White Bean Chili

white bean chili- might just be my favorite, easy, comfort soup!

White Bean Chili

1 med. onion chopped and sauteed (or 2 T minced dried onion)
3-4 chicken breasts - I cook the chicken separately and add it at the end

2 (15 oz) cans White Great Northern Beans, drained
1/2 can Garbanzo Beans, drained - I find they get softer if I sauté them with the onions
1 can corn, drained (or 1 c. frozen corn)
1 -2 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
1 t cumin
1/2 t lemon pepper
1/2 t salt
3 cups chicken broth
(juice of one lime if I have one!)

Saute the onions and garbanzo beans in a little bit of butter. While they are cooking open all of your cans and pour them into a large pot on the stove. Add the spices, bring to a boil and then reduce heat until serving. Add chicken just before serving so it doesn't get to soft.

Or somedays I just put it all in the crock pot!

Then serve with sour cream, grated cheese, and chips! yum!!

This would also be a great food storage meal- just add canned chicken!

Chocolate Characters

1. choose your favorite character and print a picture that will fit on your cake. cover your picture with wax paper.

2. Melt baking chocolates. I find they melt best in a glass pan in the oven at 170.

3. Tint your chocolates with OIL CANDY COLORINGS. They come in most every color- but I just bought Red, Yellow and Blue and figured I could make most colors from those.

4. Pour melted chocolates into squeeze bottles (old mustard and ketchup style)- or for smaller amounts just use small bowls. Trace carefully around your picture with an outline color. (We used chocolate.) The details that are on the top of the picture should be done first.

5. Fill in the remaining space with other colors. The chocolates dry fast so don't worry about the colors blending. Let dry completely and then flip over onto cake and gently pull back wax paper.

Pizza crust 101

Hi girls! I tried to cut and paste the real recipe, but I had no luck. Ash, get with me on this if it is indeed possible. Here is a link to the actual CPK crust recipe that I have in my CPK cookbook. It must be made the day before, and per the exact instructions. I always double the recipe to make two 12" pizzas. The recipe is totally high maintenance, but the result is chewy, authentic crust. You will never go back to a same-day make dough again. Remember to place the dough on a pre-heated pizza stone.

This link also provides the recipe for the bbq chicken pizza. It is delightful! You must use more red onions than listed, and smoked Gouda is a must! The picture above looks to have bacon on it as well. That is a swell addition.

http://www.recipegoldmine.com/ccc/california-pizza-barbecue-chicken.html

This link below, will get you the the carbonara pizza recipe that I made just tonight. Add diced Roma tomatoes to the top for color. I really liked it. (Henry still likes the bbq chicken better, and was actually sort of a hater about this pizza.)

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pizza-Carbonara/Detail.aspx

FYI, I killed the yeast on the crust that I made last night. Make sure the water is not too hot.

Can I also give a little shout out to Saf yeast? I have failed so much in the past, but this yeast is fool-proof, if you don't kill it, that is. By it at Bowman's, and Dick's. (if you live in the Davis county bubble.) And to you non-Davis county-ites, you know what I mean.

Lettuce Wraps

My friend Ericka posted this on her blog about a year ago. We have made these a couple of times now- and my family loves them. I have made a few minor adjustments- like leaving out the water chestnuts (yuck!!). They are super easy. Try them and I might just be your new best friend : )

3-4 chicken breasts1 large carrot
(10 baby carrots)
1/2 lb mushrooms
3 green onions
1 red bell pepper
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 head iceberg or butter lettuce, leaves washed and separated

sauce:
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Cook chicken in large pan with a little bit of water until cooked thoroughly.

While the chicken is cooking dice up your veggies. A food processor makes this one of the easiest meals I have ever made. Carrots, red pepper, green onion and mushrooms should all be diced to about the size of a kernel of corn.

Remove the chicken from the pan- it will much easier to cut when cooled.

Saute veggies in 1T oil and 2 cloves of garlic (~1 t minced garlic) and 1/2 t sesame oil.

Mix together sauce ingredients and whisk to combine.

When veggies are soft, add diced chicken and sauce and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

Serve with rice and lettuce. (my kids liked the mixture both on rice and on lettuce. I liked adding a little bit of rice to my chicken & veggies on the lettuce).

ENJOY!! ( **I have also made this with 1 lb ground spicy sausage in place of the chicken. My 11 year old taste tester Kate LOVED them**)