Fiesta Chicken Chili: a Blueprint Recipe

I always loved Michele Urvater's "blueprint recipe" concept, in which the basic idea of a recipe is laid out, with variations and suggestions for making it your own. Her Monday to Friday Cookbook inspired me to cook in a more adventurous manner and I eventually gained confidence in creating recipes of my own.

I "invented" this chili as a way to use up some leftover chicken taco meat from a school event. I had about 10 cups of leftover chicken, and I turned it into 10 quarts of chicken chili. I've scaled the recipe down so that it can be made with as little as 2 cups of chicken. It's easy to increase it from there.

Fiesta Chicken Chili

2 cups Fiesta Taco Chicken
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can (14 ounces) small red beans, drained and rinsed--or any kind of beans you like
1 cup chicken broth
3/4 cups water
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 chipotle in adobo, chopped OR 1 tsp chipotle chili seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced

Combine all ingredients in saucepan and simmer, covered, a few hours to allow flavors to mingle. Stir occasionally. I cooked mine in a Nesco roaster at 200 for 5 hours. Cook time is flexible on this recipe, as the chicken is already cooked.

Corn Chowder

I'm a big fan of soup, though most of my family could take or leave it. That's why I don't have too many soup recipes here. But corn chowder is definitely one of my favorites; I often order it at restaurants and I figured there's really no good reason that I can't make it at home. There was a recipe at Sarcastic Cooking that I used as the basis for this soup. The changes I made reflected what was available in my pantry at the time; I was also using up some leftover cooked (boiled) potatoes and roasted chicken. Here's the recipe as I made it today:

CORN CHOWDER (printable version)
Serves 6

3 TBL butter
1/2 medium onion, chopped fine
2 ribs celery, sliced
12 baby carrots, sliced
1 heaping TBL minced garlic
4 TBL flour
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
2 TBL dried parsley flakes
1/2 cup cooked chicken, diced
1/2 cup cooked shrimp, diced
4 boiled potatoes, cooled, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups whole milk

Saute onion in melted butter until translucent. Add celery, carrots and garlic and cook until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in flour until all liquid has been absorbed. Pour in chicken stock and add corn and seasonings. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in chicken, shrimp and potatoes and simmer 5 more minutes. Slowly stir in milk and cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Allow to cool a few minutes before serving.

You could substitute more shrimp or other seafood for the chicken for a delicious meatless meal!

Dutch Oven Macaroni & Cheese

With an eye to planned leftovers that can be used for a quick lunch or dinner this week, I put together some baked macaroni & cheese.

3/4 pound small macaroni (mini penne, mini shells, elbows or cavatappi all work), cooked al dente
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
10 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (3+ cups)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
salt, to taste
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
Cook pasta as directed on the package.

Heat milk in a small saucepan, making sure not to boil it, or heat it in the microwave for 1 minute. Meanwhile, melt butter in a Dutch oven. Whisk in flour and then the hot milk and cook until thickened and smooth. Remove from heat. Add cheese, pepper, salt and mustard. Stir until combined. Fold in cooked pasta. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Cover and bake 20 minutes at 350, then remove the cover and bake 10 minutes at 300 until the sauce is bubbly and the casserole is browned on top.
This is great with a salad and crusty bread!

Trinity Rice with Almonds

There's a whole bunch of things you can make with leftover rice:  rice pudding, fried rice, and breakfast rice to name just a few.  Today, though, I didn't want to make any of these.  I was looking for a way to use up about 2 cups of cooked white rice.  I found a recipe here that looked good, changed a few ingredients (wasn't in the mood to put raisins in it) and everyone was happy with the result.  This recipe would be just as good with brown rice as it was with white.

I called it "Trinity Rice" because it uses the vegetables that, in French cooking, are called the "trinity"--carrots, celery and onion, all chopped the same size.

TRINITY RICE WITH ALMONDS

Get the recipe and nutrition facts at Cook and Count!

Beef Paysanne

This is a dinner I've been making for years.  It's a great way to re-invent leftover pot roast; I always make enough pot roast for two meals and freeze half of it so we can have this dish sometime down the road.  Freezing hint:  add some beef broth or some of the pan juices to the freezer container along with the meat to help keep it moist.

Get this recipe with nutrition facts at Cook and Count!

Southwestern Chili Mac

This recipe was inspired by Picky Palate's Southwestern Chicken Chili Mac. It looked so delicious, I knew we had to try it.

I changed a few ingredients based on my family's preferences and what we had on hand. I had Pork Carnitas in the freezer and used that for the meat.

SOUTHWESTERN CHILI MAC
Print this recipe!

1/2 lb. small pasta, cooked al dente, drained and rinsed (shells, wagon wheels, elbows or spirals)
2 cups pork carnitas (or other shredded, cooked chicken or pork)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small bell pepper, finely chopped (any color)
1 TBL minced garlic
1 10-ounce can Ro-Tel diced tomatoes with chilies, mild
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup corn (canned, frozen or fresh)
1/2 can red beans, drained and rinsed
1 TBL chili powder
1 TBL cumin
1 tsp dry Ranch salad-dressing mix
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar-Jack cheese
oil for the pan

In a deep skillet, cook onions and peppers until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.  Add remaining ingredients except cheese.  Stir until well combined and simmer until heated thoroughly.

In the future I will season this differently.

Ro-Tel adds enough spice that I could have done without the chili and cumin. Also, I'd rather use a can of tomato sauce and half a can of water for the liquid rather than chicken broth.

Remember to choose the right pan for the job. It's always better to have a pan that's a little bigger than you need--the pan on the right is the one I used for this recipe and I barely squeezed it all in. Stirring without spilling was a tough job.

This is a great way to use leftover cooked chicken or pork--or pasta that was leftover from another meal. I used half a can each of corn and beans, and froze the rest for next time. (Yes, canned vegetables can be frozen in appropriate containers). We really liked this easy, pantry-friendly dish.

Good-Morning Breakfast Rice

This is a delicious and healthy way to start your day AND use up that leftover rice from dinner. It works equally well with brown or white rice.  It's like rice pudding without the hassle of separating eggs, baking, and all of that!

You'll find the recipe, including photos and nutrition information, at Cook and Count.

Skillet Turkey & Noodles

Better than soup, but serve it in a bowl so you don't lose any of the sauce. I've wanted to figure out how to make this for a long time. Then I was inspired by Barbara's Skillet Stroganoff (which we love) and figured I could do something similar with chicken or turkey. Comfort food? Oh, yes!

SKILLET TURKEY (OR CHICKEN) AND NOODLES

2 TBL butter
1 small onion, chopped fine
3 TBL flour
3 cups turkey (or chicken) broth
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked turkey (or chicken)
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
3 cups wide egg noodles
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion in butter until translucent. Stir in flour. Add broth and milk and bring to a boil. Stir in turkey, vegetables and noodles. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until noodles are done.

Serves 4.

To increase the recipe and serve more people, add an extra 1 cup noodles and 1 cup broth per person.  Also add a little extra milk, meat and vegetables.

Print this recipe!

Easy Enchiladas

I was in the mood for some enchiladas yesterday, and I remembered that Amanda had posted a recipe for Enchilada Sauce that I wanted to try. I changed the recipe a bit to reflect what I had in the house, and we really liked the result. (Also, I skipped the part about using a blender.) This is a great way to use leftover chicken (or turkey, or pot roast).

ENCHILADA SAUCE
2 8-oz cans tomato sauce

1/4 cup chopped green chilies and 1 tbl juice (I buy the chilies in a jar)

2/3 cup water

1 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 heaping TBL garlic, minced
2 TBL minced onion, mixed with 2 TBL water and allowed to sit 15 minutes

Place all ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 5-7 minutes.

ENCHILADAS (makes 8)

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken, beef or pork mixed with 1/2 cup enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups cheddar-jack cheese, shredded (reserve a little for topping)
8 flour tortillas (8-inch size)
1 cup enchilada sauce

Cover the bottom of a casserole dish with a little enchilada sauce.
Add a scoop of the chicken-and-sauce mix to each tortilla. Top with a handful of cheese and some onion and roll like a burrito. Place in the casserole dish.
When all enchiladas are in the dish, pour the rest of the 1 cup of sauce over the top. Sprinkle a little cheese over the top of the enchiladas as well.
Bake, covered, at 400 for 15 minutes.

Leftover Magic!

I'm not "anti-leftovers" but I do think that disguising them is the way to go. When we eat leftovers, they are rarely in the same form as the original meal.

Here are some recipes I use when I have leftovers.

Mashed potato cakes
Fried rice and Frugal Leftover Fried Rice
Quesadillas

BEEF
Fajitas
Beef paysanne
Enchiladas. This is a great way to use up leftover pot roast or roast beef--pour some canned enchilada sauce into a casserole dish, mix some sauce with shredded cooked beef, chopped onions and cheese, roll up enchiladas, and top with more sauce and cheese. Cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
Beef Burgundy Stroganoff
Chili (great way to use up cooked hamburgers!)

CHICKEN (or TURKEY)
Turkey stock
Fajitas
Turkey or chicken paprikas
Cousin Sharon's Chicken & Biscuit Stew
Chicken & Dumplings
Chicken Fajita Soup
Grandpa's Dark Meat Chicken
Pot Pie
Chicken Chili Blanco
Chicken & Noodle Casserole
Chicken Divan
Scarborough Fair Chicken Soup (I made stock with the turkey carcass, so this would be a great way to use it!)
Crescent Casserole
Lo Mein (also works with pork, and--BONUS--uses up the leftover spaghetti!)

PORK
Pulled pork sandwiches (also works with chicken)

Mashed Potato Cakes

I cobbled together a few recipes, a little of this and a little of that, and ended up with something pretty good!!

MASHED POTATO CAKES

3 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1 egg
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (I used a Cheddar-Jack mix)
salt and pepper to taste (about a teaspoon of each)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
oil for the griddle

I used a 2-burner griddle to make this go faster. This recipe made about 15 potato cakes.

Mix potatoes, egg, cheese and seasonings (not bread crumbs) in a large bowl. Form into patties and dredge in the bread crumbs. They don't have to be completely coated. Fry on a heated, oiled griddle until brown on both sides. Keep warm in the oven until all the cakes are done.

Note:  these are even better when you use a good sharp Cheddar. They're not the prettiest side dish in the world, but they're very tasty.

Ways to Serve the Leftover Turkey

Yes, I'm late to the Leftover Turkey Party. I'm cooking leftovers tonight and the rest is in the freezer for future dinners. I don't like to O.D. on turkey all at once; then we never want it again! Right now there are 3 more dinners' worth of cooked turkey in the freezer and 1 dinner's worth of stuffing--plus a large container of turkey stock.

Here are some recipes I use with leftover turkey. Any recipe calling for cubed cooked chicken works equally well with cubed cooked turkey.

Turkey Encore Paprikas
Cousin Sharon's Chicken & Biscuit Stew
Chicken & Dumplings
Chicken Fajita Soup
Grandpa's Dark Meat Chicken
Pot Pie
Chicken Chili Blanco
Chicken & Noodle Casserole
Chicken Divan
Scarborough Fair Chicken Soup (I made stock with the turkey carcass, so this would be a great way to use it!)
Crescent Casserole

I also make Chicken Enchiladas using canned enchilada sauce (the red kind), onions, cheese and flour tortillas.

And finally, you can't go wrong (any time of year) with
Thanksgiving-in-a-Bowl
Warm up all your leftovers of the following items, layer in an oven-safe or microwave-safe bowl, and heat it up until the cheese melts.
Turkey (bite size pieces)
Corn
Mashed potatoes
Stuffing
Gravy
Cheddar cheese for topping

The KFC near my house closed, so this is how I satisfy my craving for their famous mashed potato bowl.

Turkey Encore Paprikas

This is a great way to use that leftover turkey without having it seem like you are eating leftover turkey.

2 cups cubed cooked turkey (or chicken)
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes with juice
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tbl minced garlic
1 onion, chopped
1/2 of a 12-oz jar of roasted red peppers, chopped
1 1/2 cups whole baby bella mushrooms (white mushrooms work too but these have great flavor!)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp paprika

I mix all this up in my 6-qt Nesco roaster, turn it on to 250 and let it go for an hour.
If you don't have a roaster, use a nice big skillet with a lid, and simmer it for an hour.
Serve over your favorite pasta (we like bow ties with this dish!)

Beef Burgundy Stroganoff

For lack of a better name...I invented this dish as a combo of some other recipes I have cooked before. It's a delicious way to "recycle" your leftovers.

2 cups thick-sliced cooked roast beef/pot roast, cubed
1 can cream of mushroom soup, condensed
1/2 cup burgundy wine
1 packet onion soup mix
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 cups sliced white mushrooms

Mix soup, wine, thyme and soup mix until well blended. Add cubed meat and sliced mushrooms. Stir until coated. Cover and cook 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over noodles.

Goulash

I make this in my roaster oven. You could also use a crock-pot on HIGH. As the meat's already cooked, basically you just need to let the flavors blend.

2 cups cubed cooked roast beef
2 medium onions, chopped
2 small bell peppers, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup beef broth
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp caraway seed
1/2 tsp marjoram
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

Cook in 4 or 6-qt roaster oven at 200 to 225 for one hour.
Serve over noodles or spaetzle.