TexMex crockpot chicken

This is a delcious and super easy dish that will make people think you know how to cook and that you are good at it.  Impress your guests, parents, spouse, etc.

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or cutlets
1 package of taco seasoning
2 tbsp. flour
1 green bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 cup frozen corn (let this thaw for about 30 mins before you toss it in the crockpot)
1.5 cups of chunky salsa
white rice
grated mexican cheese mix

Step 1:  Cut the chicken into 1 inch squares and toss them into the crockpot.  Pour the taco seasoning and the flour over the chicken and stir.

Step 2:  Dice the bell peppers and add them into the crockpot.

Step 3:  Add the corn and the salsa, and stir.

Step 4:  Cook the mixture on low heat for 6-8 hours, or on high heat for 3-4 hours.

Step 5:  Serve over rice (or quinoa), sprinkle with grated cheese, and use hot sauce if desired.  It is the perfect dinner for any season.

Making gross things yummy

There are certain foods that were presented to all of us in childhood that struck terror in our hearts...lima beans, rabbit, cow tongue (ok, maybe that was just my ridiculous mom who would force that upon young children - I might add that she would slap that 2 foot sucker down in the middle of the table still in full, unsliced, tonguey glory, complete with tastebuds).  Maybe it was my guilt over eating something's tongue that led me to getting my little 2 year old arm stuck up a cow's nostril up to the elbow.  I digress...

This is what cows do with their tongue.  Then, my mom takes that tongue and makes me eat it under penalty of being grounded for life and cutting me off from my non-tongue-eating friends.

I will not be discussing how to cook cow tongue, because it is something so traumatic that I hope to never see it again.  So, I will go for something a little less scary and will address brussel sprouts.  The brussels are a tricky little beast - I have found that most people want to like those mini balls of leaves, but just can't find a way to get over the general bland sadness they tend to bring.

This particular blog entry was inspired by a girls' night out at the restaurant Arcadia.  Some of it may seem weird (mainly step 2), but just go with it.

Step one: Obtain brussels, and slice them in half, and throw them into a tall glass (yes, I am serious).

Brussels in a cup?!  Is this girl nuts?

Step two:  Pour milk into the glass until the brussels are covered (I am still serious).

Yes, it sounds crazy, BUT the milk removes the bitterness of the brussels.

Step three:  Let the milk and brussels sit for at least an hour - even better, refrigerate for a few hours.

Step four:  Melt some butter in a nonstick skillet.

Step five:  Drain the brussels and toss them into the skillet.  Sprinkle them with some crushed rosemary, and a little salt and pepper.  Cook until the brussels are soft and are browned.  Serve plain or with a side of spicy asian dipping sauce (see the previous blog entry)

Do you like some spice to your food? Do you like Asians?

If your answer is yes to one or both of the questions above, hHere is a great little sauce that I whipped up one day...it is awesome because it has so many different uses - dipping sauce, glaze, or spread on a sandwich!

3 tbsp light mayo
1/2 tsp wasabi paste
1/2 tsp low sodium soy sauce

Whisk it together, and voila!  Feel free to play with the ratios to your own personal taste.

This is great for glazing a tuna steak, a great dip for veggies, and goes great with almost any sandwich.  Enjoy!

Chili throwdown...Texas "meats" Bucknell

Bison chili, baby!!!  This is a VERY lean chili, which therefore goes against all the usual chili rules of using an 80-20 fat mix for flavor.  BUT, the flavor is so good and smoky, you can get away with breaking the #1 chili rule.  Also, make sure you invest in a crock pot, because it is the greatest invention on earth.  Chili, of course, needs to cook low and slow to make sure all the flavors really get in there...I find it is easier to throw it in a slow cooker overnight instead of staying awake to make sure your stove doesn't burn down the house.  This is a "two step crock pot", meaning that you have to do a little cooking before you can throw it in the crock pot.

First step: Find ground buffalo meat.  Since I made the mistake of moving out of Texas, it took me a full 2 weeks, many desperate phone calls and emails, and visits to random butchers to track some down.  I finally obtained the last two pounds in the greater Richmond area.  Win.

Step two:  Get your other ingredients:
3 cans of dark red kidney beans (this breaks another Texas rule - no beans in chili...but this one needs the healthy fat due to the bison)
4 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1.5 c diced onion
28 oz. can of diced tomatos
23 oz. can tomato sauce (note - this is NOT pasta sauce)
5.5 oz. can tomato paste
1 tsp salt
3 oz. bottle of real bacon bits

Step 3:  Make your dry spice mix - combo the chili, cumin, coriander, garlic, oregano, and cayenne in a bowl and mix it up with a fork til it is mixed uniformly

Step 4:  Spray a non stick skillet with Pam and pour in the onions on medium heat - cook them for about two minutes, at which point they will just start to go from white to clear.  Stir in the spices from step 3, and let that simmer for about 1-2 mins.  Add the ground bison and stir until lighty browned and evenly mixed with the onions/spice.  Make sure you smash apart and big "meatballs" so that it stays ground.

Step 5:  Throw the meat mix into the crockpot.  Drain and add the beans, thn add all the tomato stuff, the salt, AND the bacon.  Stir it all up, and cook it on low heat for 10 hours.  Serve over rice, quinoa, or plain with some cheese on top!  Congrats, you just made easy and super healthy chili.