green chile chicken hash with garlic dressing

It's not much of a looker, I know. But I am telling you, this is so absolutely delicious, it won't be on your plate long enough to care what it looks like.

Full disclosure, there are several components to this recipe, and you're going to have kind of a lot going on at the same time. But! Just read through the recipe completely before you begin in order to get organized and cut your work time down. Because the quicker you get this done, the sooner you can eat!

Green Chile Chicken Hash with Garlic Dressing (adapted from Bobby Flay)
serves 4

for the dressing, you'll need:
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped to a paste
salt and pepper to taste

for the hash, you'll need:
2 poblano chiles, stemmed
canola oil
salt and pepper
2 lbs. russet potatoes, scrubbed
1 lb. chicken breast, cut into small pieces
1 small head radicchio, thinly sliced
3 green onions, thinly sliced

First, make the dressing. Whisk together yogurt, vinegar, mustard and garlic in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let sit in the refrigerator while you make the rest of the dish.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Toss the poblanos with a few tablespoons of canola oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the poblanos on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast until the skin is blackened on all sides, turning a few times, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and immediately cover with plastic wrap. Let sit and steam for at least 15 minutes. After it has steamed, remove the skin and seeds (it should fall off easily if you run it under cold water). Thinly slice poblanos and set aside.

While the poblanos are roasting, put the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover by at least 2 inches of water. Add 2 tablespoons salt to the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until a skewer or paring knife inserted into the center of the potatoes meet no resistance, about 25-30 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Drain and let cool for at least 5 minutes on a cutting board. Cut potatoes into a 1-inch dice.

While poblanos are roasting and the potatoes are boiling, get the chicken cooked! Heat a bit of canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for a couple minutes on each side, or until completely done. Set aside.

Back to the potatoes: In the same skillet you cooked the chicken in, heat a few tablespoons of canola oil over high heat until the oil begins to simmer. Add the potatoes in a single layer and cook, pressing firmly with a spatula, until a crust has formed. Gently turn them and cook until all sides are golden brown and crisp, adding more oil if needed.

Time to put it all together! Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and add the chicken, chopped poblano chiles, sliced radicchio and dressing and stir gently to combine. Fold in the green onions and serve!

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creamy chicken pot pie with chive biscuits

If you're still wondering what you should make for Easter lunch, look no further.

If you aren't wondering that at all but love comfort so good it's just ridiculous, look no further.

This is creamy, dreamy, weak-in-the-knees goodness.

We've got a few things going on in this recipe. I will beg three things of you:

1. No being lazy with the biscuits by using the canned ones. I promise, it is SO worth it.

2. DO be lazy and use rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. It's delicious and ready to shred right in. And it'll give you more time for biscuits.

3. No fat free cream cheese or Greek yogurt substitutions here. You will not regret it. YOLO.

Creamy Chicken Pot Pie with Chive Biscuits (adapted from Joy the Baker)
makes one 8x8 dish with 5 biscuits (easily doubled)

for the biscuits, you'll need:
1 1/4 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 cup chopped fresh chives
1/8 cup (1 ounce) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
2 ounces (1/4 of a brick) cream cheese, cold
1/3 cup buttermilk, cold

for the filling, you'll need:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup AP flour
1 cup chicken broth
3/4 cups whole milk
2 ounces (1/4 of a brick) cream cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
pinch of nutmeg
1 1/2 cups cooked and shredded chicken meat
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup thinly diced carrots
1/2 cup diced zucchini
3/4 cup frozen peas
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon of buttermilk, for egg wash

First, make the biscuits. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, black pepper, and chopped chives.

Add butter and cream cheese to the dry ingredients. Break up the butter and cream cheese with your fingers or a pastry cutter until it's the size of peas.

Make a well in the center of the mixture. Add the buttermilk. Using a fork, stir until just combined. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead just 1 or 2 times, forming it into a disk about 1 1/2 inches thick. Use a round biscuits cutter to cut biscuits (if you don't have one, just use a knife). Place biscuits on a baking sheet and place in the fridge until ready to bake.

Next, make the filling. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in the flour for 1 minute. Turn flame to low and add the chicken broth. Whisk until no flour bits remain. Whisk in the milk and add the cream cheese. Heat over medium low heat, stirring often, until cream cheese has melted and the mixture is the consistency of warm, thick pudding. Add chicken, lemon juice, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir, then remove mixture from heat and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute for 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 more minute. Add carrots, zucchini, and peas and cook for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add veggies to the creamy chicken mixture, stirring to combine.

Spoon filling into an 8x8 baking dish. Remove the biscuits from the fridge and place them on top of the filling. Brush the tops of biscuits with egg wash.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until biscuits are puffed and golden and the filling is bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Enjoy, y'all! This one's a keeper.

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whipped feta crostini with sundried tomatoes, basil and pine nuts

Some things sound just weird enough to be awesome. Enter whipped feta.

I saw Ina make this on one of those jealousy-inducing episodes of her and Jeffrey on vacation in Napa. I almost fell out of my chair at how good it looked, and knew I had to give it a try. And holy cow. It's insane. If you haven't tried it, NOW is the time. Seriously, are you on your way to the store yet?

Whipped Feta Crostini with Sundried Tomatoes and Basil (feta recipe from Ina Garten)
8-10 appetizer servings

you'll need:
6 ounces feta, crumbled (Don't buy the pre-crumbled!!! The flavor is non-existent. This dish is ALL about the feta, so the pre-crumbled just will not do. I am adamant about this.)
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
about 20 small slices of bread, toasted (a baguette would work great; I used a dark, grainy bread from my bakery)
3/4 to 1 cup sundried tomatoes (the ones that come in oil), roughly chopped
3 tablespoons basil leaves, torn or roughly chopped

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Place the feta and cream cheese in the bowl of a blender or food processor. Blend until the cheeses are mixed. Add olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and blend until smooth.

To assemble the crostini, spread each slice of bread with a generous amount of whipped feta. Place sundried tomatoes on top, then sprinkle with basil and pine nuts.

That's it! Quick, easy, ridiculously delicious. 

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alice waters's cream biscuits

Hello again, biscuits!

These are absolutely fabulous, simple, perfect biscuits. Y'all know I usually like to trick my biscuits up a little, but sometimes you just want a classic. And these are classic. Do you expect anything less from Ms. Waters?

These are great with any meal, but come summertime I will for sure be making these for my absolute favorite summer dessert: strawberry shortcake. I'll get back to you later on that.

For now, let's just make these glorious biscuits!

Alice Waters's Cream Biscuits (adapted from The Art of Simple Food)
yields 6 biscuits

you'll need:
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 tablespoons butter, cold and cut into small pieces
3/4 plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream (no substituting here... live a little)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, salt, sugar and baking powder. Cut butter into mixture using your fingers or a pastry cutter, until the butter is the size of peas. Pour in 3/4 cup heavy cream and lightly mix together until just combined. Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Lightly knead dough just one or two times and press it down to 3/4 inches thick. Cut out biscuits using a biscuits cutter or a knife and set on baking sheet.

Brush the tops of the biscuits with remaining tablespoon of heavy cream. Bake for 17-20 minutes, until biscuits are lightly golden.

Hope y'all enjoy!

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quick and easy peanut noodles with chicken and broccoli

I love, love, love peanut noodles. They're addicting and amazing and I could eat them every day. You too? Then you have to try these.

When I saw this recipe and how incredibly simple it was, I knew I needed to try it right away. This is exactly what I love for dinner: simple, fast, delicious... and peanut noodles.

Peanut Noodles with Chicken and Broccoli (adapted from Ring Finger Tan Line)
serves 4

3/4 lb. einkorn linguine (or other pasta of your choice)*
4 cups cooked broccoli florets (I used frozen and defrosted them on the stovetop)
1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup shelled unsalted peanuts

Bring a salted pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet per medium high heat. Cook chicken until completely done and set aside.

Make the sauce by blending the peanut butter, soy sauce, water, vinegar, lime juice, scallions, ginger, sugar and red pepper flakes in a food processor or blender until completely smooth.

Drain and rinse the pasta. Toss with peanut sauce, chicken, and broccoli. Sprinkle peanuts on top and enjoy!

*A word about einkorn pasta: I've been using it for about a month now and LOVE it. So far I've only found it at Whole Foods, but other natural grocers may carry it, or you can order it here. It has the exact same taste, texture and flavor as "regular" whole wheat pasta. For information on einkorn flour and why it's awesome, read this fabulous post.

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simple crockpot pulled pork

Here it is, y'all! My go-to pulled pork recipe. There are a million ways to cook pulled pork, and I have tried a LOT of them. But this one really is it. I've made it several times and used for tacos, quesadillas, sandwiches, nachos, eating cold in front of the refrigerator... and it works beautifully for all of those.

You might think I've forgotten something because there's no liquid added to the crockpot with the pork. But nope! The pork will cook slowly enough in the crockpot to release its own juices, and that'll be plenty of moisture.

Easy, spicy, delicious. Let's go!

Easy Crockpot Pulled Pork
serves 6-8

you'll need:
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 to 2 1/2 lbs. boneless pork shoulder roast
2 tablespoons canola oil

Combine all of the spices together in a small bowl. Pat meat dry with paper towels, then rub the spice mix all over. Keep leftover spice mix aside for later.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear pork on all sides for about 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer pork to slow cooker and sprinkle remaining spice mix over the top. Cook on low for 6-10 hours.

After pork has cooked, remove from slow cooker and cut into small pieces or shred with two forks. Pork should be falling apart and impossible to resist.

Now serve however you like! Like I said, we've used this for tacos, quesadillas, sandwiches and nachos. This would also be awesome in enchiladas or over polenta. Get creative!

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baked zucchini fries

Snack time!

These little fries are absolutely fabulous, easy to make, and fun to eat! These are a perfect snack or appetizer, but they'd also be a great side dish alternative to burgers, a steak... whatever! I dipped them in some Greek yogurt sprinkled with salt, pepper and chives, but you could dip them in marinara, ketchup, ranch... see how versatile they are?

Baked Zucchini Fries (adapted from Skinnytaste)
serves 2-4

you'll need:
3 medium zucchini sliced into sticks
1 egg white
1/3 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
cooking spray
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a small bowl, beat egg whites and season with salt and pepper. In a ziplock bag, place breadcrumbs, garlic powder and Parmesan and shake well. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Spray the rack with cooking spray and set aside.

Dip a few zucchini sticks into eggs, then into breadcrumb mixture, shaking to coat. Place the breaded zucchini in a single layer on the wire. Repeat with remaining zucchini. Spray cooking spray on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with desired dipping sauce and enjoy!

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easy, hearty oatmeal soda bread

You know what you should do with your weekend? If you've got an hour to spare, you should totally make this bread.

It's almost St. Patrick's Day, so get festive with soda bread! This is a fabulous bread for any time, but one (strong) serving suggestion: you must, you MUST eat this while it's still warm. With butter. It's just the right thing to do.

Easy, Hearty Oatmeal Soda Bread (adapted from Simply Recipes)
yields 1 loaf

you'll need:
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 1/4 cups AP flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 egg, beaten
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

In a large bowl, whisk together oats, flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, stir the buttermilk and egg together. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk egg mixture. Gently fold the surrounding flour over the buttermilk until just combined. Do not over mix! The dough will be shaggy, and mine seemed very wet. Don't fret, it all works out in the end.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead one or two times only, and form into a mound shape. Spray a large cast iron skillet with cooking spray and place the dough in the center. (A greased baking sheet will also work if you don't have a cast iron skillet.) Cut a deep (about 1 1/2 inch deep) X into the top of the dough.

Bake for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and cook for 25 more minutes.

Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove bread from the skillet and let cool on the wire rack for about 15 more minutes. Enjoy immediately with butter. Or jam. Or honey. Or all of the above.

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crispy salted white chocolate oatmeal cookies

I was bringing dinner to some friends last week, and wanted to pack some cookies for dessert. Something a little different, something I'd never tried before. Not too weird. Simple and classic with just a bit of a twist. I found these on Smitten Kitchen, where Deb called them "scandalously good." Yep, that's what I was looking for. So I got to work.

NEW. FAVORITE. COOKIE. EVER.

Dramatic enough for you?

But seriously, these were awesome. The combination of oatmeal, white chocolate, and sea salt is not to be missed. They are so light and and have a wonderful crispy texture. Treat yourself to these as soon as humanly possible.

Crispy Salted White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies, or, Longest Recipe Name Ever (from Smitten Kitchen, who adapted them from Cook's Illustrated)
yields 2 dozen cookies

you'll need:
1 cup AP flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
6 ounces white chocolate bar, chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or foil and set aside.

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

Beat butter and sugars together until light and fluffy (scrape down bowl when necessary). Add egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add flour mixture gradually and mix until just incorporated. Add oats and white chocolate and mix until evenly incorporated.

Using your hands, roll about 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball, then place on baking sheet. Gentle press down on ball to about 3/4 inch thickness. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.

Sprinkle a flake or two or sea salt on each cookie. Bake until cookies are golden brown, about 13-15 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. Cool on a wire rack.

Now devour.

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spicy roasted red pepper pasta

You need this in your life. I'm sure of it.

Looks may be deceiving. I know this looks like a normal plate of pasta with some kind of tomato sauce. Which is totally great, but sorta boring. But no siree Bob (sorry), this sauce is tomato-free and mind-blowingly easy and yummy.

This is one of the quickest dishes I've made in a while. I had everything I needed right in my pantry (and you probably do, too!), which makes it something I'll probably be making over and over again - a new go-to. Plus, it tastes so darn good I just want to give it a big hug.

Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
serves 4-6

you'll need:
1 lb. pasta (I used orechiette)
1 (12-13 oz.) jar roasted red peppers
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
dash of cayenne
1/2 cup milk (I used skim)
shredded Pecorino Romano and chopped Italian parsley, for garnish (optional)

Bring a well-salted pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, add roasted red peppers, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, cayenne, and milk to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your taste.

When pasta is done, drain and return to the pot. Pour red pepper sauce over and toss to coat. Serve in bowls and sprinkle Pecorino and parsley on top.

This is ultra delicious and satisfying. Hope you enjoy!

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cheddar and dill buttermilk biscuits

Some flavor combos just make sense. Like cheddar and dill.

I have to confess that I'm not always a huge fan of dill. I love the flavor. The texture, not so much. But! When it's baked into biscuits, it's just perfect.

(I don't know if the texture actually changes one bit. It's a mental thing maybe. I'm kind of a weirdo.)

Cheddar biscuits are just comforting. These make a perfect companion to a cup of coffee and a lazy morning. They'd be awesome along side a bowl of soup. Or just as a little afternoon pick me up. Basically, it's always a good time for these.

Cheddar Dill Buttermilk Biscuits
yields 8 biscuits

you'll need:
2 cups AP flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut and cut into cubes
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup buttermilk, cold
1 large egg, beaten and cold (plus 1 more egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add butter and, using your hands or a pastry cutter, mix and break down until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Add cheddar and dill and toss to combine.

In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk and 1 egg until combined. Add it to the flour mixture. Mix until barely combined. Lightly knead the dough until it forms into one solid mass. Sprinkle a work surface with flour and place dough onto it. Press the dough into a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut out the biscuits using a biscuit cutter (or cut into squares using a knife). Recombine scraps to get more biscuits, yielding 8 biscuits total (you might have a little more or less if you used a knife).

Transfer biscuits to the prepared baking sheet. Brush each biscuit with egg wash and top with a few turns of freshly ground pepper.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden brown. Like most things, these are best served warm. Enjoy!

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baked bbq ranch turkey tacos

Easy, crowd-pleasing, delicious? I got ya covered.

Tacos are a no brainer when it comes to simple, happy food. And these tacos, with a little BBQ twist? Oh, yes please.

You can certainly skip the baking step in this recipe and just serve as usual. But the baking step just kind of bring everything together, melting the cheese perfectly and crisping up the shell awesomely. So, if you have the time and self-control, do bake these. I love this method! I think you will too.

Baked BBQ Ranch Turkey Tacos
makes 6 tacos

you'll need:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb. ground turkey breast
2 tablespoons ranch seasoning (If you're using a ranch seasoning packet rather than homemade, still measure out 2 tablespoons so as not to overwhelm the poor turkey with too much seasoning.)
1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce (I use this one)
6 crispy taco shells
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
avocado and sour cream, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add turkey and begin to break up and cook. Add ranch seasoning. Cook turkey until thoroughly done, then lower heat and add BBQ sauce. Stir and simmer for 3-4 minutes.

Line up taco shells standing up in an 8x8 dish. Divide turkey among taco shells. Sprinkle cheese on top of each taco and then bake for 10 minutes.

Serve with sour cream and chunks of avocado to garnish. Hope y'all enjoy!

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coconut oil roasted salmon

This is to make up for Monday's mac and cheese post. It's all about balance, right?

This is a perfect way to make salmon for anything - this would be awesome on a salad, on top of lentils, with some roasted veggies or brown rice on the side. The possibilities are endless here; this isn't really a recipe, more of a method for getting you great salmon in no time.

Are you using coconut oil for everything yet? It's crazy how versatile this stuff is. There are posts floating all over blogs and Pinterest telling you how coconut oil can do everything but fill out your taxes for you, so I won't go on about it here. Let's just make some salmon!

Coconut Oil Roasted Salmon
serves 2

2 (4-5 oz.) pieces of salmon
2 tsp. coconut oil, melted
salt, pepper, and paprika for seasoning

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place salmon pieces, skin side down, onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush each piece with melted coconut oil and season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove salmon from the oven and cover with aluminum foil, allowing to rest for 5-10 minutes.

Serve with whatever you like and enjoy!

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martha's mac and cheese

I'm sure you've heard about it. This is the stuff legends are made of.

I still remember my mom making Martha Stewart's macaroni and cheese for the first time. I was in high school, and had some friends over to study for some test we had the next day. In the next room, my mom (who is, if you haven't figured it out from my gushing about her before, the best home cook I have ever known) was whipping this up for us. When she came in the room and served us big bowls of the best mac and cheese EVER, it was over. No more studying; it was food coma time.

There are so many different recipes for mac and cheese out there. I love trying creative twists (like this one!). But this recipe really just is the best. It's creamy and cheesy and classic.

You haven't tried it yet? Well then it's food coma time.

Disclaimer: This makes a ridiculous amount of mac and cheese. The recipe says it makes 12 servings, and it really does...maybe more. I've halved the recipe before and it still makes enough to feed an army. NOT that this is a bad thing. Just wanted ya to know.

Martha's Mac and Cheese (adapted from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook)
serves 12

you'll need:
1 stick unsalted butter
6 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into small pieces
5 1/2 cups milk (I used 2%)
1/2 cup AP flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
2 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 lb. macaroni

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Place bread pieces in a medium bowl. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Pour the melted butter into the bowl with the bread and toss. Set aside.

Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. When the butter bubbles, add the flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

While whisking, slowly pour in the hot milk a little at a time. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick, about 10 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar, and 1 1/2 cups Pecorino. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni until just under al dente (about 1 minute under what the package directions call for). Drain macaroni in a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking. Drain well. Stir macaroni into the cheese sauce.

Pour the mixture into a prepared dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar, 1/4 cup Pecorino, and the breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

You can't go wrong with this. Just do it!

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smoky white bean chicken chili

The time for big warm bowls of spicy chili has almost come to a close here in Texas. While I am completely fine with that on one hand because being cold is THE WORST, I'm also a little sad because I always love the warm, comforting food of wintertime.

Y'all know I love all kinds of chili. Now add this one to the list. OH MY GOODNESS. This has so, so, so much flavor. It's really kind of incredible.

Let's send the cold weather out with a bang, shall we?

Smokey White Bean Chicken Chili (adapted from How Sweet Eats)
serves 4

you'll need:
2 slices turkey bacon, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
3 cups chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 (15 oz.) cans cannelini or great northern beans
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles
salt and pepper
1/4 cup crumbled feta, for topping

In a Dutch oven or a large deep pot over medium high heat, cook turkey bacon for about 3 minutes. Add the onion to the bacon. Lower the heat to medium low and cover pot. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are beginning to caramelize.

Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken, smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder to the pot and mix well so that seasonings are distributed. Cover pot and cook for 10 minutes so that the chicken gets infused with the aromatics.

Stir in the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, white beans, and green chiles. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a low boil and cook uncovered, stirring as needed until the liquid has reduced to your preference (I simmered ours for about 20 minutes).

Serve in bowls and top with crumbled feta. Enjoy! I'm telling you, you are going to love this one.

***Congrats, Renee, on winning the Jerusalem cookbook giveaway! Please email me at mariebmatter@gmail.com. Thanks to everyone who entered! I absolutely loved hearing about your favorite cookbooks!

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