Thursday, March 26, 2009

Getting organized... (and a yummy recipe)

Getting organized has been my top priority the past couple of weeks. With the baby's arrival just around the corner, I have this overwhelming urge to get organized. Yes...I am nesting, nesting, nesting!!! One of the things I have been doing is cooking double, several nights a week. Whatever we are having for dinner on a given night, I double the recipe and make two. That way we eat one for dinner that night, and I freeze the other for a later date. My goal is to have at least 15 meals in the freezer by the time the baby is born. I have seven meals in the freezer now. I thought I would start to share some of my favorite recipes that are easy, taste great, freeze well, and did I mention EASY!!!

I have also been collecting and trying some different crock pot recipes too! I LOVE my crock pot!!! Makes dinner a breeze!!!

I really enjoy when others blog about a new recipe they found. I know they tried it, and it was worth passing along. I have come across some GREAT recipes this way that my family has loved!

Last night I made White Chicken Chili (in the crock pot)... it was delicious!

Ingredients:
  • 1 lb chicken, cut up into small chunks (I like to use boneless breasts for their "ease" and lower fat content)
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 can (or the equivalent) chicken broth
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
  • 2 tsp Cumin seed (ground will not withstand long cooking as well)
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
  • 3 -15oz cans white beans (great northern or cannellini), drained and rinsed
  • 1 or 2 chopped red, green or yellow bell peppers, or combination
  • jalapeno chili peppers, fresh, jarred or canned, optional or 'to taste' (depending on how much heat you like!) I left these out, but I'm sure they would make it have a little more bite!!!
In a 4 or 6 quart crockery cooker combine the chicken, onions, chicken broth, garlic, cumin and oregano.

Let cook awhile on low (approx. 3-5 hours, depending on your schedule)
Add drained beans.

Now here is the important part if you don't want mushy chili.. Add the bell peppers and jalapeno peppers (if using) no earlier than the last hour or hour and a half before serving.

Top each serving with shredded Monterrey jack cheese and or broken tortilla chips if desired.


8 comments:

Kristin said...

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my crock pot! I love new recipes as well! I don't have a white chili recipe for the crock pot, so I'm excited to try this one!!

Happy cooking & nesting! :)

Terri said...

You are such a smart girl! Yeah for you for having so many meals in the freezer already!

Another thing I like to do is cook my meat in bulk... not necessarily the whole recipe. I always cook up hamburger for taco meat, 6-7 pounds at a time, and divide it up into meal portions in sandwich bags and then freeze them in one big ziplock. I can pull them out to make tacos, or add to spaghetti sauce, or whatever. Last week I bought a ton of fresh bone-in chicken breast on sale for $.99 a pound, and roasted it all and did the same thing! Having the meat cooked makes pulling together a fast recipe easy!

So I have the ingredients on hand to make this yummy chile! I am going to try it. (Just need to pick up a red pepper when I shop tomorrow.) Another thing to try instead of the jalepeno would be canned green chiles... milder and very tasty! Thanks for sharing! Blessings!!!

{darlene} said...

sounds like a great recipe, I would love to try it! I will let you know how it goes.

These Are The Days said...

Keep those freezer recipe's coming...I'm about to purchase a spare freezer so I can do just that. With home school, I have to find ways to save on time. That chili sounds great, I'll try it tomorrow. Thanks. :)

Mary Ann said...

Great job! I wish I would have thought about that before Lilee came home. It would have made my life so much easier. Since people do not tend to bring food for little ones after they come home. Yes! I would say you are def. nesting! Your body is telling you to get ready!! It won't be long now!=0D

Mary Ann said...

I meant adopted little ones.

Holly said...

i love the crock pot and easy recipes..keep 'em comin!

MiMi said...

This sounds delicious! I love anything that can be prepared in my crock pot! Thanks for sharing!