INSTANT POT {OR SLOW COOKER} WHITE CHICKEN BLACK BEAN CHILI

 Recipe from Mom. This is seriously so delicious, and so easy. I've used the slow cooker, and the InstantPot - both worked great.

Link here.

INSTANT POT {OR SLOW COOKER} WHITE CHICKEN BLACK BEAN CHILI

yield: 6 SERVINGS

 

prep time: 45 MINS

cook time: 15 MINS

total time: 1 HR

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, I use low sodium
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes or petite diced tomatoes
• 1 (4.5-ounce) can green chiles
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can Great Northern/white beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk, trust me on this one; see note below
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, (about 2 large or 3 medium)
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, light or regular, cut into 6-8 pieces
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
• Toppings of choice, fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, diced avocado, sour cream, fresh limes

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Instant Pot Directions: To the insert of a 6- or 8-quart Instant Pot, add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, green chiles, black beans, white beans, dry milk, chili powder, salt, parsley, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dill, and black pepper. Stir or whisk well to combine.
• Nestle the chicken and cream cheese cubes into the chili (it's ok if it isn't fully submerged). Secure the lid on the Instant Pot, make sure the valve is set to seal, and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes (select Manual or Pressure Cook and dial up or down to 15; the IP will start on its own).
• Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes then quick release the remaining pressure. Remove the chicken to a cutting board or plate and shred or cut into small pieces. Stir the chili to incorporate the softened, melty cream cheese.
• Add the corn and shredded chicken back into the Instant Pot; stir to combine and let sit on warm to heat through. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve the chili with toppings of choice!
• Slow Cooker Directions: To the insert of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker, add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, green chiles, black beans, white beans, dry milk, chili powder, salt, parsley, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dill, and black pepper. Stir or whisk well to combine.
• Nestle the chicken and cream cheese cubes into the chili (it's ok if it isn't fully submerged). Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
• Remove the chicken to a cutting board or plate and shred or cut into small pieces. Stir the chili to incorporate the softened, melty cream cheese.
• Add the corn and shredded chicken back into the slow cooker; stir to combine and let sit on low or high temp to heat through. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve the chili with toppings of choice!

NOTES

Chicken: if you don't want to mess with taking out the chicken and shredding, you can cut the chicken into small pieces before adding to the Instant Pot at the beginning (and probably take a few minutes off the cooking time).

Dry Milk: I know it seems odd to use dry milk in a chili recipe, but the dry milk (plus a bunch of the other seasonings like parsley, dill, etc) are meant to replicate packaged dry ranch dressing mix. I never have that on hand, so I wanted a quick homemade substitution.

Chili Powder: brands vary greatly in spicy heat, so reduce the amount in the recipe if the chili powder you use is spicy and/or you want a milder tasting chili.

Make-Ahead: once the corn and chicken is stirred into the chili, it can stay on warm (in the Instant Pot or slow cooker) for several hours before serving.

Championship Bean Dip

 Original recipe here.

Doubles easily to make a larger batch!

Championship Bean Dip

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 10 min. Cook: 2 hours

YIELD: 4-1/2 cups.

Ingredients

1 can (16 ounces) vegetarian refried beans 
1 cup picante sauce
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Tortilla chips and salsa

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients; transfer to a 1-1/2-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or until heated through, stirring once or twice. Serve with tortilla chips and salsa.

Vegan Sticky Sesame Chickpea Recipe

 Original recipe here.
I made it as the listed recipe, but also added chicken.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes 

Servings: 4 servings\

INGREDIENTS
 
2 cans chickpeas
3-4 large cloves garlic
1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
1.5 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup low sodium tamari or soy sauce
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp ground ginger or 2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 tbsp arrowroot powder
4 tbsp low sodium vegetable broth water (divided)

INSTRUCTIONS
Drain and rinse the chickpeas and set aside. 

Mince the garlic and add to a sauté pan with the avocado or olive oil. I suggest using a garlic press so it's very finely minced and you don't end up with any large pieces in the sauce.

Sauté for a few minutes or until the garlic is very fragrant. 

In a small bowl combine the arrowroot powder and 2 tbsp of the vegetable broth and mix until no clumps remain. Set aside.

To the sauté pan with the garlic, add in the low sodium soy sauce, sesame oil,
maple syrup, rice vinegar, ginger, and the additional 2 tbsp of vegetable broth. Whisk together. 

Add in the arrowroot mixture and stir. 

When bubbles start to form, add in the chickpeas and stir until they are well coated. 

Cook on low heat until the sauce becomes thick and sticky, about 5 minutes. stirring occasionally.

Remove from the heat and let sit to allow the chickpeas to absorb all of the flavor. 
Serve with steamed broccoli, quinoa, or my instant pot rice and enjoy!

NOTES

Arrowroot powder can be subbed for any other thickening agent such as corn or tapioca starch. However, I prefer arrowroot and think it yields the best results. 
Tamari is the gluten free version of soy sauce, but regular soy sauce will also work. If you are gluten free, just ensure you use tamari. Be sure to use low sodium or this can get way too salty!
If the sauce does not thicken properly after 10-15 minutes, add in an additional tablespoon of arrowroot powder. 
Once prepared, this recipe will store in the fridge for about 5 days. 
The maple syrup can be subbed for honey if desired or even brown or coconut sugar. You can also lower the amount if you are looking for a lower sugar option.

Flatlander Chili

Got this recipe from my mom (a flatlander! Ha!), who got it from this website.

Very good - serve as soup, over rice, with cornbread, or over mac (and cheese!) noodles.

Flatlander Chili

Ready In 1 h 45 m

Ingredients

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 (46 fluid ounce) can tomato juice
1 (29 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 cups canned red beans, drained and rinsed (I usually use more beans, and do black and pinto instead)

Directions

Place ground beef in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.

Add all ingredients to a large kettle. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

West African Sweet Potato Supper

Another amazing recipe from the incredible Holly Z.
She made this one for us while we spent a weekend, along with Carina and Nanuq, at Black Bear Ridge in the Catskills.

She was kind & generous to make this for us, and then later to share the recipe.
I've made it once already, and it is SO good.

West African Sweet Potato Supper

1 T vegetable oil
1 medium onion, sliced and separated into rings
1/4 c creamy peanut butter
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne
3 large sweet potatoes peeled and cut into cubes (to make peeling easier, microwave for 2 minutes)
2 cans diced tomato with garlic, undrained
1 can great northern beans undrained
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
Couscous, rice or cooked grain for serving

In large pot heat oil and cook onion until slightly softened and translucent.
Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium and cook 20-25 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender.
Serve with couscous or rice.

A note from Holly:
I know that in the past someone in my family has made this in a slow cooker without a problem. I think you just dump everything in and cook it until the sweet potatoes are soft. The beans will probably get extra broken down but it shouldn't affect the taste. You could reserve the beans and add them in like an hour before it's done if you were concerned at all about that. If you're reserving the beans (and if you're making it in the slow cooker at all) it may need a little more liquid. I didn't any any water when cooking it on the stove, but feel free to throw some in if you think it looks too dry. when I reheat I do usually add a little water to loosen it up. I don't really know about the slow cooker timing, maybe 4-5 hours on low? It's pretty forgiving about over cooking as long as you don't mind a soft texture.

Black Bean, Corn and Beef Soup

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb ground beef (I only used 1#)

2 jalapenos, seeded & minced

1 cup chopped onion

1 (32 oz) carton chicken broth

2 (15 oz) cans black beans = rinsed & drained

1 (15 oz) corn, drained

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

2 tsp fresh lime juice

2 tsp ground cumin

Directions:

Cook beef, jalapenos, and onion in a Dutch oven over med heat until beef is browned and crumbly; drain and return to pot. 

Add broth and all remaining ingredients. 

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20 min.

Thai Green Lentil Curry

Ingredients:

1 can (13 oz) coconut milk
3 Tbs green Thai curry paste (such as Taste of Thai, or Thai Kitchen)
1 bag frozen pepper and onion blend
2 cups lentils
3 cups boiling water, plus bullion cubes (if desired)

Optional: smoked ham hocks, neck bones, or smoked ham

Directions:
Spray slow-cooker with no-stick spray.
Add all ingredients to the crock pot.
Cook on high 6 hrs.

Garnish with cilantro, chopped tomatoes, scallions.
Serve over white rice or rice noodles.

17 Bean Soup (with modifications)

I was inspired by my kids' love of beans (and thriftiness!) to make a large pot of bean soup.
I found the original recipe here, and made my own adjustments.

17 Bean Soup

1 lb. of beans ( I used 17 Bean Soup mix)
64 oz of vegetable or chicken stock (I used water ((which I reduced)) & chicken bouillon cubes)
1 large onion – chopped
4 stalks of celery – chopped
4 carrots – chopped
1 green or red bell pepper – chopped (instead I used a whole bag of frozen pepper & onion blend)
1 tsp. dried basil
4 cloves garlic – crushed or chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning (I just threw in a bunch of dried oregano & parsley)
1 can/jar of chopped tomatoes (diced, Italian-spiced - garlic & basil)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

I sometimes add a hunk of boneless pork shoulder, smoked ham hocks, or neck bone.
One could also add barley to this mix, as the original suggests.

Directions: Here's where I really improvised.
Soak beans overnight (or a couple days - just remember to rinse each day).
Throw everything in the slow cooker! Add ham halfway through.
Serve topped with shredded cheddar. Or with cornbread.

Result?  A meal where both my girls kept saying, "Yum! Mmm!"

InstantPot variation: Add all ingredients (including unsoaked beans), pressure-cook on High, 40 min, with 15 min slow-release. 

Texas Caviar

This is one from Mama Sue. It's a great side-salad, but sometimes we also eat it with chips.

Ingredients:
1 lg green, yellow, and red pepper
1 med red onion
1 can drained
black beans
black-eye peas
chick peas
yellow corn
white corn

Dressing:
1/2 c. cider vinegar
1/2 oil
3/4 c. sugar

Directions:
The day of serving, combine all ingredients.
Beware of mixing too early as the peppers give off a lot of water.

Slow-Cooker Curried Lentils With Chicken and Potatoes

Recipe here.

Serves 6
Hands-On Time 20 min
Total Time 8 hrs 15 min

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups red lentils or yellow split peas
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes (about 2), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
kosher salt and black pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 3/4 pounds total)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, torn
naan bread, toasted, for serving

DIRECTIONS

In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the lentils, potatoes, onion, garlic, curry powder, ginger, 1¼ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the broth and chicken and turn to coat.

Cover and cook until the lentils and vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours (this will shorten total recipe time).

Fifteen minutes before serving, transfer the chicken to a medium bowl and, using 2 forks, shred the meat; return it to the slow cooker. Add the lime juice and stir to combine, adding more water if necessary to reach the desired consistency. Serve topped with the yogurt and cilantro, with the naan and lime wedges on the side.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Recipe here.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons garam masala (Indian spice blend)
kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/2pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8)
1/2 English cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup basmati or some other long-grain white rice
1/2 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, tomato paste, garam masala, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables, cover, and cook until the chicken is tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours (this will shorten total recipe time).

In a small bowl, toss the cucumber and cilantro with the lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.

Twenty minutes before serving, cook the rice according to the package directions.

Just before serving, stir the cream into the chicken tikka masala. Serve over the rice with the cucumber relish.

Ooble's Quinoa Salad

This amazing gal has her own food blog. But this recipe came to me straight from an email.
Oh, and she brought the real thing to me after Flora was born, along with heaps of other goodness, including good company.

In her words:

------------

 I just threw things together for the salad, but here's a rough estimate. I made a whole bunch of it, too, enough for our family and Mom for supper, so these amounts were for a large bowlful. 

2 cups dry quinoa, cooked

a long English cuke

about 5 tomatoes

1/2 a large onion, diced

around 6 plump cloves garlic, minced

at least 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

probably at least 1/3 cup red wine vinegar (I just kept dumping it in until it tasted right)

the juice of two lemons

salt & pepper & a sprinkle of ground cayenne

and here's the vague part, thanks to my children who fetched the herbs...

a bunch of fresh basil, chopped

a bunch of fresh parsley, chopped

a bit of fresh oregano, chopped

some fresh rosemary, chopped

and a bit of fresh sage and thyme, chopped

Feta 

Chick peas

Basically, the dressing is olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, fresh garlic and herbs, and salt&pepper, all to taste.  (Some help, huh?!)

------------

I made this today. Without the Abigail magic, it didn't turn out quite as good as the original, but still pretty yummy.

I used two cans of chick peas, and a 8 oz block of feta. 

Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup

Original recipe here.

Vegan, or NOT.
I added chicken thighs to this recipe, and cut them up after they cooked.
I think I also made it with chicken stock.
I also think you could freely add more vegetables.

It's a nice variation to standard chicken soup.
Or a nice vegan veggie soup.

Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup

PREP TIME
10 mins
COOK TIME
20 mins
TOTAL TIME
30 mins


INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 large carrots, halved lengthwise and finely sliced
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp. dried thyme
6 cups vegetable broth + 1 cup water (or chicken stock)
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 small sprig rosemary
1 cup orzo
1 bay leaf
⅛ cup fresh lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables are soft.
Add the thyme and pinch of pepper; stir together.
Add the vegetable broth and water and bring to a boil. (This is the point where I added the chicken & cooked until done. I then removed the chicken to chop it up, and returned it to the pot.)
Add the chickpeas, rosemary, orzo and bay leaf. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 10 minutes until orzo is cooked through.
Reduce heat to low and stir in lemon juice.

7-ingredient Tuscan White Bean Soup

Original recipe here.

This is so yummy, and somehow so simple.
It is also a very pretty soup, I must say.

I've only made it with bacon (not pancetta), which I cook ahead of time in the oven.
I omit the extra bacon-as-garnish, and add a bit more to the soup itself.

Definitely serve with crusty bread and fresh shaved Parmesan!

7-ingredient Tuscan White Bean Soup

PREP: 10 MINS COOK: 30 MINS TOTAL: 40 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

4 ounces pancetta or bacon, finely diced
1 small white onion, peeled and diced
5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
8 cups good-quality chicken stock
4 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
1 large sprig fresh rosemary
salt and freshly-ground black pepper
(optional but highly recommended for serving: freshly-grated Parmesan, Italian bread)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat pancetta (or bacon) in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.  Cook until crispy, stirring occasionally.  Transfer the bacon to a separate plate, using a slotted spoon, reserving about 3 tablespoons of bacon grease in the stockpot.  (Discard any extra grease, or you can substitute olive oil in place of the 3 tablespoons of bacon grease.)

2. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.  Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, stirring occasionally.

3. Add chicken stock, beans, bay leaf, rosemary and half of the cooked pancetta (or bacon).  Stir to combine.  Continue cooking the soup until it reaches a simmer.  Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover partially, and let the soup simmer for 10-20 minutes so that the flavors will meld.

4. Add salt and pepper to taste.  (I definitely recommend a generous pinch or two of black pepper, and extra salt if needed, depending on your chicken stock.)  Remove the bay leaf and rosemary.
Serve warm, topped with the extra pancetta (or bacon).  Garnish with Parmesan and serve with Italian bread if desired.