White Chicken Sausage Chili with Jalapenos, Spinach, and Cheddar

While we don't regularly shop at Lunds or Byerlys, we're big fans of their free, recipe-filled catalogs.  Here's our latest find-- great for a lighter yet hearty winter meal.

As the recipe indicates, the chicken sausage is optional. Truly this is a chili where the flavors can stand alone without meat and it's easy to cook the sausage separately and add it only to the bowls of the meat-eaters you're serving.

White Chicken Sausage Chili with Jalapenos, Spinach, and Cheddar
adapted from Lunds and Byerlys "Real Food" Winter 2011 catalog
6 servings


1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 large jalapenos, seeded and chopped
2 15 oz cans white beans, with juices
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup canned tomatillos (chopped) or mild green salsa
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
2 oz per person spicy chicken sausage, precooked and chopped (optional- we used a delicious Johnsonville Chicken Sausage with cheese and smokey chipotle flavors)
4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
salt
4 oz shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, garnish

Heat oil in large pot over medium- high heat. Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and jalapenos.  Saute for 10 minutes over medium heat until softened.

Add beans, tomatoes, tomatillos or salsa, paprika, cumin, and oregano. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.

Warm precooked chicken sausage for each serving of the chili with meat. Place warmed, chopped sausage in bottom of each meat serving bowl.

Just before serving, add spinach and salt to taste. Once spinach is just wilted, serve chili with Cheddar cheese sprinkled on top.

Nutrition facts according to the catalog:
Without chicken sausage: 284 calories/ serving, 84 from fat, 9 g fiber, 16 g protein
With sausage: 391 calories/serving, 145 from fat, 9 g fiber, 26 g protein

Grandma's Famous Chipotle Chili

While this has become a new favorite for football Sundays, it is neither from my grandma nor particularly famous.  I took it as a good sign when I heard it recommended to other friends as both "grandmas" (always a mark of approval) and "famous" (which no one wants to miss out on)!

This is also a great recipe to double-- even with only 2 eaters-- as it freezes well.

Grandma's Famous Chipotle Chili
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced (we've used green lately as they're cheaper)
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced (don't skimp, but don't overdo-- I've used in entire can in the name of love for heat and ended up with an inedible chili!)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground hamburger, browned and drained (original calls for ground round or chuck)
2-3 Tbs chili powder
1-2 tsp sea salt
2-3 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dried basil
1 12 oz bottle dark beer
1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 14 oz cans chicken or beef broth
1 bay leaf
1 15 oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
sour cream, garnish
cheddar cheese, grated, garnish
crackers, garnish

Heat oil in stock pot over medium high heat, add onion. On low heat, cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add bell pepper and cook 5 more minutes.

Add chipotle peppers and garlic and cook 1 more minute.

Add beef, chili powder, salt, cumin, pepper, and basil and simmer 2 minutes.

Stir in Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes and paste, broth, and bay leaf. Bring to a low boil then reduce heat to low. Simmer with out a cover on for 30 minutes or until you're 15 minutes away from mealtime.

Add beans and simmer 10 more minutes until beans are heated through. Remove bay leaf and serve.

Butternut Squash Soup

This is an old favorite fall recipe and an interesting twist on plain squash soup.  I've made it probably a dozen times on chilly Saturday afternoons in October or November.  It's a rather time consuming recipe as the squash needs time to bake and the base needs to be pureed.  We got an immersion blender for Christmas-- so I'm hoping that really speeds up the process!

Butternut Squash Soup with Ancho Chile and Chicken
2 2lb. butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
5 cups chicken stock
1 potato, peeled and diced
+2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 jalapeno, minced
2 cups roasted chicken, diced (chicken breast works, too)
2 Tbsp sage
2 tsp ancho chile powder
1 tsp cumin seed, ground
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 zucchini, diced
1/2 cup light sour cream, for garnish
cilantro, for garnish
2 Tbsp toasted, shelled pumpkin seeds, for garnish (I just used whole, toasted seeds from the squash itself)



Preheat oven to 375 and grease a large glass pan. Place halved and seeded squash cut-side up in glass pan. Poke squash inside with a fork half a dozen times and lightly salt and pepper. Bake 45 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool. (I've set them outside before to speed up the cooling process)

(Optional: Rinse squash seeds to remove all pulp. Toss lightly with canola oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil and bake in 375 oven for 10 minutes or until you just smell toasted seeds in the kitchen.)

Meanwhile, bring chicken stock, garlic cloves, and potatoes to a boil. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Once squash is cool enough to touch, scoop the pulp into the simmering stock and simmer 5 more minutes.

Puree soup base in small batches in a blender or food processor (or use a fancy immersion blender if you got one for Christmas!) and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion and sweat 5 minutes on low-medium heat.  Add jalapeno, chicken, spices, and zucchini. Cook 1 more minute.

Add pureed soup base and simmer 10 minutes.

To serve, garnish with sour cream, cilantro, and toasted seeds.

French Spring Soup

(I found this recipe a few years ago while I was living in Northern Wisconsin. A friend of mine stumbled on a wild leek patch in early summer and ran out of ideas for leek usage.  This recipe presented itself in an emergency internet search and has been a lighter favorite ever since!)


Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1 lb leeks, cleaned and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 quarts water (8 cups)
3 large potatoes, unpeeled and chopped (smaller, white potatoes are delicious in this soup)
2 large carrots, chopped
1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces (soup turns out well with/without, if asparagus isn't available)
1/3 cup uncooked long-grain white rice (I've found the soup doesn't need it)
1/2 pound spinach, washed and stems trimmed
1 cup heavy cream (I substitute 1 cup half and half)


Instructions:
 Prepare and slice leeks and onions.

 Melt butter in large stock pot over medium heat.

 Stir in leeks and onions, stirring frequently. Cook until just tender.

 Prepare potatoes and carrots (and asparagus, if you're using it).

 Add potatoes, carrots, and water (also, rice and asparagus, if you're using them) to the pot. Season with salt.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes until veggies are tender and rice is cooked. (Less if you aren't using rice and/or cut veggies into smaller slices.)

 Meanwhile, prepare spinach by washing, drying, and trimming off stems.

 Stir in spinach and cream (or half and half).

 Cook for an additional 5 minutes or so, until spinach has been incorporated but not turned to complete mush.

 Serve!  This is a pretty light soup, despite the butter and cream.  Rice may beef it up to be more of a meal, but we usually prefer serving it with toast and having a better excuse for ice cream or popcorn later in the evening.

Spicy Curry Noodle Soup with Chicken and Sweet Potato

taken from Bon Appetite's 2008 Tastes of the World
(I made this soup before the idea of this blog was formed-- so there are no step by step pictures. I wanted to include it because the soup was SO tasty and I loved the colorful presentation!)


Ingredients:
2 T. vegetable oil
3 T. shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 T lemongrass, minced (we didn't use, turned out fine)
2 T fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 T Thai yellow curry paste
2 T curry powder
1 tsp hot chili paste
2 13.5-14 ounce cans coconut milk, unsweetened (comes in low/non fat, too)
5 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 T fish sauce
2 tsp sugar
3 cups snow peas, trimmed
2 cups red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled and 1/2" cubes
1 pound dried rice vermicelli noodles/rice stick noodles (Thai Kitchen puts out cheap noodles)
3/4 pound boneless chicken thighs (thighs are pretty gross, we used chicken breast)
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
3 red Thai bird chilies (or 2 jalapeno chilies)
1 lime, cut into 6 wedges

Instructions:
Heat oil over medium heat in large saucepan or stock pot, add shallots, garlic, lemongrass (if you've got it), and ginger. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in curry paste, curry powder, and chili paste. Add 1/2 cup of the coconut milk (the thick liquid from the top of the can) and stir until thick and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add the rest of the coconut milk, broth, fish sauce, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Keep warm.

Cook snow peas in boiling salt water until bright green (just about 20 seconds). Remove peas with a strainer and rinse under cold water to cool and prevent from over-cooking.

Using same boiling water pot, add sweet potatoes and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Remove potatoes with a strainer and rinse under cold water.

Using same boiling water pot, boil and cook noodles until tender but till firm to bite, about 6 minutes.  Drain and rinse noodles under cold water. (If cooking instructions on back of noodle's package are different, follow the package instructions!)

Return to your warm broth, bringing it to a simmer. Add chicken pieces and simmer until cooked, about 10 minutes.

Add sweet potato to broth and stir to heat, about 1 minute.

Divide cooked noodles into individual serving bowls.  Divide snow peas and hot soup among bowls, placing on top of the noodles. Scatter the red onions, green onions, cilantro, and chilies over soup. Garnish with lime wedges and serve.