Creamy Tortilla Soup

We could live on tortilla soup in our house, doesn't matter the variety.  I always make a huge batch so that both C and Miss F have plenty of leftovers for their lunches, I always take some too.  This recipe was fantastic and was a huge hit.  I only wish their wasn't such an avocado shortage right now, it pains me to pay nearly $3 an avocado, even though they are totally worth it, I much prefer the normal $1 price.  This recipe was adapted from Cooking Classy.

Creamy Tortilla Soup

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
2 cups half and half
¼ cup flour
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
¼ cup sour cream
For serving:
Shredded cheese, diced avocados, corn tortilla chips

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeno, sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 30 seconds more. Add the broth, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Add the chicken breasts, bring the mixture to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes, remove the chicken and let rest for 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes. Whisk ½ cup of the half and half with the flour. Pour the half and half mixture into the pot, stirring constantly. Stir in the remaining half and half and cook for 3 minutes, until the soup has thickened. Dice the chicken, add it to the pot along with the black beans, pinto beans and corn. Stir in the sour cream just before serving. Serve topped with cheese, avocadoes and tortilla chips.

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Spicy Corn Chowder

We were in Colorado this past weekend, where it actually felt like fall...and then winter.  A huge winter storm rolled in on Sunday and we made it out of town just in time.  Vail Pass was closed overnight because of the poor driving conditions and the next morning our neighbors reported that we had gotten over a foot of snow!  Hopefully this is a good omen for ski season.  And then we returned to the land of eternal summer, but I can still pretend it is fall and make all sorts of soups for the 90 degree weather.  This recipe is adapted from The Neelys on Food Network.

Spicy Corn Chowder

4 pieces thick-sliced bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small jalapeno, chopped seeds and ribs removed
2 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
2 large red potatoes, well scrubbed and small diced
1 cup half and half
16 ounces frozen corn
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon until, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Add the onions and red pepper, sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the jalapeno and garlic, saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour until thoroughly combined. Cook the flour until it reaches a slight blonde color, about 1 minute. Stir in the chicken stock and the potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes; potatoes will become soft. Add the half and half, corn, cayenne and bay leaf. Simmer for 15 more minutes. Pour into a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved bacon.

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Crockpot Hatch White Chicken Chili

Crockpot Hatch White Chicken Chili

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
¾ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 yellow onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
3 cups chicken broth
3 to 4 roasted hatch chiles, chopped
1 package frozen corn
4 ounce cream cheese, softened
¼ cup half and half
sliced avocados
tortilla strips
shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Add chicken breasts to bottom of slow cooker, sprinkle with salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Top the chicken with the onion, garlic, broth, Hatch chiles and corn, stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove the chicken and cut into chunks. Return the chicken to the crockpot, add the cream cheese and half and half, stir, cover and cook on high for 20 minutes more. Serve with avocadoes, tortilla chips and cheese.

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Hatch Chile Tortilla Soup

Hatch Chile Tortilla Soup

4 large summer tomatoes
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
½ white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon salt
4 cups chicken broth
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 frozen package corn
4 hatch chiles, roasted, stemmed and seeded, then diced
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Slice the tomatoes in half, place cut side down onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Broil for 5 minutes.

Add the remaining olive oil to a dutch oven and heat over medium. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, until the onions begin to soften. Add the garlic, cumin and salt, cook for 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes and their juices to the pan. Stir in the broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Blend with a hand blender. Stir in the black beans, corn, hatch chiles and chicken breasts. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred with two forks, return the shredded chicken to the pot. Serve, topped with tortilla chips, cheese and avocado slices.

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Rainbow Trout with Green Bean Succotash

City Market finally had trout! It was cause for much celebration.  We decided to take our favorite farm stand's vegetables and combine them with Miss F's favorite ever fish.  She did eat her corn raw, because she prefers it that way, but she inhaled her most favorite fish.  This was the first meal we enjoyed on our new patio set, that I triumphantly put together all by myself.  It was a true feat.  We only have a few days left of patio dining and then it is back to Houston where patio dining won't be an option for months to come.

Rainbow Trout with Green Bean Succotash

2 rainbow trout filets
2 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 ears corn, shucked and kernels cut from cob
¾ cup chopped green beans
½ cup grape tomatoes, cut into halves
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend

Coat the trout filets with the flour and sprinkle with the salt. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the trout skin side down, sauté for 5 minutes. Flip and sauté for 3 minutes more. Remove the trout to a plate, cover to keep warm. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the pan. Add the corn, green beans, tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Sauté for 4 minutes, stirring often. Plate the succotash and top with a fish filet.

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Summer Shrimp Stir Fry

I have had this recipe from Pioneer Woman pinned for years.  I finally got around to making it for Miss F and I, but I made a bunch of changes from the original.  We don't have air conditioning in Colorado, even though we are at nearly 9000 feet, it gets hot in the evening.  I prefer to spend as little time in front of the stove as possible, so I decided to cook everything at once instead of in phases.  The tomatoes melted into the butter providing the most delicious sauce which was really brightened up with the squeeze of lemon at the end.  You could easily toss a half pound of angel hair with this dish for an even more substantial meal.  But cooking angel hair means more heat in my kitchen, so that wasn't happening.

Summer Shrimp Stir Fry

3 tablespoons butter
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 zucchini, sliced
2 ears of corn, kernels removed
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Juice of ½ lemon

Melt the butter in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic, zucchini, corn, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Squeeze the lemon half all over the shrimp and vegetables, toss well to coat, serve.

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Salsa Verde Tortilla Soup

As soon as I saw this Salsa Verde Tortilla Soup on The Barbee Housewife, it went onto our meal plan. Miss F is obsessed with salsa verde, so I knew it would be a huge hit in our house. And I was totally correct.  For the first time ever, Miss F tried avocadoes on her soup and she loved it.  I am known to be a bit of an avocado hog, so now I will have to buy an extra avocado whenever we have tortilla soup.  I usually give C a few slices and hoard the rest for myself.  I adapted the recipe a bit from the original because I never have cooked chicken and it was easy enough to cook and shred the chicken breasts while the soup cooks.  I am going to try this with traditional salsa as well, I bet it will be equally fantastic.

Salsa Verde Tortilla Soup

4 cups chicken broth
2 cups salsa verde
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 package frozen corn
1 cup shredded cheddar jack cheese
Tortilla chips
1 lime, cut into wedges

In a Dutch oven, stir together the chicken broth, salsa verde, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Add the chicken. Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Shred the chicken with two forks, return to the pan. Stir in the black beans and corn, simmer for 5 minutes more. Serve topped with cheese and tortilla chips, with a lime wedge on the side.

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Killen’s Creamed Corn

I have enjoyed the creamed corn at both Killen's Steakhouse and at Killen's Barbecue.  When I saw that the recipe had been published in the Houston Chronicle, I knew I had to try it.  The at home version totally met my expectations.  The  corn cob infused half and half really makes a big taste difference compared to my usual creamed corn recipe.  I can't wait to try this recipe in the summer with sweet corn, I doubt it will need any sugar at all!  And if you are ever in Houston, head down to Pearland to try this spectacular creamed corn yourself!

Killen’s Creamed Corn

4 ears of corn
1 ¼ cup half and half
¼ cup butter
2 tablespoons sugar (can use more or less, depending on corn sweetness)
¹/8 teaspoon white pepper
¹/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
Parmigiano-Regginao cheese, grated

Instructions: Shuck and cut corn off ears. Bring the half and half to a simmer and add corn cobs to infuse for about 30 minutes. In a separate pan melt butter and add corn niblets, sauté corn over low heat for about 20 minutes. Remove cobs from milk/cream mixture and scrape off all milk. Discard cobs. Add ¼ of the sautéed corn to milk/cream mixture and blend until smooth. Add the rest of the corn and simmer till thickened usually about another 30 minutes. Season to taste and put in casserole dish. Finish in a 500-degree or as high as your broiler will go, with a little cheese sprinkled on top. Broil until cheese just turns brown. Serve immediately.

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Cheesy Chicken Corn Chowder

When I saw this recipe on Tide and Thyme, I knew I wanted to make it. Even though I have a ton of chicken chowder recipes, this one looked very special.  Unfortunately, the weather in Houston hasn't been very chowder friendly.  We had basically a three day winter and that has been it.  This is a great weeknight meal, it comes together quickly.  Don't make my mistake though, I served it without stirring in the cream.  It was sitting on the counter, pre-measured and all, and it just slipped my mind.  After a taste, I instantly realized my mistake, luckily, it was easily correctable.  I try to get everything organized for busy weeknights, but even when I try my hardest, there can often be mistakes.

Cheesy Chicken Corn Chowder

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
½ onion, peeled and diced
1/3 cup flour
6 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 white potatoes, peeled and diced
1 (12 ounce) package frozen corn kernels
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup cream
2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and onions, sauté for 2 minutes to soften. Sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly, until a light roux is formed. Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring to incorporate. Bring the mixture to a boil, add the corn and chicken. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken and shred with two forks, return the chicken to the pot. Stir in the cream and cheese, simmer for 5 minutes more. Serve.

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Crockpot Creamy White Chicken Chili

I knew I wanted to have white chicken chili on Halloween before we went out trick or treating. I wanted something creamier than my usual and could be made in the crockpot. The only wrench in the plans was the 80+ degree weather Halloween night!  We all had large servings and there was plenty left over for lunches and lunchboxes for the remainder of the week.  Miss F was a huge fan and I think she had it for lunch nearly every day of the week.  This recipe is adapted from Lovely Little Kitchen.

Crockpot Creamy White Chicken Chili

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
14.5 ounce can chicken broth
1 cup milk
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup salsa verde
2 cups frozen corn
2 15.5 ounce cans Great Northern beans, drained
½ cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 avocado
tortilla chips, for serving

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in flour; keep stirring until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat and add the chicken broth and milk, a little at a time, stirring to keep smooth. Return to heat. Bring sauce to a gentle boil; cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens. Add the sauce to the crockpot. Add the chicken breasts to the crockpot, sprinkle with the chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the salsa, corn and beans. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred with two forks, return the shredded chicken into the crockpot, stir in the sour cream. Serve with cheddar cheese, diced avocado and tortilla chips.

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Chick-fil-a Tortilla Soup

Miss F is obsessed with the tortilla soup at Chick-fil-a. She can devour it by the bowl full. It is only available in the winter months, which means I needed to find a way to make it year round. This recipe is a mash up of a ton of recipes I found online, some very much like the soup, some nothing at all like the soup.  The soup is much creamier than the tortilla soups I am used to in restaurants, but it is really delicious.  You can also make this in the crockpot, just add all the ingredients into the crockpot except the half and half.  Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, then stir in the half and half 20 minutes before you are ready to serve.

Chick-fil-a Tortilla Soup

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 (10 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can creamed corn
1 cup frozen corn
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup flour
¼ cup water
¾ cup half and half

Add the chicken, black beans, great northern beans, Rotel, creamed corn and frozen corn to a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the broth, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and salt. Stir to combine. In a one cup measure, whisk together the flour and water. Stir the flour slurry into the soup. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. Shred the chicken with two forks, stir in the half and half. Serve.

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Barbecue Pork Tenderloin with Skillet Summer Hash

This recipe started with me trying to use up fresh veggies from my parents' garden.   They gave me zucchini, bell peppers and tomatoes...all fresh from the garden plot.  You could easily grill the pork tenderloin, but sadly, I don't have that option at our house.  I sure wish I did.  One day I will own a grill again.  What a happy day that will be!   Frozen corn can easily be substituted for the fresh corn, a small bag of frozen corn will work just perfectly in the hash.  C thought the hash was missing potatoes, but I thought it was incredibly delicious without!

Barbecue Pork Tenderloin with Skillet Summer Hash

1 pork tenderloin
¼ cup of your favorite barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced
3 ears corn, shucked and kernels stripped
1 zucchini, cut into half moons
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 tomatoes, seeded and diced

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the pork tenderloin in a greased shallow baking dish. Brush with the barbecue sauce. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Let the pork rest for 10 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium high heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the corn, zucchini, bell pepper, basil, salt and pepper. Saute for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often. Add the tomatoes and cook for a minute more.

Slice the pork and serve over top of the vegetable hash.

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Southwest Chicken Chopped Salad

Miss F spent five blissful days at "Camp Grammy and Grandad", which meant that we could have salad as an entrée without any whining. Or so I thought.  As soon as I plated the salad, C asked what we were having as an entrée...um, salad?  This salad is summer on a plate.   Fresh corn, avocado, tomatoes, bell pepper...all sweet and delicious.  I appeased C with the crushed tortilla chips and cheese, I could have lived without both.  The salad recipe is my own, but the chicken cooking technique comes from The Kitchn.  It is so incredibly easy and cooks chicken perfectly every time.

Southwest Chicken Chopped Salad

1 avocado
¼ cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup olive oil

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon butter
2 ears of corn, shucked and kernels cut from the ear
Juice from ½ lime

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 avocado, seeded and chopped
½ cup shredded Colby jack cheese
½ cup crushed tortilla chips

Place the avocado, vinegar, water, sugar and salt into a food processor. Process until smooth. Stream in the oil and process until emulsified; set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat the chicken with the vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Place in a glass baking dish. Cover the chicken with a sheet of parchment paper, tucking it around the chicken. Bake until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees, about 30 minutes or so. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. When cool, cut into bite sized pieces.

Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the corn and lime juice, sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until corn is tender.

In a large bowl, toss together the chicken, corn, lettuce, tomato, bell pepper, avocado, cheese and tortilla chip pieces. Pour over half of the avocado dressing and toss well to coat, adding more dressing as necessary. Divide among 4 plates and serve.

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Skillet Salsa Chicken

I knew as soon as I saw this recipe on Taste of Home Cooking, it would be a huge hit with Miss F. And I wasn't wrong. She inhaled it, comparing it to one of her favorites, crockpot chicken enchilada soup.  I served it over plain white rice because I am not a huge cilantro fan and neither is anyone else.  I used Greek yogurt instead of the sour cream because I didn't have any on hand, no one was the wiser.  I loved how easy this was, in the time that it took the rice to cook with the magical Fasta Pasta, dinner was ready.  It doesn't get any easier than that!

Skillet Salsa Chicken

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon chile powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups salsa
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup corn kernels
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 avocado, for serving
Steamed rice, for serving

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes until no longer pink. Add the onion and saute for another 2-3 minutes until onion is soft and chicken is cooked through. Add minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the seasonings, salsa, broth, corn and black beans to the pan and stir to combine.

Turn the heat down to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sour cream and lime juice. Serve topped with sliced avocado and over rice.

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One Pot Chicken Pot Pie

I was quite wary of a chicken pot pie that could be made with only one pot. My usual recipe dirties at least three pans, four if you include the baking sheet to catch the drips from the pot pie.  I was so wrong to be wary.  This recipe is AMAZING.  And it really only dirties one pot.  I used my largest disher to drop the biscuits, which was incredibly easy and made them all equal in size.  C and I may have indulged in two biscuits each, they were so incredibly delicious.  This recipe was adapted from Community Table.

One Pot Chicken Pot Pie

3 tablespoons butter
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup cream
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
3 ounces fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon dried parsley

Cheesy Drop Biscuits:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 ounces fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup whole milk

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Melt the butter in a 12 inch oven safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Cook until the chicken is browned, about 2 minutes per side. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Whisk in the chicken broth and cream until well combined. Stir in the vegetables, parmesan and parsley. Reduce the heat to medium.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, parmesan, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add the butter and milk, stir to combine. Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons on top of the simmering skillet. Place the skillet on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

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Lobster Pot Pie

Considering how much Miss F loves crawfish (still her most favorite food,) it is not surprising how much she loves lobster. I had ordered paella at Artista before we saw Mary Poppins, I don't think I got a single bite of the lobster from my plate, she stole nearly every single piece.  She requested lobster for dinner while C was out of town.  I decided to try making lobster pot pie, which was incredibly delicious.  Miss F said it needed more lobster, which isn't surprising at all.  A tip: if you are serving it to kids, be sure to take it out of the hot ramekin before serving, don't let them get anywhere near the hot crock...and it helps to cool the filling faster.  This recipe was adapted from Cosmopolitan magazine.  I am sure under the heading "how to trap yourself a man" or something equally silly.

Lobster Pot Pie

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
½ cup frozen corn
½ cup frozen peas
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
½ pound cooked lobster meat, cut into bite sized pieces
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and carrot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, then add the corn and peas. Stir in flour, and cook 1 minute more. Add milk and chicken broth, stirring constantly. Cook until the sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Then remove from heat, add lobster and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Remove the puff pastry from the refrigerator. Cut the dough in half, and reserve one half for another use. On a lightly floured surface, flatten out the pastry, using a floured rolling pin, to about 1⁄8-inch thickness. Cut the puff pastry into two circles the size of a two cup oven safe ramekin. Spoon the filling into the bowls, and place one circle of dough on top of each potpie, pressing the edges to seal the pastry to the bowl. Cut a vent in the center so air and moisture can escape. Place the potpies on a baking sheet. Bake until the pastry is puffed and becomes a dark golden brown shade, about 30 minutes.

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Poblano Chicken Chowder

I have had this recipe pinned forever. I love poblano peppers, they add a nice spice without being too overpowering.  Miss F was thrilled that there was no potatoes in this chowder recipe, she despises potatoes, especially in soup.  This soup was full of flavor, I didn't even need to add any hot sauce to my bowl.  Miss F still did, she loves Tabasco.  We haven't had much of a winter here in Houston this year, so I have been enjoying soup in 80 degree weather.  At least I got to spend last weekend in Aspen and get some exposure to real winter.

Poblano Chicken Chowder

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½ -inch dice
3 large carrots, cut into ½ -inch dice
2 cups frozen corn kernels
½ onion, cut into ½ -inch dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Poblano pepper, seeded and cut into ½ -inch dice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cumin, or more to taste
¼ teaspoon dried thyme, or more to taste
6 cups chicken broth
¼ cup butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon hot sauce, or more to taste
½ cup heavy cream

Heat the oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the chicken, carrots, corn, onion, garlic, poblano, salt, pepper, cumin and thyme. Saute for 8 minutes, until the vegetables soften. Add the chicken broth and cook for 12 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 4 minutes. Ladle one cup of the broth from the stockpot into the flour, whisk until smooth. Pour the skillet mixture into the stockpot and stir well to combine. Cook for 5 minutes more, stir in the hot sauce and cream. Serve.

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Crockpot Chicken and Corn Chowder

This recipe originated from Damn Delicious, but I kept very little except the ingredients the same.  I didn't see any need to prep the bacon hours in advance, especially since whenever I cook bacon I smell bacon for hours and I want to eat everything in my sight.  I was also wary of adding cut up chicken to the crockpot, it's much easier just to shred it after it is done simmering away all day.  Chop up some carrots, onions and potatoes is all the morning prep work necessary and you come home to a warm crock of soup.  It couldn't be any easier!

Crockpot Chicken and Corn Chowder

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
12 ounces red potato, diced
½ onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cups corn kernels, frozen, canned or roasted
4 cups chicken broth
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¾ cup half and half
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 slices bacon, chopped
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Add the chicken, potato, onion, carrots and corn to the crockpot. Stir in the broth, garlic, thyme, oregano, cayenne, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.

30 minutes before done, remove the chicken breasts and shred with two forks and return to the crockpot. In a small bowl, whisk together the half and half and corn starch, stir into the crockpot. Raise the heat to high if you have been cooking on low. Sauté the bacon in a small skillet over medium heat, drain. Serve, topped with bacon and cheese.

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Crockpot TexMex Chicken Stew

One of Miss F's most favorite meals is crockpot chicken enchilada soup. She requests it nearly weekly.  I adapted this recipe from Tracey's Culinary Adventures, but Miss F insisted it was just crockpot chicken enchilada soup, which was quite fine by her.  This recipe was much easier than her favorite, you don't really have to bother with much before it all goes into the crockpot to simmer all day.  I am going to use the trick of microwaving the onions in other crockpot meals, it was a really easy step, but yielded great results.

Crockpot Tex Mex Chicken Stew

½ onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 cups chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz) can Rotel
2 tablespoon corn starch
1 ½ teaspoons light brown sugar
2 cups frozen corn
1 (14.5 ounce) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced
1 avocado, pitted and sliced

Stir together the onion, garlic, tomato paste, oil and chili powder in a microwave safe dish. Microwave for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through. Transfer the mixture to the crockpot. Whisk together the broth, Rotel, corn starch and brown sugar; pour into the crockpot. Add the corn and beans to the crockpot, stir to combine. Salt and pepper the chicken thighs, add to the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Remove the chicken from the crockpot, shred with two forks and return it to the crockpot. Stir in the chipotle chile, season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve, topped with avocado slices.

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Corn Chowder

I am somewhat obsessed with corn chowder. It has about all my favorite things in it: corn, potatoes, bell peppers and bacon. I saw a recipe that started out by making a corn infused stock on Spoon Fork Bacon.  I used the infused stock from the recipe, but not much else.  I simplified things a bit so that Miss F could help me make it.  She is an excellent corn shucker, except that it always ends up in corn silks in every nook and cranny of the kitchen.  I loved this soup.   This may be my new go to corn chowder, I am not sure I will make it again without making a corn stock.  It was so incredibly simple, but added so much sweet corn flavor to the soup.

Corn Chowder

3 ears corn, kernels removed from cob
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
4 slices bacon, diced
½ medium yellow onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 red potatoes, diced
¼ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup heavy cream

Place ½ of the corn plus the cobs in a pot with the chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes. Remove the cobs from the pot and discard. Puree the corn and stock, set aside.

In a large pot, sauté the bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the grease from the pan. Add the onion, garlic, poblano, bell pepper, potatoes and remaining corn to the pan. Saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the flour and stir, sautéing for 3 minutes more. Add the stock to the pan, stirring constantly and simmer for 5 minute to thicken. Stir in the oregano, salt and cream. Simmer for 5 minutes more , serve.

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