White Chicken Chili Stew

This stew is absolutely addicting. The broth is so flavorful and rich. This will definitely be a new staple.


1 sm. onion, grated
1 can fire roasted green chiles, drained
1 poblano pepper
1 jalapeno pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. spice blend (recipe follows)
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups diced chicken
2 ears corn cooked and cut off husk (save husks)
1 can hominy
1 can cannelloni beans
3 cups half and half
salt to taste


Cut the jalapeno and poblano pepper in half and seed them. Spray with nonstick cooking oil and roast in oven at 450 degrees until skin starts to blacken and bubble. Peel off skin and dice.


Meanwhile, heat oil in large stock pot. Add onion, garlic and green chiles. Cook on medium low heat for 5 minutes. Add spice blend to pot and stir into onion mixture. Slowly add in chicken broth while stirring.


Add the chicken, diced roasted peppers, corn kernels, corn husks beans and hominy. Bring to a boil.


Reduce heat and let stew simmer for at least a half hour.


Remove corn husks. Stir in half and half.


Spice blend
2 tbsp. Chili powder
1 tbsp. Cayenne
1 tbsp. Smoked Paprika
1 tbsp. Cumin
1 tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1 tbsp. Black Pepper
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp garlic powder

Not My Grandma's Cheesy Noodles!

Spicy Radiatore and Cheese
2 servings Radiatore noodles
3/4 cup Mexican Velveeta Cheese (mild)
1 tbsp. 2% milk (may need more)
1 tsp. green chiles
1/2 tsp. adobo (from canned chipotles)
1/2 tsp juice from pickled jalapenos
1/2 tsp jalapeno mustard
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp butter
1 tbps vegetable oil
1/4 cup Parmesean cheese, grated


Preheat oven to 450 degrees.


Cook pasta to al dente according to package.


Add cheese, milk, green chiles, adobo, jalapeno juice and mustard to a small saucepan. Heat over low heat and stir until cheese melts. Stir in pasta.


While cheese is melting, mix bread crumbs, paprika, chili powder, cayenne and salt and pepper together. Heat butter and oil in a pan until hot. Add bread crumbs to butter and oil and toast.


Spray a small oven safe bowl with non-stick spray. Pour noodle and cheese mixture in bowl. Top with toasted bread crumbs. Grate Parmesan cheese over top.


Bake for 5 minutes.


I really enjoyed the noodles and cheese. I remember my great-grandma making me noodles and cheese for lunch growing up. As a grown up I still enjoy the flavors. I spiced up her basic recipe and added bread crumbs to the top. This recipe has spice but is not too spicy. It has nice depth of flavor. I will definitely make it again!

Crab Cioppino

This is the meal I made for my Grandma's birthday when they stopped on their way to Texas. It is probably the best crab I have ever had, and made wonderful crab cakes the next day.

This recipe comes straight from Bon Appetit January 2010.

Parmesan Toasts with Prosciutto and Fig Jam

12 1/4-inch-thick baguette slices
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
6 slices prosciutto, each slice cut crosswise into 4 pieces
2 tablespoons fig jam

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place baguette slices in single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Divide Parmesan equally among slices. Bake until lightly toasted, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle with additional olive oil.
Top each slice with 2 prosciutto pieces; top with dollop of fig jam. Sprinkle with pepper. Serve Parmesan toasts slightly warm or at room temperature.

Cioppino-Style Roasted Crab

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
6 large garlic cloves, pressed
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups bottled clam juice
2 15-ounce cans chopped tomatoes in juice
1 cup water
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon (scant) dried crushed red pepper
Coarse kosher salt
2 pounds Alaska king crab legs

Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat oil in large deep ovenproof skillet or large metal roasting pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add wine; increase heat to high and boil 2 minutes. Add clam juice, tomatoes with juice, 1 cup water, bay leaves, parsley, and crushed red pepper and bring to boil. Season to taste with coarse salt and pepper.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 15 minutes. Add crab pieces; nestle into sauce. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until crab pieces are heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Place crab with juices in large bowl.

Lemon-Parsley Linguine

1/2 pound linguine
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves, pressed
1 teaspoon (packed) finely grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Cook linguine in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, heat extra-virgin olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté until golden, about 1 minute. Add grated lemon peel to skillet and cook 20 seconds. Remove skillet from heat.
Add linguine to skillet with garlic and lemon peel. Return skillet to medium heat; mix in parsley. Add 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Toss until heated through, adding more cooking liquid to moisten if dry.

How to Use the Leftovers -- Crab Cake Sandwiches with Lemon-Parsley Aioli:

Preheat broiler. Squeeze 1 medium garlic clove through garlic press and mix with 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley to make a quick aioli. Remove leftover crabmeat from shells to yield about 8 ounces (1 1/2 cups). Mix crabmeat with 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup aioli. Form into 4 crab cakes. Place crab cakes on lightly oiled baking sheet. Broil cakes on center rack until golden and heated through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Split soft buns and spread additional aioli on bun halves; fill with crab cakes

Jalepeno Cream Cheese Burgers

1 pound 73% ground beef

2 tbsp. green chilies

Spicy Steak Seasoning

1/2 cup Cream Cheese

2 tbsp. diced jalapenos(pickled)

Crispy Jalapeno pieces

Hamburger buns

Preheat grill to medium high heat. Oil grill grates to prevent sticking. (I put oil on paper towel and rub the grill with the paper towel.)

Mix beef and green chilies together. Divide into four patties and season with steak seasoning.

Grill hamburgers for 7-8 minutes per side.

While hamburgers are grilling mix the cream cheese and diced jalapenos together.

When burgers are close to being done put buns on the grill for a minute.

Take burgers off the grill, top with cream cheese mixture and crispy jalapeno pieces.