Hearty Chicken, Pumpkin and Black Bean Chili

Fall is my favorite time of year, especially so because I can get back to cooking.  With the weather finally cooling off, this is also the time of year I start thinking about making soups and chili.  And for the past 4 years, October has also been Soup Month here at HowDoYouCook.com.

For each of those 4 years my family and I would create 31 new soup, stew and chili recipes during the month of October.  So far we've compiled a pretty good archive of yummy recipes.  This year however, since my schedule has not allowed me the time to create a new soup each day, we are going to keep the soup tradition going with at least one or two new soups each week throughout the fall and winter months.  So fear not, the soup, stew and chili recipes will keep coming, just not all in one month! lol  Yes, I admit, I love soup!

To get us started we made a Hearty Chicken, Pumpkin and Black Bean Chili that brings several healthy ingredients together in one pot.  But before you think pumpkin = pumpkin pie, wait!  This is a savory pumpkin chili, no cloves or cinnamon at all.  Many people do not realize the delicious flavor of a savory pumpkin dish, so this is a great way to try this tasty squash in a different way.  And to make things even easier, this chili is made in the crock pot and the recipe is super simple!

The pumpkin creates a creamy, but healthy background for this soup,  then the chicken, black beans and vegetables add the heartiness of a chili.  All of this comes together for a great meal.  Enjoy!!

3 cups  Chicken Stock
1  medium  White Onion, chopped
1  large Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped
2 TB  Olive Oil
3 cloves  Minced Garlic
2 cans  Black Beans, rinsed and drained
2-1/2 cups  Cooked Chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 can  Solid-Pack Pumpkin
1 can  Petite Diced Tomatoes
2 tsp  Dried Parsley
2 tsp  Chili Powder
1-1/2 tsp  Dried Oregano
1-1/2 tsp  Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp  Salt

In a medium skillet saute the onion and yellow pepper in the olive oil over medium heat until just tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic to the skillet and saute 1 minute longer.

Transfer the vegetables to a 5-quart slow cooker, add all of the remaining ingredients, cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours.

Asian Wings with Chili-Garlic Sauce

When it comes to chicken wings, many people think the hotter and spicier the better.  But that doesn't work for everyone!  My kids are the perfect example.  The oldest likes foods on the mild side, the middle child loves spicy foods and the youngest?  Well, she's one picky eater, so it's always up in the air whether she will like a new food or not.  But guess what?  All three of them loved these wings!

Full of sweet chili and garlic flavor, these Asian inspired wings are sure to be the favorite for people who don't like hot and spicy.

Instead of deep frying, the wings are lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, coated with a bit of oil and baked until golden brown.  The wings are then coated in a bold chili and garlic sauce that has just a hint of sesame oil and a Korean chili powder, both of which add a bright flavor to the wings.

If you do like foods that are on the spicy side, you can easily increase the heat in the sauce by increasing the chili powder to 1 tablespoon or by adding a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes.

All of these seasonings can be found in the Asian section of your local market, so they are not difficult to find.  We served these wings with steamed edamame and fried rice.  Enjoy!!

3 lbs  Chicken Wings (about 12), tips discarded and wings split
2 TB  Lee Kum Kee Chili Garlic Sauce
2 tsp  Korean Chili Powder (or regular chili powder)
1 TB  Sugar
1-1/2 tsp  Dark Sesame Oil
2 tsp  Water
1 tsp  Rice Vinegar
1 TB  Soy Sauce
1 tsp  Minced Ginger
2 tsp  Minced Garlic

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Line a large baking sheets with heavy duty foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Set aside.

In a large bowl combine the wings, canola oil and salt and pepper.  Toss the wings to evenly coat, then transfer the wings to the foil lined baking sheet, placing them skin side up.  Bake the wings for 40 - 45 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and crispy.

In a medium glass bowl, whisk all of the sauce ingredients together, then set aside.

Add the cooked wings to the chili garlic sauce and stir to evenly coat the chicken.  Transfer the wings to a platter, sprinkle with chopped green onions and serve.

July 4th Foods

The 4th of July is a great day to kick back with a cool drink, throw a few burgers on the grill and just relax!  But maybe this year you would like to cook something different, not just burgers.  Maybe kabobs would be a tasty change, or a giant pot of Low Country Boil, or try a new side dish like Grilled Tomatoes with Mozzarella Cheese and Fresh Basil or Chipotle Slaw to add a spicy kick to your meal.

Whether your day includes lounging by the pool or staying inside and out of the heat, fix yourself a cool Caribbean Blue Iced Tea and enjoy this mid-summer holiday.

Here are some other cool menu suggestions for your July 4th feast.

  

Smoked Chicken Quarters

Country Style Pork Ribs with Mustard and Dry Rub Marinade

Low Country Boil with Crab Legs, Shrimp, Red Potatoes and Corn on the Cob

A Low Country Boil is an easy one-pot meal

   

Smoked Pork Butt 

Caribbean Blue Iced Tea

Sonoma Chicken Salad

It's finally summertime here in Florida and if the last few weeks are any indication, it's going to be a very hot season.  With temperatures reaching the upper 90's, we were looking forward to something cool and refreshing for dinner, and this recipe was the perfect solution.

With a combination of poached chicken breast, crunchy pecans and sweet juicy grapes, a tangy honey and mayonnaise dressing was the perfect finish to this dinner salad.  Serve with a glass of light, fruity chardonnay, sauvignon blanc or a bright, juicy riesling wine.

To save time, the dressing can be made several hours ahead of serving time.  Enjoy!!

Dressing:
1 cup Light or Regular Mayonnaise
2 tsp  Dijon Mustard
4 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
5 tsp Honey
1 or 2 tsp Poppy Seeds, to taste
Salt and Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Salad:
3  boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts, thinly slices horizontally to create 6 pieces
1 cup  Pecan Pieces, chopped
2 cups Red Seedless Grapes, rinsed
3 stalks Celery, thinly sliced
Chopped Romaine or Mixed Greens

Prepare the dressing by mixing the mayo, mustard, vinegar, honey, poppy seeds and salt and pepper in a bowl. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before you are ready to dress the salad.

Place the chicken breasts in one layer in a large skillet and season generously with salt and pepper.  Add 2 cups water to the pan and bring the chicken to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through.  Remove the cooked chicken from the pan and place on a platter to cool for 20 minutes.  Refrigerate the chicken for about 30 minutes or until chilled.

Cut the cooled chicken into bite-sized pieces and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the pecans, grapes, celery and dressing, adding salt or pepper, if needed.  Place 2 cups of chopped romaine on a plate and top with 2 cups of the salad mixture.  Serve about 6.

Lemon Lime Shrimp Fajitas

Fajitas are a quick and easy meal to prepare, especially on a busy weeknight, and Chicken Fajitas are a family favorite at our house.  But this time, we wanted to try something a bit different and make seafood fajitas.

Using sliced green peppers and onions and a little cilantro, all we needed was a simple marinade for the shrimp and we were ready to cook.  And get this, the cooking time was only about 7 minutes!

For the marinade we combined a lemon ponzu sauce, which is actually an Asian lemon-accented soy sauce, and lime juice to create a simple citrus mix that was a bit salty, sweet and tangy all at the same time.

Once the fajita mixture was ready to serve we tried several different toppings to find the ones we liked the most.  By far the overall favorite was the addition of crumbled queso fresco cheese, with the  salty cheese really adding a nice texture to the shrimp and vegetables.  We also liked sour cream and Homemade Guacamole on the fajitas, both of which can be added to the fajitas or served on the side.

However you choose to build your own favorite Shrimp Fajita, it will quickly become you favorite quick and easy weeknight meal.  Enjoy!!

2 lbs  Medium Raw Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 TB  Minced Garlic
1 large  Onion, thinly sliced
2 large  Green Peppers, thinly sliced
2 TB  Canola Oil
1 cup lightly packed  Cilantro Leaves
1 cup  Lemon Ponzu Sauce
2/3 cup  Lime Juice
12  Flour Tortillas
Garnishes:  Queso Fresco Cheese, Sour Cream, Guacamole

In a medium glass bowl combine the shrimp, garlic, Ponzu and lime juice.  Stir to combine and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and peppers to the skillet and saute for 4 minutes, or until tender.  Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp are pink.  Add the cilantro and stir, then spoon the mixture into warm tortillas.

Garnish with crumbled queso fresco cheese, sour cream or guacamole.