White Chicken Chili

We’re in the middle of an ice storm warning, followed by a two-day winter weather advisory. That just screams “Chili!” don’t you think? (Am I the only person who hears these screams in my head?)

This is a pretty close rendition of a Rachael Ray recipe, and it’s the best white chicken chili I’ve had. Why? It’s all about the texture. Too many white chicken chili recipes are basically chicken, beans, jalapenos, and broth, and I don’t like the watery consistency. (That’s white chicken chili SOUP.) Rachael Ray suggested mashing half the beans in the chili, creating a much thicker, heartier texture.

I use cannellini beans in this chili, and I love cooking with them. It’s not that I’m especially partial to the taste versus other white beans; I love that the hubby calls them “can of weenie” beans. And not just in the privacy of our own home. When I put them in the cart at the supermarket, he has no qualms about using his outside voice to say, “Can! Of! Weenie beans!” in the middle of the canned goods aisle.

Some people think we’re strange. I have no idea what they’re talking about.

White Chicken Chili
Serves 4-6

2 Tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
1½ lbs. chicken, cubed
Salt and pepper
1 yellow onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, ribs and seeds removed, minced
2 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. ground coriander
1 c. tomatillo salsa
2 14-oz. cans chicken broth
2 15-oz. cans cannellini (can of weenie) beans, drained
Jack cheese, tortilla chips, and a squeeze of lime juice, for serving

1. Heat a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat and add oil. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook until golden.

2. Add onion, garlic, jalapeno, cumin, and coriander. Cooke 3-4 minutes, or until onions are sweaty.

3. Add salsa and broth, and bring to a simmer. Add one can of beans. Mash the other can of beans with a fork.

4. Add mashed beans to chili. Simmer 10 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

5. Serve with chips, cheese, and lime juice.

Mocha-Toffee Chocolate Cookies

What a busy week and weekend. I thought we had all the time in the world to cook this weekend, and I had grandiose (yes, grandiose!) visions of what I would make. Homemade donuts? Spinach-stuffed pizza? The world was my oyster.

But friends and family ended up visiting this weekend, so we’ve been eating out a lot. We have yet to do any actual cooking. It’s hell being popular; everybody wants a piece of us, ya know?

Actually, we’re not popular. This was purely coincidence.

It’s nice enough outside today that the hubby is grilling steaks for supper, and I’m making chipotle-cheddar mashed potatoes. But in the meantime, we seriously need some cookies.

According to my mom, “cookie” was my first word. And “C is for Cookie” was my first record. My sister and I had this little portable record player that came in a red-striped suitcase, and we’d haul it out and listen to “C is for Cookie,” and then “Thriller.” We liked to mix it up.

My point being, I prefer to have cookies around me. Constantly.

So for all you other little cookie monsters out there, give these delectable chocolate cookies a try. This is a modified version of an old Pillsbury recipe. It starts with a boxed cake mix, and the additions of chocolate-covered toffee chips and mocha flavor make it outstanding. You can use instant coffee as a substitute for the mocha mix (I think that’s what the original recipe called for), but I think the tamer mocha is the perfect pairing.

Mocha-Toffee Chocolate Cookies
Makes about 2½ dozen

4 tsp. instant mocha drink mix
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 butter recipe chocolate boxed cake mix
½ c. butter, softened
2 eggs, at room temperature
½ c. chocolate-coffered toffee chips (such as Heath or Skor)
1¼ c. semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a small bowl, combine mocha mix and vanilla.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine mocha mixture, cake mix, butter, and eggs. Combine until a soft dough forms. (It will be pretty goopy.)

4. Stir in chips, preferably by hand.

5. Form dough into balls and flatten slightly.

6. Place on baking sheets and bake 8-10 minutes. Let cool before serving.