Wordless Wednesday - You gonna eat that?

No doves were harmed...

So, I know its not exactly what one would consider to be chili season anymore, BUT, there are some readers who reside in the Southern Hemisphere, so this might be of interest to them. Plus, its white, and it is after Memorial Day, so its totally cool right? Actually, my super awesome friend Heather, whom I have known for ages asked me if I could find her a yummy recipe for this...so, let's give it a go, shall we?

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients

2 (14.5-ounce) cans white beans

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 medium jalapeno pepper, minced

2 medium poblano peppers, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ancho chili powder

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 limes, juiced, plus lime wedges, for serving

1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat shredded

1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

Sour cream, for topping

Tortilla chips, coarsely crushed, for topping

Directions

Drain and rinse the canned white beans. In a medium bowl, mash half of the beans with a potato masher until chunky. Reserve the beans until needed.

Add the canola oil to a large Dutch oven and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the peppers, onions, and garlic and saute until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Season the vegetables with salt, and pepper, to taste. Add the cumin, corriander, and chili powder and continue to saute for 1 more minute to toast the spices. Stir in the chicken stock, and lime juice and bring to a simmer. Add the beans and continue to simmer for 20 more minutes.

After 20 minutes of simmering, taste for seasoning, and adjust if necessary. Stir in the shredded rotisserie chicken and cilantro and simmer until heated through, about 5 more minutes. Serve the chili in individual bowls topped with a dollop of sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, and lime wedges

We come, not to mourn our dead soldiers, but to praise them. ~Francis A. Walker

More Memorial Day Comments

So yes, most consider this to be the official start of summertime. But please take a moment to remember what Memorial Day REALLY means.

Then go about your business of barbecuing. Now, keeping in mind that it is Monday (hello...MEATLESS Monday???), and that you might want a side dish to go with whatever you get your grill on with, I have a recipe that is just the beginning of my newfound inspiration. I got my new issue of Kraft Food & Family the other day and it is JAM PACKED with all kinds of goodness! The recipe and picture are from them!

Best Creamy Potato Salad

Ingredients

2 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes (appx 6 large), peeled & cut into 1 inch cubes

1/4 cup Italian Salad Dressing (of the Zesty variety)

3 hard cooked eggs, chopped

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill weed

1/2 cup Homestyle Real Mayonnaise

Directions

Cook potatoes in boiling water in saucepan for 15 minutes or just until tender; drain.

Place warm potatoes in a large bowl. Add dressing; toss to coat.

Add eggs, celery, onions and dill. Lightly mix. Stir in mayonnaise. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.

COMPLETE AND TOTAL RECK!

RECKMONSTER, that is! Yes, my dear, sweet, crazy ass, don't cross her or she will kick YOUR ass friend Michelle, also known for her Rantings of the Reckmonster has been "on hiatus" pretty much since the beginning of 2012. Never mind that she might have a life outside of blogging, or that she might have temporarily lost her blogging mojo...its all about ME, and I have missed her! Imagine my surprise when she turned up in full on froth mode last week. I totally soaked up everything she had to say. I have yet to comment, but that is because I am a bitch and I am holding out on her. Its ok - I am really good at it (trust me). This is her punishment (because its totally my place to do this). Character building (because she so needs more character...). I must not be THAT mad, because from what I understand (I can not reveal my source, and will not reveal my source, so don't even bother asking me, and don't even venture a guess, because I can not confirm nor deny a damned thing!) she loves her some Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings. Yep.

Cracker Barrel Chicken & Dumplings Recipe
Ingredients

Chicken and Broth

3 quarts water
1 3-4 pound chicken cut up
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 small onion sliced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and quartered
1 bay leaf
4-6 whole parsley leaves
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Dumplings

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons of salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

Directions

1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the chicken, 1 teaspoon of salt, onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and parsley to the pot. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook the chicken, uncovered, for 2 hours. The liquid will reduce by about one third.

2. When the chicken has cooked, remove it from the pot and set it aside. Strain the stock to remove all the vegetables and floating scum. You only want the stock and the chicken, so toss everything else out.

3. Pour 1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) of the stock back into the pot (keep the leftover stock, if any, for another recipe-it can be frozen). You may also want to use a smaller pot or a large saucepan for this. Add coarsely ground pepper, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the lemon juice, then reheat the stock over medium heat while preparing the dumplings.

4. For dumplings, combine the flour, baking powder, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and milk in a medium bowl. Stir well until smooth, then let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes. Roll the dough out onto a floured surface to about a 1/2 inch thickness.

5. Cut the dough into 1/2 inch squares and drop each square into the simmering stock. Use all of the dough. The dumplings will first swell and then slowly shrink as they partially dissolve to thicken the stock into a white gravy. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until thick. Stir often.

6. While the stock is thickening, the chicken will have become cool enough to handle. Tear all the meat from the bones and remove the skin. Cut the chicken meat into bite-size or a little bigger than bite-size pieces and drop them into the pot. Discard the skin and bones. Continue to simmer the chicken and dumplings for another 5-10 minutes, but don't stir too vigorously or the chicken will shred and fall apart. You want big chunks of chicken in the end.

7. When the gravy has reached the desired consistency, ladle four portions onto plates and serve hot. Serve with your choice of steamed vegetables, if desired.

Yeah...there is some work involved in that masterpiece of a dish, but YUM! And now I can think of no other song that reminds me of her...well maybe a couple, but this one above all others!

hurricaine season

For those of you who worry that I don't relax, I just wanted to let you know I am drinking this now. Its is a new Orleans style hurricane. It has lots of rum and stuff in it.

Cheers!

Sacrifice

Mmmmm....zesty!

(Please note - if you are the least bit squeamish or would not want to see an animal with a head being cooked, DO NOT WATCH THE VIDEO. I am not kidding.)

Can I get a picture??

He has returned!!

Crabby much?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know...the song is about a lobster. Whatever. Shut up and have a drink.

A drink?? Yep...its Friday, bitches, and you know what that means??? Its time to get your drink on (and if you are underage and reading this, I apologize, but just think - when you can legally drink, you will have all kinds of drink ideas to impress your friends!)

So, I may have mentioned that after I work tonight, I will have four days off. Four days off. I really like the sound of that. Four days off. That is awesome is what that is!! So drink to me =D, right?!?!?! Well, its my blog, so yes!

Ready, set, GO! (By the way, this makes A LOT, so you can share with your friends, or make some new friends!!)

Crab Claws

Ingredients

1 cup vodka

1 cup rum

1 cup tequila

1 cup grenadine

3 cups orange juice

3 cups pineapple juice

Directions

This is going to make over a gallon, so have an appropriate sized pitcher ready! Pour all ingredients into a pitcher, drop in some ice, and drink up!!

THANK YOU to glutenfreeeasily.com for this recipe (and picture!)...yes you can get messed up without glutens messing with your system! I am an equal opportunity bartender!

By the way, I have an anniversary update...so, he pretty much did NOTHING the actual day, but yesterday he made me an appointment with my favorite tattoo artist (Chad, the one that did the baby feet for me..he is an incredible artist!! Check him out HERE.
Also, he's so good I couldn't get an appointment for a couple of weeks, but he has me on his waiting list for this weekend and if he has a cancellation, I will be the first person he calls!) So, when I eventually do have the new inking done, I will show you all a picture. I think this might be it for me in the tattoo department (with the exception of the five stars I have that represent my family - if, no WHEN I have another baby, I will have to add a star!). It is going to be an enhancement and addition to a currently existing tattoo that I have...and that is all I am going to say about that...for now. So, not a bad validation on his part, I must say!!!