White Chili

3 pounds of chicken breast
3 16-ounce cans chicken broth (divided)
1 onion, chopped
1 pkg taco seasoning
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp pepper
3 drops Tabasco sauce
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can small white beans, drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 small cans chopped green chilis
2 cans chopped tomatoes, drained
8 oz cream cheese
16 oz sour cream
8 oz heavy cream

Mix 1 can of the chicken broth with the taco seasoning and chili powder.  Put them in a crock pot.  Add the chicken and onion.  Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 4-6 hours.  One hour before serving, combine the other two cans of chicken broth, the beans, the tomatoes, the chilis, and the spices in a large pan.  Heat to boiling then reduce to a simmer.  While the bean mixture is cooking, remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred it.  Just before serving, add the chicken to the bean mixture.  In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese and sour cream then stir in the heavy cream.  Add the cream mixture to the chicken and bean mixture.  Heat through and serve.  (Serves 12-16 people.)

Creamy Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Creamy Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

8 oz penne pasta
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 (8 oz) jar sun-dried tomatoes
1 pound of chicken tenders
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
4 oz. chicken broth
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil or 1 Tbsp dried basil
salt
pepper

Cook the pasta according to package directions in boiling, salted water. (You want the water to be salty so a full teaspoon of salt is ok.  If you put a tablespoon of vegetable oil in the water, the pasta won't stick together. Cook the pasta while you are making the sauce and chicken so that it is ready when they are.)
 Drain the tomatoes reserving 2 Tbsp of the oil.  Place the oil in a large skillet.  Heat the oil then add the tomatoes and the garlic.  Cook and stir until the garlic is fragrant. (Garlic burns easily so when I add the garlic to the pan, I just turn off the burner and let the residual heat cook the garlic.  Just remember to turn it back on when you start cooking again.)
 Use a slotted spoon to remove the tomatoes and garlic to a plate.  Salt and pepper the chicken then add it to the skillet.  Cook over medium heat with a lid until the chicken is done - about two to three
minutes per side.  Remove the chicken to the plate with the tomatoes.
Add the cream and the cheese to the pan.  Cook over low heat while gently stirring to melt the cheese.  Add the Italian seasoning, chicken broth, and basil and cook gently over low heat for 1-2 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
Return the chicken, garlic, and tomatoes to the skillet.  Cover with a lid and remove from the heat.  Drain the  pasta and pour it on a serving platter.  Use tongs to place the chicken pieces on top of the pasta.  Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and pasta.  Serve immediately.  (Serves 4-6)

 10 Ways to Spend $10 to Help and Empower Women

     As the release of Fifty Shades of Grey nears, I cringe as I consider how much damage may occur as a result of young women receiving a message that dominance, abuse, and perversion serve as romance in a relationship.  What if instead of spending $10 at the movie theatre, women spent $10 to help women?  Think of the good that could come from thousands of women not only shunning a degrading “entertainment” offering but also lifting their voices and opening their pocketbooks to lift and support their sisters.  When you’re deciding what to do with your time and money this weekend, consider your power to lift others higher and to make our world a better place for all women.

1       Make a donation to the YWCA in memory of a woman who exemplifies strength.  http://www.ywcaokc.org/site/c.7oJELRPuFgJYG/b.8087217/k.9B54/How_You_Can_Help.htm

2    Purchase one of the Wish List items for a Women’s Shelter and deliver it: http://www.dayspringvilla.com/needs.php

3     Honor someone special by making a gift in their name to fund grants used to promote education for women in Oklahoma.  http://www.wfok.org/donations/

4     Help provide free mammograms by donating here:  http://www.oklahomaprojectwoman.org

5     Assemble a cosmetic or hygiene kit and donate it to women who are working to overcome addiction:  http://www.okcmetroalliance.com/donate.html

6     Purchase an item of maternity clothing and donate it to help women who are experiencing unexpected pregnancy:   http://www.obhc.org/how-you-can-help

7     Provide transportation to a medical appointment to an elderly woman:  http://rsvpokc.org/opportunities/

8     Contribute to an organization that helps women start micro-businesses that generate lasting income:  http://www.workofwomen.org/site/c.nqITLZPGJtH/b.4862139/k.A399/What_is_WOW.htm

9     Donate medical supplies or over-the-counter medication to a free medical clinic:  http://freeclinicdirectory.org/oklahoma_care/oklahoma_ok_county.html

1      Gather supplies for a new baby and donate them: http://freeclinicdirectory.org/oklahoma_care/oklahoma_ok_county.html

The (thrifty and tasty) Demise of Cream-of-Chemical Soups

     Because we had to go preservative-free at our house, I've been experimenting with a substitute for the condensed cream soups that I used to use in my recipes.   I've finally found a really yummy and inexpensive replacement recipe.

Cream of Chicken Soup Concentrate
4 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp flour
14.5 ounces chicken broth (that's one can in most brands)
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/8 teaspoon seasoned  salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in the flour and spices until smooth and bubbly.   Add the chicken broth.  Stir until thick and bubbly.   Mixture will seem a little thin at first but it thickens up after resting off the heat for five minutes or so. If you want to add a bit of chicken to it you can but I'm usually putting it in a chicken dish so I don't.   This yield on this recipe is about 20 ounces which is the equivalent of 2 cans of the commercially prepared stuff.

Dinner with Tim Turnbeaugh

"Absolutely Perfect" Spaghetti Carbonara

My daughter describes this spaghetti carbonara recipe as "absolutely perfect".  It's creamy, smoky, a little salty, a little spicy, and has just a hint of sweetness from the caramelized onions.  Best of all, it's ready for a hungry family in less than 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

8 slices bacon, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

8 oz spaghetti

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

3 quarts water

1 small onion, chopped (I like sweet Vidalia but a red onion works well, too.)

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a large pan, combine the teaspoon of salt, the Tbsp of oil, and the 3 quarts of water.  Heat to boiling, add the pasta, and cook until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, cook the bacon over medium heat in a large non-stick skillet.  When the bacon is crisp, remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and put it on a plate covered with a paper towel.  Add the onion to the bacon grease and sauté until soft and slightly brown.  Add the minced garlic to the onion and cook for about one more minute.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, cream, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Mix well with a whisk.

When the spaghetti is done, drain it and return it to the pan.  Immediately pour the egg mixture over the hot spaghetti and stir well until the spaghetti is well coated. (Don't worry about using raw eggs; they cook from the heat of the spaghetti).  

Divide the spaghetti between four plates.  Top each serving with 1/4 of the bacon, 1/4 of the garlic/onion mixture, and 1/4 of the parmesan cheese.  Serve immediately.

Chicken Pasta Primavera

I took a good recipe and tweaked it a bit to make a truly yummy (and healthy) one dish meal.  You could use any vegetables you like, but we liked the ones listed in the recipe below.

Ingredients:
1.5 pounds chicken breast
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 Tbsp and 1 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning OR 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, and 1 tsp dried parsley
1 Red onion, thinly sliced
4-6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
3 carrots, julienned
2 yellow squash, julienned
2 zucchini, julienned
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
zest of 1/2 of a lemon
10 basil leaves, chopped
16 oz farfalle (bow-tie) pasta
1 cup grated parmesan cheese


Directions:
Sprinkle salt and pepper on the chicken then cut it into bite-sized chunks.  Heat the 1 tsp of olive oil in a non-stick skillet.  Add the chicken and cook over medium heat until cooked through (5-10 min).  Set aside.

Combine all of the chopped vegetables - EXCEPT TOMATOES- in a large bowl.  Add 3 Tbsp olive oil and the Italian seasoning then toss to coat the vegetables.  Place in a 9x13 baking dish and roast in an oven preheated to 450 degrees.  Stir the vegetables every five minutes and cook until the carrots are tender (about 15-20 min.)  Add the tomatoes to the vegetables during the last five minutes of roasting.  

While the vegetables are roasting, cook the farfalle pasta until al dente.  Drain and place in a large bowl.  Add the chicken, roasted vegetables, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and basil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately, topping each serving with parmesan cheese as desired. Serves 4-6 people.  Approximately 500 calories per serving.