CROCKPOT CHICKEN CHILI

Are you tired of the same old chili recipe? Try this chicken chili!! It is delicious, hearty and super easy to make. Comfort food, through and through. Oh, and it freezes well too!!!

The night BEFORE you want to eat, put (most) of the ingredients into the crockpot and cook on low all night (or for about 8 hours). The next morning, add the raw chicken thighs and shredded carrots and let it cook all day on low. It will make your house smell scrumptious!!!

1 1/2 cups DRY Great Northern white beans (the small ones)
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 cup chopped onion (sauteed)
4 ounce can mild green chiles (I use Ortega brand) 
2 cups grated carrots
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano leaves
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more if you like "heat")
1 teaspoon salt (use salt ONLY if you are using salt free broth)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 cups chicken stock (see note below about salt)
1 cup Monterrey Jack Cheese shredded

Wash and sort the dry beans (do not pre-soak) and put them in the crockpot. Add the chicken stock, sauteed onion, seasonings and green chile's. Cook on LOW setting overnight (or for about 8 hours).

In the morning, remove about 1 cup of the beans and mash them thoroughly. (I put them in the blender)  Return the mashed beans to the crockpot; this will thicken up the broth in the chili.

Cut the raw chicken into large pieces and add it to the crockpot along with the shredded carrots.  Cook this on LOW for another 6 to 8 hours depending on how big your chicken pieces are.

About 30 minutes before you want to serve the chicken chili, add the shredded Monterrey Jack cheese and stir. This adds such a wonderful taste and texture.

I hope you like this hearty
chili as much as we do

NOTE: If you use salt free chicken broth, go ahead and put the teaspoon of salt into the chili. Taste it again after it is finished cooking (and after you've added the cheese) to see if it still needs more salt.   If you use chicken broth made from bullion, don't add ANY salt to the recipe, as the bullion broth is already quite salty.

NOTE: I hope you don't leave out the grated carrot, it really adds a wonderful taste and texture to the chili.

NOTE: We are fairly timid when it comes to spicy heat in our food, so I use an 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne and it is absolutely perfect for us. If you like more heat in your food, just add more cayenne.

NOTE: This makes a big pot of chicken chili. It freezes well.

ENJOY !!!

FOOL PROOF HASHBROWNS

This hash brown recipe is fool proof. It will give you crisp potato patties, just begging for a dash of hot sauce (or ketchup for the kids). The following instructions are for individual patties, but you can also spread this mixture out in a big frying pan (fry until crip) then cut into wedges for serving.

 

3 cups "Simply Potatoes" (see note below)
1/4 cup very thinly sliced green onions (optional)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)

I use the (shredded) hash brown variety of a product called "Simply Potatoes". In my store they are sold in the refrigerated section, but you can also use refrigerated "Ore Ida shredded (loose) hash browns" as well. I have tried fresh potatoes, but they tend to get mushy in this recipe.

Toss the potatoes (gently) with the flour (and onion if you are using it) and set aside. Next, mix the salt and pepper into the egg then stir it gently into the floured potatoes. 

Pre-heat a heavy frying pan to medium high and brush the skillet with a generous coating of vegetable oil (I like to use my electric frying pan).

For each serving, place 1/2 cup (lightly packed) 

potato mixture onto HOT, greased frying pan 

and then gently flatten the mound with your 

spatula, like this:

Fry patties for 4 minutes, per side, 

or until they are golden brown and crispy

Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt and serve immediately. I love how these hash browns hold together; you can even eat them out of hand like a commercial hash brown patty, but they are so much better.

NOTE: 3 cups of THAWED Simply Potatoes or 

Ora Ida equal about a pound.

ENJOY ! 

HEINZ CHILI SAUCE CLONE

This is a clone recipe for Heinz chili sauce. It is so easy...takes every day ingredients and is even tastier than the original!! Chili sauce was never a pantry staple for me; I always found it on my shopping list for holiday and special occasion recipes, like this shrimp cocktail (which called for Heinz chili sauce). I will never buy commercial chili sauce again because this is so much better (and cheaper)!!!

1 cup of tomato sauce

1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 teaspoons dry onion flakes
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Whisk everything together and bring to a boil in a small saucepan with a heavy bottom. Turn heat down to a low simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes, depending on how fast you are simmering it (mine was done in 25 minutes). Watch it towards the end so it doesn't scorch.

Cool to room temperature, 

then cover and chill.

It will get nice and 

thick like this.

NOTE: I made this recipe, exactly as it is stated above, I don't know how it would effect the final results if you use fresh onions.