Chicken Corn Chowder (Mexican Style)

People, I had an emergency dinner situation this week.  Our neighbor Guang had a baby over the weekend, and I mentioned casually to Olivia that I wanted to make dinner for them.  Olivia immediately passed that information on to Simone (Guang's daughter), and at 3:00 p.m., Simone came over to express her mother's appreciation and ask what time dinner would be there.  So, I got this recipe from my friend Larissa.  She had made it for playgroup before and assured me it was both easy and fast.  (I already knew it was delicious).  It's the perfect winter soup--just different enough from our normal soups to be interesting, but still comforting and . . . um. . . just perfect, really.

Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

1 chicken breast (pan seared, then shredded)

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tb butter

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 cup hot water

1/2 to 1 tsp cumin

2 cups half and half

2 cups shredded cheese (Monterey Jack or cheddar)

1 (14 oz) can cream style corn

1/2 bag frozen corn kernels

1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies, undrained

1/4 tsp hot sauce

1 medium tomato, chopped 

cilantro

Melt butter in pan, then brown the chicken adding onions and garlic at the end.  Dissolve bouillon in hot water.  Add to pan along with cumin; bring to boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add half and half, cheese, corn, chilies, and hot sauce.  Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted.  Stir in chopped tomato.  Serve with cilantro on top.

Just a few of my own notes- like I said, I shred the chicken for texture.  And, once the half and half goes in, make sure it doesn't get too hot or else it'll get grainy.  

Toffee Chocolate Grahams

My favorite Christmas candy is English Toffee, but I have not been able to make it for a couple of years. I found this recipe on a blog called Stephanie's Kitchen. I am over sugared right now, but when I need a sugar fix this is what I am going to make.

Chocolate Graham Cracker Toffee

6 whole graham crackers(depending on the size of your crackers you may need more)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Arrange graham crackers in a single layer in a 8X10 inch pan. Add the butter and brown sugar to a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Pour the mixture evenly over the crackers. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips. The chocolate will immediately start to melt, and using a spoon or knife, spread the chocolate to cover the sugar mixture evenly. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top. Let the pan cool to room temperature and then chill until chocolate is firm. Break into pieces.

Granola Pancakes

For those of you who have Emilee's Granola recipe you need to try this!! Next time you make a batch when it comes out of the oven before it gets to dry through it in some pancake batter and make pancakes. SOOOOOO GOOOOOOD! I saw it on Diners Drive Inns and Dives, tried it, liked it:)

My new favorite drink

I love hot cocoa--YUM!  However, sometimes I want that hot-cocoa-snuggly-socks-cozy-blanket feeling without spending my calories on hot cocoa.  You know.  So, this is my new favorite thing.  Warm 8 to 12 oz. of skim (1%, whatever) milk in the microwave for a minute and a half.  Add one teaspoon flavored creamer (my new favorite is vanilla caramel) and one teaspoon sugar.  Stir it well and hold that warm cup in your hands as you smell the deliciousness.  Drink up with no guilt.  And save your calories for when you can really splurge on AMAZING cocoa, instead of that crappy Wal-Mart brand stuff you buy for your kids.  :)

Pizza/Calzones/Baked Potatoes

What does Pizza, Baked Potatoes and Calzones have in common? Ingredients!!!! I made homemade Pizza the other night and felt kinda guilty at how much I spent. I justified it cause we were feeding the Missionaries but when I figured out what to make with the remaining junk I felt better:)

Shopping List

1 can olives

1 carton mushrooms

1 Lrg yellow onion

1 gr bell pepper

1 pkg pepperoni

mozzarella cheese

1 jar spaghetti sauce

Betty Crocker pizza crust (super cheap and work great for me)

Pillsbury ready made dough (in the roll canisters like the Biscuits and Crescent rolls)

Potatoes (we already had these as I'm sure most people do)

Divi up all ingredients between the Pizza, Baked Potatoes and Calzones (1 roll made 3 med ones, 2 for dinner and 1 for Mike's lunch. 375 for 14 minutes but watch them, we dipped the calzones in pizza sauce). Very nice!!!

Sat-Pizza, Sun-Potatoes, Mon-Calzones.

Pumpkin Doughnuts

We are trying these doughnuts tonight on the recommendation of Katie from No Big Dill.  I'll let you know how they turn out.

Barbecue Beef Sandwiches

I made this for dinner today and it was oober yummy and well received by the Mikey.

BBQ Beef Sandwiches

3 Pound beef boneless chuck roast

1 C. BBQ sauce

1/2 C. apricot preserves

1/3 C. green bell pepper

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp. packed brown sugar

1 small onion, sliced

12 kaiser or hamburger buns

1. Trim fat from beef. Cut beef into 4 pieces. Place beef in 4 to 5 quart slow cooker.

2. Mix remaining ingredients except buns; pour over beef. Cover and cook on low heat for 7 to 8 hours or until beef in tender.

3. Remove beef to cutting board; cut into thin slices; return to cooker.

4. Cover and cook on low for 20 to 30 minutes longer or until beef is hot. Us slotted spoon to remove meat from drippings. Fill buns with beef mixture.

Note: apricot preserves can be substituted with peach or orange marmalade.

I used a vinegar based BBQ sauce so if you don't I recommend adding 1 or 2 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar. Also I diced the onions instead of slicing them and shredded the meat because it was so tender and moist it was falling apart.