 oz) black beans

Combine bell peppers, onion, corn, garlic and cilantro in large bowl, and toss to mix. Add olive oil, vinegar, lime juice and salt and pepper to taste, and toss again. Add beans and lightly toss.
Serve over lettuce or rice, with tortilla chips. maybe add some avocado on top??
For a summer day, chill before serving.

Simple, Perfect Chili
a la Pioneer Woman

2 lbs ground beef
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1- 8oz can tomato sauce
2 T chili powder
1 t cumin
1 t organo
1 t salt
1/4 t cayanne pepper
1/4 c masa harina
2-  15oz cans beans

brown meat and garlic. drain fat, add tomato sauce and spices. simmer low for 1 hour. mix masa with 1/4 c water and mix in.
to eat right away, mix in beans and serve.
to freeze: place cooked beef/tomato/masa mixture in a ziplock in the freezer. defrost with a little water on stove, then add beans to serve.

chef's note: i didn't have masa harina, but i used cornmeal to give it that thickness and flavor.

Crock Pot Minestrone Soup
a la Mom

1/2 onion, chopped
1 c carrots, chopped
1 celery stalk chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (15oz) can white beans, drained and rinsed (cannellini or navy)
3 c fat free chicken broth
1 oz chunk of good Parmesan cheese rind
1 fresh rosemary sprig
2 bay leaves
2 T chopped fresh basil
1/4 c chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
salt and fresh pepper
1 med zucchini, chopped
2 c chopped fresh or frozen (defrosted) spinach
2 c cooked small pasta like ditalini or elbows (al dente)
extra Parmesan cheese to top

Rinse and drain beans. Puree beans with 1 cup of the broth in a blender.
In a crock pot, combine broth, tomatoes, pureed beans, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, herbs, cheese rind, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Forty minutes before soup is done cooking, add zucchini and spinach. Cover and cook 30 minutes more. Add cooked pasta, cook 10 minutes more. Remove bay leaves, rosemary sprig, parmesan cheese rind, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Chili

a la Areta

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef or turkey

1 green pepper, chopped

1 can black beans

1 can pinto beans

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

1 can tomato sauce

1 cup frozen corn

1/2 c water

1 pkg taco seasoning

1 pkg ranch seasoning

 

 

Brown meat and drain. Add all ingredients to a big pot. Bring to a boil, and set to simmer for at least an hour. I leave mine in all day.