Monthly Archives: January 2012

Hope Collection

30 Monday Jan 2012

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I am a collector by nature. Not of anything obvious or mainstream, like stamps or rare coins, but of the things that inspire me: vintage valentines, old books and photographs, tiny resin flowers, and Japanese glass beads. I have a pair of antique opera glasses that thrill me with their aged mother-of-pearl, enamel, and brass, and the single-word inscription Paris. I have tucked away fall leaves that look as if each one was hand-watercolored, bits of wool and velvet ribbon, a handful of board game pieces smoothed and worn by the fingers of children who could easily have been my grandparents. None of them bear much monetary worth, but measured in sentiment and beauty, they have great value to me.

When I set out to make a birthday gift earlier this month for one of my dearest friends, I thought a lot about the items I have collected and what they mean to me. She is also a lover of history who understands how a connection to the past can give you steadier feet in the present. We have both had our share of challenges recently and discovered that there is great faith and hope to be found in the midst of pain and loss. I set out to build her a collection of items that symbolize hope to me, then give them words — a sort of visual and spiritual scavenger hunt.

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The container itself is a printer’s tray, sometimes also called a specimen tray, depending on whether you lean more toward bibliophile or biologist. I filled it with the kinds of things I think someone might make and collect over a lifetime, a very personalized sort of natural history museum: rocks and feathers, shells and dried flowers, bits of embroidery and handmade paper snowflakes.

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Underneath each smaller box is a Bible verse that links directly to the item above, so that each little compartment hides a secret message of encouragement. My hope is that after reading the verses a few times, just seeing the pieces of the collection will be enough to call to mind the words behind them.

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The most challenging task in the whole project was covering each of the 21 inner boxes, ranging in size from 1-1/2″ squares to 3″x6″ rectangles, with a half dozen layers of tissue paper, cardstock, and sealant. The vintage text and rich green, purple, and mustard are much more visually appealing to me than its original gray craft paper covering. It was detailed, time-consuming work, but it gave me plenty of time to plan the contents and verses. As is often the way with this kind of artwork, I was definitely blessed and encouraged myself by the process of creating it.

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Beef and Sweet Potato Tagine

27 Friday Jan 2012

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Days after this recipe is cooked and devoured, I can still detect the sweet, exotic scent of a Moroccan spice bazaar in my kitchen. Tagine refers to both the North African stew itself and the vessel in which it is traditionally cooked, a triangular-domed ceramic dish that allows steam to circulate and tenderize heavily spiced chunks of meat and vegetables. Fortunately, a modern metal Dutch oven or stock pot will serve just as well, and your stove-top will stand in nicely (if less romantically) for burying it in a heap of burning coals.

This recipe requires a bit of planning ahead since the meat marinates overnight before cooking. It is well worth the extra day. The spice rub recipe makes more than you’ll need for one tagine, and I like to keep some on hand in my spice cabinet. It is fragrant and flavorful in the extreme, and in addition to the traditional stew, I find it makes a beautiful roasting seasoning for chicken or lamb; it also plays well with almost any root vegetable, from potatoes to parsnips. I chose the ingredients based on multiple authentic Moroccan sources, but the ratios and recipe are my own, so feel free to adjust it to suit your own palate and desire for heat.

Moroccans speak both French and Arabic, so bon appetit and bil-hanā’ wa ash-shifā’. (translation: “May you have your meal with gladness and health.” :)

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Beef and Sweet Potato Tagine
makes 3/4 c. spice rub and six generous servings of stew

For spice rub:
2 Tbsp. smoked paprika
1/2-1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper (adjust as desired)
1 good pinch saffron (see Recipe Notes below)
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
2 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 Tbsp. kosher or coarse sea salt

For tagine:
2 lbs. top round or round tip beef roast, cut into rough 1″ cubes
1/4 c. + 1 Tbsp. tagine spice rub
4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 small yellow onions, roughly chopped
3 large sweet potatoes, cut into 1″ chunks
1 bunch chard, stems removed and finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger (a thumb-sized piece)
1/4 c. tomato paste
juice of one small lemon
3 c. chicken or beef stock or mushroom broth
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. kosher or coarse sea salt

To serve:
naan or other flatbread
chopped cilantro
your favorite chutney
plain Greek yogurt
couscous (tiny pearls of pasta)

In large zip-sealed bag, place beef cubes, 1/4 c. tagine spice rub, and 3 Tbsp. olive oil. Seal and mix well, until beef is evenly coated with oil and spices. Refrigerate at least overnight, ideally a full 24 hours.

When ready to cook, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat in large Dutch oven or stock pot. Brown beef in three batches, about 5-6 minutes each, and remove to plate and set aside. If you try to brown it all at once, it will just steam instead of caramelizing. Also, you may need to add another glug of olive oil at the start of each batch if you bought very lean meat. If the bottom of the pan is brown at the end of this stage, no worries, that’s just flavor. If it’s perilously black, that’s burned spices, and you need to give it a rinse before moving on to the next step. (This is one of the drawbacks of using a modern pot instead of a ceramic tagine.)

Once beef is finished and removed to rest, add onions and chard stems to oil already in pot and cook two minutes, then stir in ginger and garlic. Add sweet potatoes and stir, then add tomato paste, lemon juice, stock/broth, honey, extra 1 Tbsp. spice rub, and salt. Add back in browned beef, stir well, and bring to simmer. Then reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for one hour, stirring occasionally. Add chard leaves and cook 20-30 minutes more.

Like most soups and stews, the final cooking time will change depending on the water and fat content of your ingredients. It may be done now, or it may need a few more minutes. It is finished when the beef is meltingly tender, sweet potatoes have almost completely disappeared, and gravy is thick and flavorful. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed, then serve.

I serve my tagine over couscous, topped with plain Greek yogurt and chopped cilantro, with ginger-peach chutney and naan on the side. This is even better the next day, though it seldom lasts that long around here. Recipe is easily doubled or even tripled, just brown meat in more batches and extend cooking time extra half hour (or more as needed) before adding chard. This is a crowd-pleaser, even when the crowd consists of children and folks who usually like milder flavors.

Recipe Notes + Tips:
Saffron definitely comes under the heading of, “Who would think of eating that!?” but I am awfully glad someone was more imaginative than I. Saffron is the dried stamen of a crocus flower native to Southwest Asia and is also grown in a few regions around the Mediterranean Sea. It lends food a delicious nutty flavor I love, plus a brilliant, bursting yellow that appeals to my artist’s eye.

Saffron is cultivated and harvested entirely by hand, in a carefully timed, delicate process. It is quite expensive as a result, but a tiny pinch is enough to season several pounds of meat, vegetables, or grains. I buy coupe-grade Spanish saffron on-line from The Spice House, as I do everything else in my spice cabinet; I find their quality and value unmatched. Saffron is definitely a splurge, but it is a beautiful addition to any pantry. (If you don’t have/want any on hand, you can substitute 2 tsp. ground turmeric for the saffron in the tagine spice rub recipe. It will mimic the color and provide a little extra flavor boost.)

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Trash to Treasure

25 Wednesday Jan 2012

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The amount of daily junkmail that finds its way to our mailbox is unfathomable to me, and whether I toss it in the trash or recycling bin, I still always feel a twinge of regret. Paper is one of my favorite things, and it seems so wrong to have pages and pages of the stuff pass through my hands for mere moments before being relegated to the incinerator. It’s not the trees’ fault that coupons for carpet cleaning and sports bars landed at the home of someone with laminate floors and food allergies.

Enter my recycling bin’s new best friend, Trash Origami: 25 Paper Folding Projects Reusing Everyday Materials by Michael G. LaFosse. I love this book because it gives me a creative, fun way to make use of life’s flotsam, and it was clearly written by someone who cares that his reader succeeds. The instructions are clear and well-diagrammed, and unlike many origami books, there are full-color pictures of every project so you know exactly what you’re working toward. Even better, the book includes a DVD that shows an artist folding all of the projects, so you are virtually guaranteed to be able to finish what you start.

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There is a great deal of flexibility in terms of materials, although some projects ask for a specific type of paper recyclable, i.e. candy wrappers, potato chip bags, or magazine subscription cards. Paper and nimble fingers are really all that’s required, although a ruler and sharp cutting tool are handy for trimming paper as needed. I also use a bone folder, a tool used to press down and get good, strong creases. (And, yes, it is actually made of bone. You can handle that three ways: revel in holding a tool originally conceived thousands of years ago; celebrate the macabre, gothic nature of crafting art with a bone; or just ignore it and pretend it’s plastic. ;)

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As a book-lover, I am ashamed to admit that the first thing I usually do after purchasing a hardcover book is toss the dust jacket. (At least for books in the studio — my cookbooks need all the protection they can get. :) In the spirit of Trash Origami, I decided to make my first project out of the book’s dust jacket instead of throwing it away; in a further boost to the existentialist symmetry of the thing, I chose the craft pictured on the cover, a Curler Ball.

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After cutting the dust jacket into a dozen 4″-squares, I folded and curled each according to the directions. Each of those twelve units was then linked by the curls to make four larger units, then those four were linked again to make the finished curled paper sphere. The final assembly step gave me pause, but with the help of the book’s illustrations and a little experimentation, I got it. I am utterly fascinated by how such a detailed structure can be formed without any cutting or adhesive.

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The Curler Ball is one of the most complex projects in the book and took about an hour start-to-finish, but others are accomplished in a few minutes, so it’s all about what items and time you have available. Trash Origami is accessible for any age, although very young children will obviously need a helping hand. Paper folding is a great trick to have up your sleeve for any unexpected wait (with or without kids), whether it’s in a restaurant reception area or the doctor’s office. Add to that the ability to work with the lunch receipt from your pocket or the month-old grocery list at the bottom of your purse, and you’ve got a real winner.

I am a complete documentary geek, so I cannot write about origami without mentioning the film Between the Folds, especially since one of the movie’s featured artists also contributed projects to Trash Origami. My family and I were as riveted by the film’s amazing creations and the art and science behind them as we were by the interviews with the offbeat, genius paper-folders who made them. Beyond the Folds is available to rent and stream on Netflix, and after seeing the potential that paper holds, it’s impossible not to want to dive in yourself. You can find out more and see excerpts at the film’s web site.

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Shiny

23 Monday Jan 2012

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My work in the studio is often solitary and focused, and I really crave that kind of restorative, contemplative alone-time. However, I think art takes on a whole new, wonderful dimension when you make it with someone else. A dear friend and I made a batch of these fancy little fellas together, and we had such a good time doing it. When you make art with friends, not only do you get to share in each other’s inspiration, it’s also a lot of fun to see how different people use identical materials to make a completely unique set of choices, discoveries, and finished products. (not to mention our highly individualized mistakes and messes :)

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For me, part of the appeal of this project is pairing substantial, earthy river rock and ethereal, barely-there sheets of shiny silver leaf. I love contrast: my favorite snacks are all salty-sweet, and I am drawn to color combinations like pale sky blue and deep red, or soft pink and bright chartreuse green. I find instant allure in these small, simple pieces of art that carry such weighty messages.

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I made about a dozen rocks with my favorite inspirational words and phrases, then a few with only single initials as gifts for friends. While I usually gravitate toward more detailed, time-consuming artwork, there is a lot to be said for this kind of straightforward project. It requires only a handful of items, is easily transported, and lends itself to being crafted in stages as time allows. If you yearn for a little instant gratification, it is also easily do-able in a single sitting.

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The items needed are all readily purchased at your local craft store or on-line. I used a bag of large, polished river rocks; Mona Lisa brand silver leaf sheets, adhesive size, and sealant; and a few sheets of letter rub-ons and stickers. The only other requirements are a pair of small paintbrushes and a work surface that can stand up to all the silver leaf dust you’ll create by the end. I personally consider a project extra successful when I finish looking like I was caught in a tiny silver snowstorm, but if you feel differently, you might add a tablecloth and art smock to your project materials list. ;)

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Lamb Ragout

19 Thursday Jan 2012

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When the bad cold going around here caught up with me, I knew exactly what I wanted. This lamb ragout is my ultimate comfort food. The deep, rich flavor of caramelized onions pairs beautifully with savory lamb and lentils and the tang of tomato. If you’ve never tried lamb before (or have but didn’t enjoy it), this is a great place to start. Ground lamb is sweeter and more tender than ground beef, but otherwise it cooks similarly; I much prefer lamb for both flavor and texture in this recipe. I serve mine over buttered basmati rice and sprinkled with tiny cubes of Cotswald, a soft, sharp cheddar flavored with garlic and green onions.

This recipe begins with caramelizing several onions, a simple process that makes the most of their natural sweetness. If you have the time and inclination, make a double batch and store the rest in a jar in the refrigerator for later use. Caramelized onions are one of those transforming ingredients that add a whole new level of complexity and flavor to any sauce, soup, or stew. You can also add a little extra sugar and vinegar and continue to cook down until the mixture condenses into velvety caramelized onion jam. Your grilled cheese sandwiches will thank you. :)

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Lamb Ragout
makes about 4 cups

For caramelized onions:
3 onions, cut in half and then sliced 1/4″-thick
2 Tbsp. olive oil, extra virgin if you have it
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. kosher or coarse sea salt
1 tsp. balsamic or seasoned rice vinegar

For ragout:
caramelized onions from above
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs. ground lamb
1 1/2 tsp. kosher or coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. cracked brown mustard seed
1 dried bay leaf or 1/2 tsp ground dried bay leaf
1/2 tsp. ground dried rosemary or 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary (see Recipe Notes below)
15 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained (I like fire-roasted)
1/4 c. tomato paste
3 c. mushroom broth or beef stock
1 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar or 2 tsp. balsamic
2 tsp. granulated sugar
1/2 c. red lentils

To caramelize onions, place oil and butter in saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 2-3 minutes, until turning translucent, then add salt and sugar. Mix well and cook over medium heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If onions begin to crisp or brown too quickly, reduce heat to medium-low. Long, slow cooking is the key to good caramelization.

When onions are deep brown and reduced in volume by half, add vinegar to finish and stir well. Turn heat up to medium-high and crumble in ground lamb. Stir well, then add salt, pepper, thyme, basil, mustard seed, bay, and rosemary. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lamb is evenly browned. Drain lamb and onions well, then add remaining ingredients. Stir and simmer 25-30 minutes, until lentils are tender and ragout has thickened. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Serve over buttered long-grain rice and topped with your favorite cheese.

Recipe Notes + Tips:
Okay, oddball ingredient #12: ground dried rosemary. I love the fresh, woodsy flavor of rosemary, but I do not enjoy the sensation of eating a Christmas tree. Discovering the Spice House’s ground dried rosemary was one of the biggest light-bulb moments of my culinary life. Say good-bye to the days of tough, pointy rosemary needles and hello to smooth, almost-minty rosemary flavor. I use this stuff on everything from roast chicken to grilled salmon, zucchini to beets. Definitely one of my pantry must-haves.

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(I know broccoli isn’t on everyone’s comfort food list, but it is one of my favorite vegetables, and I couldn’t resist a picture with it on the plate. Just try to appreciate its green-ness for a moment, even if you don’t want to eat it. ;)

Cheer up

17 Tuesday Jan 2012

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With a bad cold making the rounds in our house, my family has been in need of comfort and cheer. For my husband, I made amberjack poached in red curry and coconut milk, full of ginger and chili, then we settled in for a marathon of the original Star Wars trilogy. (first theater release version, thank you very much — I’ll have none of that CGI-rendered Jabba the Hut ;)

Spoiling my teenage son/confirmed chocoholic is just a matter of baking the fudgiest recipe I can find and tucking him in with a big fleece blanket still warm from the dryer. For my daughter, it’s a cup of Sleepytime tea with honey and plenty of lemon, and some sort of little artsy gift to make her smile, like this blooming flower card.

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The inner flower is the same size as the base, but the petals are carefully folded and each one tucked under the next to create a cute pop-up effect. I glued two sheets of printed paper back-to-back to get the patterns I wanted, but you could save time by using double-sided cardstock. I like that peek of the inner message as it opens.

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The template for this charming little bloom comes from one of my favorite papercrafting books, Papercrafting in No Time by Clare Youngs. There are fifty creative, appealing projects in the book, and while “in No Time” is a bit of a stretch for some of the more complex pieces, they are worth the effort. You’re certainly not limited to the included instructions either — I have re-purposed several templates to create a whole new set of paper art. Definitely on the Cut-and-Paste Club reading list. :)

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Creativity

15 Sunday Jan 2012

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You will never hear a child say, “I’m just not creative.” That declaration is reserved entirely for adults. Why? I don’t think we really mean we are incapable of imagining or making something new. But sometimes it is hard to separate being creative from how others will perceive our creations. The older we get, the more we feel the pressure of measuring up, and the weight of such expectation can stop us in our tracks.

I am certainly not immune — if anything, it might be the opposite. I have always been the artsy type, but I still have to make a deliberate decision to be creative. It gives me pause every time I am about to hit the “publish” button on this blog or show someone my most recent painting. I can do it only when I remember that, for me, the value of creativity is found in processing, sharing, and encouraging, of putting joy above judgement. (If I had named this blog “created for success,” it would probably be empty. :)

And I still have so much to learn… the little tree pictured above is proof of that. It is made out of humble materials — a toilet paper tube, copy paper, a bit of recycled gift wrap and some glitter glue — but it is such a mighty statement about the power of creativity. It was made by an inmate named Shannon at the Tennessee Prison for Women. It encourages me so much to know she found a way to be creative with limited resources, in the midst of circumstances that could easily foster only anger and despair.

Shannon believes passionately in the hope and possibility that come from creativity, and she pursues that passion and encourages others in it, despite where she is. What a beautiful reminder that being creative is not about showing off, it’s about showing up. Shannon’s art proves that imagination and inspiration exist outside of our imperfection, and I am so grateful for that.

Mini Oatmeal Cream Pies

13 Friday Jan 2012

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In the southern United States, Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies are an institution. Growing up overseas, they were one of the foods I craved most during our return visits to Nashville. There was no one happier than little 10-year-old me, smooshed in the back seat of a wood-grain station wagon between suitcases and my little sister, with an Oatmeal Creme Pie in one hand and a glass bottle of Orange Crush in the other.

But when I developed severe preservative allergies in 2007, all things Little Debbie were instantly off-limits. The ingredients in Oatmeal Creme Pies and their other baked goods have sadly grown less natural in the years since the Tennessee bakery started selling desserts out of the back of a car in the midst of the Depression. Turns out they have to spell the filling “creme” because it doesn’t actually contain any real dairy products.

Anyone who knows me knows I don’t give up easily, and I resolved to re-create my childhood treat in a homemade, all-natural, sulfite-free form. This recipe is the result: moist, chewy oatmeal cookies with a hint of cinnamon and the subtle toffee flavor of molasses and turbinado sugar, sandwiched around lightly sweetened, gooey cream cheese filling that makes you want to check whether there’s any left in the bowl. And in a satisfying bit of traveling full-circle, these have turned out to be one of my kids’ very favorite desserts, so much so that my daughter asked for them instead of birthday cake this year. :)

Mini Oatmeal Cream Pies
makes 24 sweet little food memories

For cookies:
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. kosher or coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
3/4 c. turbinado sugar (see these Recipe Notes for more info)
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. unsulphured molasses
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or real vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/4 c. rolled oats (not instant)
1/4 c. shredded, unsweetened coconut (preferably unsulphured)

For filling:
8 oz. cream cheese (preferably all-natural)
1/2 c. confectioner’s sugar, sifted
3 Tbsp. golden syrup (see these Recipe Notes for more info, can substitute light corn syrup or marshmallow fluff)
1/4 tsp. salt (not coarse)

Oven 350F. In medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. In another large mixing bowl, use electric mixer to cream together butter, both types of sugar, molasses, and vanilla until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time until well-mixed. Stir in flour mixture with a silicone spatula, then stir in oats and coconut. Mix thoroughly until dough is uniform and slightly sticky.

Scoop tablespoons of dough on to lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake about 12 minutes, until edges are set and lightly golden but centers are still a little soft, being careful not to over-bake. Let cookies cool on sheets five minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

For filling, mix all ingredients with electric mixer until creamy and smooth, at least five minutes. Spread a heaping teaspoon of filling on the flat side of one cookie, and then sandwich another on top. (Be generous, there’s plenty.) Refrigerate cookie sandwiches until filling is set before serving, then store in air-tight container in refrigerator for up to five days. They’re even better the second day.

This recipe doubles easily, but you may want to refrigerate the dough between putting batches in the oven because it takes a little while. If you’re feeling extra industrious or are making these for a special occasion, they are especially charming individually wrapped in cellophane.

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Wax on, wax off

12 Thursday Jan 2012

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When I first saw encaustic artwork years ago, I was immediately infatuated. I love the way the layers of wax bring depth and texture, and you can embed almost any multimedia object in it. However, it seemed too complex and cost-prohibitive to even consider trying. There was also the space-planning issue. At the time, my “studio” consisted of a table in the corner of our master bedroom, and it would have required some drastic changes to make room for all the encaustics materials. There were only two items left in the room that could be exchanged for more art workspace; since I was fairly accustomed to sleeping in a bed and also pretty attached to my husband, I opted to put my adventures in wax painting on hold.

Fast forward eight years, and a lot has changed. (not on the husband front — I mean space-wise :) I actually have my own room in the house devoted to creating art, and the price of encaustic art supplies has decreased as the medium’s popularity has grown. When I realized that I could use an electric griddle in place of a more specialized (read: expensive) heated palette to melt the wax/resin mixture, I decided to take the leap.

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If you’ve read more than a post or two on this blog, then I bet you can guess my next step: I went looking for a book to find out more. Patricia Seggebruch is one of the first wax artists I encountered years ago, and her newest book, Encaustic Mixed Media: Innovative Techniques and Surfaces for Working With Wax, was a great starting point. Over the past few years, she experimented with a variety of techniques and media beyond traditional applications, and her enthusiasm about her discoveries is definitely contagious.

I decided to start small, a 4″-square collage with watercolor, paper, wax, and tiny beads. “A thousand sugar stars” felt like the perfect title for a piece of art created on the heels of weeks of late-night holiday baking. I scattered coarse salt over the wet watercolor sky to create crystalline stars, then added a paper landscape in the foreground. Next I painted on a few layers of wax and sprinkled on some royal blue and pale pearl glass seed beads.

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Although I find encaustics a generally peaceful pursuit, I have to admit there is something slightly invigorating about holding a paintbrush full of molten wax in one hand and a heat gun in the other. ;) Fortunately I have asbestos hands from years of cooking and baking. I’ve started experimenting with the addition of fabric pieces to the background collages, and I love the saturated, translucent quality the wax gives to textiles. Stay tuned. :)

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(North Light Books: 2011; ISBN 978-1440308703)

White Chicken Chili

10 Tuesday Jan 2012

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This recipe was originally born out of the desire to experiment with salsa verde. I love the tang of tomatillos and green chile, and as an added bonus my daughter enjoys it much more than its tomato-based counterpart. As is often the happy way of culinary evolution, it became a vehicle for some of my other favorite ingredients along the way. For me, this dish wouldn’t be same without all the stir-ins: velvety chunks of seasoned avocado, sharp cheddar, sour cream, cilantro, and tortilla chips.

This is a great recipe for entertaining — just prep all the add-ins ahead of time and set it up buffet-style so guests can serve themselves. There is also something appealing about getting to control your own food destiny that makes this approach more kid-friendly. Even if you wouldn’t eat some of the extras individually, I encourage you to try them in this because they bring so much flavor to the party.

White Chicken Chili
makes 10 generous bowls

For chili:
3 cooked chicken breasts or meat from a small rotisserie chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
15 oz. can pinto beans, drained
15 oz. can cannelini beans, drained
7 oz. salsa verde (I use Herdez)
8 oz. canned diced green chiles
4 c. quality chicken stock (I use homemade or Kitchen Basics brand)
2/3 c. heavy cream
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne (your preference)
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. coarse salt + more to taste

For toppings:
2 avocados
juice of half a lime
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
sour cream
shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
tortilla chips (I am currently best friends with Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips)

In large stockpot, saute onion in oil over medium heat 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook one minute more, then add beans, salsa, and green chiles and stir well. Add chicken stock, cream, and all seasonings and bring to simmer. Simmer lightly for 10-15 minutes to allow flavors to come together. Add cooked chicken, stir, and simmer just til heated through. Taste once more for seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired.

While chili is simmering, roughly chop avocados and place in small bowl with lime juice, olive oil, and salt. Mix well and set aside, then prepare other toppings as needed. Serve hot bowls of chili with mix-ins as desired.

Recipe Notes + Tips:
This chili finishes with a thin consistency more like chicken soup than a traditional red beef chili. The melted cheese and sour cream provide some additional texture, and that’s plenty for me. However, if you prefer a thicker chili, there’s an easy fix. At the start of the recipe, add an extra can of cannelini beans. Once you’ve added stock, cream, and seasonings, but before adding chicken, use an immersion blender to puree the beans and create a richer consistency. Continue recipe as above.

If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can carefully transfer the hot soup to a traditional blender, puree, and then return to pot. I love my immersion blender, definitely one of my must-have tools. Like most kitchen appliances, you can easily spend five times what you need to, so shop around. I’ve had my $15 Proctor Silex version for years, and it’s blended everything from butternut bisque to apple butter beautifully.

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