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Hot Chocolate (Cocoa) with Ancho Chile

Hot Chocolate (Cocoa) with Ancho Chile

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Hot Cocoa + Pumpkin Recipe

Today is National Hot Chocolate Day! A small holiday I know, but since I love chocolate and the nights are cold, I wanted to celebrate.

I found this recipe for Hot Cocoa + Pumpkin, and it gave me an idea for adding something a little spicier: ancho chiles. Ancho chiles are dried poblano peppers and are very common in Mexican cuisine, and I easily found whole ancho chiles in my local Hispanic market. Ancho chiles are not hot, but give food a fuller, slightly peppery flavor with a hint of smoky sweetness.

Hot Cocoa + Pumpkin (Ancho Chile) Recipe

To infuse the chiles, chop one large chile and place in a sauce pan. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the chiles and cover with lid. Let chiles steep for 5 minutes, then pour through a sieve into a mug. Add hot chocolate mix and 1 tablespoon (or more) half and half.

Hot Cocoa + Pumpkin (Ancho Chile) Recipe

Infusing hot chocolate with ancho chiles was easy! This combination of chocolate and spice would also be great with the addition of coffee (for the morning) or pumpkin (for extra fiber and nutrients). I’m also thinking it would make a sweet-and-spicy, cold-weather treat for my Valentine…steeping and steaming my way into his heart.

Links:

Related hot chocolate recipes:

Green Tea Hot Cocoa Recipe
Green Tea Hot Cocoa		 Fresh Mint-Infused Hot Cocoa recipe
Fresh Mint-Infused Hot Cocoa
Watch the Superbowl with Pumpkin Chili Mexicana & Wine

Watch the Superbowl with Pumpkin Chili Mexicana & Wine

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Every year about now, the biggest sporting event in America rolls around: the Superbowl. There are many famous things about this game: the rivalry of the teams, the personalities of the players, and the best commercials of the year. But my favorite thing about the big game is the food.

Now I don’t mean chips and dip, or hot wings from the local sports bar. I want something homemade, hearty and spicy. And easy…especially if I’m the one planning the party. And I love chili. I wanted to make mine a bit healthier, but still spicy, and pair it with some good wine–no beer for this girl.

 

Pumpkin Chili Mexicana

So I found a Pumpkin Chili Mexicana recipe, added extra pumpkin, extra tomato sauce and some beans with jalapeños, then topped it with fresh arugula (cilantro works well too), crème fraîche, white pepper and grated cheddar/jack cheese (shown above). This recipe is so versatile! And it goes well with wine.

Meat Substitutions:

  • Use ground lamb instead of turkey, with fresh mint and Feta cheese.
  • Use ground ostrich instead of turkey, with fresh oregano and Gruyère cheese (good ostrich can taste like filet mignon).
  • Use other exotic ground meats like rabbit or bison – these are a bit harder to find, but I’ve been recently inspired by meat-loving chefs in Los Angeles to try them.

Wine Pairings:

  • Lighter chilis go very well with dry to off-dry Pinot Gris or Riesling, like those from Alsace, France. You can also find excellent styles of Pinot Gris from Oregon.
  • Darker chilis go well with a Rhone-style blend or varietal. Try a full-bodied Grenache or GSM blend (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre). There are also many good choices from Australia and California.

So enjoy the Superbowl, try a new combination for your chili, and take a virtual wine tour. You’ll find the best pairing before the first commercial.

Pumpkin Chili Mexicana

Adapted from Very Best Baking

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 lb. ground turkey
    2 cans (14.5 oz each) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 can (15 oz.) Pumpkin puree
  • 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
  • 1 can (15.25 oz.) kidney beans, drained
  • 1 can (4 oz.) diced green chiles
  • 1/2 cup loose-pack frozen whole-kernel corn
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

HEAT vegetable oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Add turkey; cook until browned. Drain.

ADD tomatoes with juice, pumpkin, tomato sauce, beans, chiles, corn, chili powder, cumin and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

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Pumpkin Chili Mexicana
Author: 
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 2 cans (14.5 oz each) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
  • 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
  • 1 can (15.25 oz.) kidney beans, drained
  • 1 can (4 oz.) diced green chiles
  • ½ cup loose-pack frozen whole-kernel corn
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. HEAT vegetable oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Add turkey; cook until browned. Drain.
  2. ADD tomatoes with juice, pumpkin, tomato sauce, beans, chiles, corn, chili powder, cumin and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
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White Chicken Chili Recipe: It’s Not Complicated

White Chicken Chili Recipe: It’s Not Complicated

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White Chicken Chili
Photo by VeryBestBaking.com

 

This past Valentine’s Day, we decided to have a chili cook-off. It seemed like a much better idea for this romance holiday on a cold winter night, especially with our particular relationship statuses; “it’s complicated” seems to be most popular in our group’s social media circles.

This White Chicken Chili recipe was my submission. I love it for its creaminess, the spicy cumin taste (I actually added a bit more cumin than in the recipe) and the boost of greens with the Spinach. I also added a little cheese on top, and some folks also topped theirs with raw onions and sour cream. Wine pairing note: this soup goes great with Chardonnay.

White Chicken Chili recipe

I’m not sure if my chili won the cook-off, but it was the first pot to be emptied! It took the chill out of a cold night and it warmed our bellies and our hearts. And it’s not complicated.

White Chicken Chili

Recipe by VeryBestBaking.com

Ingredients for 8 servings:

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups mild salsa verde
  • 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained
  • 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, drained
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup loose-pack frozen corn
  • 1 can (12 fluid ounces) Evaporated Lowfat 2% Milk
  • 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
  • Baked tortilla chips and light sour cream for serving (optional)

Directions:

HEAT oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook on each side until golden. Transfer chicken to plate; cover.

ADD onion to same saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add garlic; cook for 30 seconds. Stir in cumin and coriander; cook for 30 seconds. Stir in salsa verde, cannellini beans, pinto beans, water and corn. Cook for about 10 minutes or until hot.

CUT or shred chicken into bite-size pieces and add to saucepan along with any accumulated juices on plate. Stir in evaporated milk and spinach; cook for a few minutes just until heated through and spinach is slightly wilted. Serve topped with crumbled tortilla chips and dollop of sour cream.

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White Chicken Chili Recipe
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: American
Serves: 8
 
Try this delicious low-fat version of white chicken chili!
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1½ teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 to 1½ cups mild salsa verde
  • 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained
  • 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, drained
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup loose-pack frozen corn
  • 1 can (12 fluid ounces) Evaporated Lowfat 2% Milk
  • 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
  • Baked tortilla chips and light sour cream for serving (optional)
Instructions
  1. HEAT oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook on each side until golden. Transfer chicken to plate; cover.
  2. ADD onion to same saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add garlic; cook for 30 seconds. Stir in cumin and coriander; cook for 30 seconds. Stir in salsa verde, cannellini beans, pinto beans, water and corn. Cook for about 10 minutes or until hot.
  3. CUT or shred chicken into bite-size pieces and add to saucepan along with any accumulated juices on plate. Stir in evaporated milk and spinach; cook for a few minutes just until heated through and spinach is slightly wilted. Serve topped with crumbled tortilla chips and dollop of sour cream.
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Cooking with Wine: Winter Squash Chardonnay Risotto Recipe

Cooking with Wine: Winter Squash Chardonnay Risotto Recipe

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Every so often, you stumble upon a Chardonnay so refreshing and unique, so unlike typical oaky-buttery-California Chardonnays, that you want to drink it, cook with it, maybe even bathe in it.

You’re lucky if you can find on that is half steel-fermented and half oak-fermented! I love Chardonnay with a creamy freshness and lemon-lime quality that is opposite of oak and butter. That kind of Chardonnay is just as perfect in a rustic dish in front of the fire as a on a warm summer day in the garden. And cooking with wine is just as important as drinking or tasting wine.

Cooking with this kind of Chardonnay adds something special to the dish: a little more citrus, good acid and lots of flavor. And don’t forget to pour a glass to pair the wine to sip with the dish! It’s the perfect pair to either of these winter Chardonnay recipes: Winter Squash Chardonnay Risotto below and Chardonnay Roast Chicken with Santa Barbara herbs.

And for dessert, here’s my other favorite way to use winter squash…and summer squash and fall squash and…

Winter Squash Chardonnay Risotto recipe

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Winter Squash Chardonnay Risotto
Author: 
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6
 
Cooking with a bright, acidic Chardonnay lends a savory, lemony quality that is perfect with creamy risotto and winter squash.
Ingredients
  • 2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed, peeled winter squash medley
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves minced fresh garlic
  • 2 cups organic vegetable broth
  • 2 cups Chardonnay (brincy, acidic and lemony is best)
  • 1 ounce pancetta or prosciutto
  • 1 medium finely chopped onion
  • 1¼ cups uncooked Arborio rice
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herb mix (like lemon thyme, oregano, rosemary, basil, lavender)
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup (1 ounce) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°.
  2. Combine squash and 1 tablespoon oil, tossing to coat. Arrange squash in a single layer on baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until squash is just tender. Remove from pan; set aside.
  3. Heat a large heavy-bottom stock pot over medium heat. Add pancetta to pot; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Remove pancetta and set aside.
  4. Add remaining olive oil to pot, then add onion; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and rice; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  5. Add ½ cup wine; cook 1 minute or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Continue to add remaining wine and broth, ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes total). Stir in squash, herbs, cheese, lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
  6. Top with pancetta.
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Winter Squash Chardonnay Risotto recipe

Cooking with Wine: Roast Chardonnay Chicken Recipe

Cooking with Wine: Roast Chardonnay Chicken Recipe

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2009 Alta Maria ChardonnayI love French food and wine…and I love eating and drinking local. These two loves inspired me to create a local version of a typical French dish: oven-roasted chicken with vegetables and herbs de Provence. Of course, this is using local Chardonnay – in the dish…and in my glass.

In a Santa Barbara County garden you can find rosemary, lemon thyme, basil and chives. And garlic, of course! Also, fennel is a bountiful crop on California’s central coast, which you can usually substitute for celery, instead of a traditional mirepoix (French base of onion, carrot and celery). Browning the chicken before roasting gives it a richer flavor than more simple roasts and the end result is a savory, delicious one-pot meal that pairs perfectly with the subtle body and flavors of a well-balanced Chardonnay. Think citrus and pear instead of oakey-buttery – find one fermented in steel or concrete if possible.

Also, try this Winter Squash Chardonnay Risotto.

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Roast Chardonnay Chicken with Santa Barbara Herbs
Author: 
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: French
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6
 
Cooking with wine makes everything taste better, and Chardonnay is perfect for a French roast chicken made in Santa Barbara.
Ingredients
  • 1 4-pound chicken
  • 3 cups Chardonnay (look for well-balanced, citrusy and flinty)
  • 1 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 8 cloves garlic: 6 whole, 2 diced
  • 3 tablespoons chopped mixed fresh herbs (like lemon thyme, rosemary, basil, chives, marjoram) or 1 tablespoon mixed dried herbs
  • 2 lemons: 1 sliced, 1 juiced
  • ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 4 carrots, chopped
  • 1 fennel bulb, chopped
  • 1 small green cabbage, cored and quartered
Instructions
  1. In large bowl, combine the Chardonnay, 1 cup olive oil, diced garlic, herbs, lemon juice, pepper and salt. Place chicken in the mixture. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for 6 hours. Turn occasionally.
  2. Preheat oven to 450°F. Heat remaining olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, fennel and garlic cloves and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. When the vegetables are caramelized, spoon them along the sides of the pan.
  3. Remove chicken from marinade and add to the middle of the pan. Sear each side until slightly brown, about 3 minutes per side. Arrange the quartered cabbage around the sides of the chicken and pour the marinade into the pan over the chicken and vegetables.
  4. Cover the pan with a lid and roast in the oven for 60-70 minutes, until the chicken is done (meat is cooked through when cut, leg separates easily from the body, or 170 degrees on meat thermometer). Remove lid and let it rest at room temperature 10 minutes.
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Roast chardonnay chicken with santa barbara herbs recipe

Scrumptious Homemade Tortilla Soup Recipe

Scrumptious Homemade Tortilla Soup Recipe

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Soup is one of my all-time favorite meals; I could eat it every day during winter, spring and fall. And sometimes in the summer.

If you like to make your own stock, soup makes an incredibly delicious, hearty and healthy meal. And making stock is easier than you think. The first thing I do is store all chicken carcasses, steak bones, lobster shells or pork bones from whatever I happen to have eaten recently in freezer bags. And during the week, I also keep various vegetable trimmings in a freezer bag, then dump it into a crockpot with the meat bones or shells and let it simmer on low for several hours. Then, pour it through a sieve or use a skimmer to remove the bones and extra stuff (but keep the meat in). And voilà.

Homemade Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

6 cups chicken or homemade broth 
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 small onion, diced
12-16 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large zucchini, trimmed and halved
1 carrot, peeled and quartered
1 bell pepper, halved and seeded
1/2 jalapeño chile, seeded
2-3 large garlic cloves, peeled
2-3 cups chicken, cooked and chopped
1 cup whole kernel corn
3 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons chile powder
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Tortilla chips and sour cream, for garnish

Directions:

  1. Place stock in large saucepan or pot on medium heat.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil.
  3. Coarsely chop tomatoes, zucchini, carrot, bell pepper, jalapeño and garlic (or use food processor to chop); add to skillet.
  4. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until vegetables are slightly browned.
  5. Add to pot, and bring to a low boil.
  6. Add chicken, corn and cumin and chile powder and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes.
  7. Top with chopped cilantro, and add salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Serve with tortilla strips, sour cream and cilantro, as desired.

Print recipe below.

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Scrumptious Homemade Tortilla Soup Recipe
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4 servings
 
Making scrumptious homemade tortilla soup is easy - and even more delicious if you like to make your own chicken stock or vegetable stock.
Ingredients
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 small zucchini, trimmed and halved
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and quartered
  • ½ green bell pepper, halved and seeded
  • ½ jalapeño chile, seeded
  • 1 large garlic clove, peeled
  • 1½ cups chicken breast meat, cooked and chopped
  • ½ cup whole kernel corn
  • 3 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • Tortilla chips and sour cream for garnish
Instructions
  1. Place stock in large saucepan or pot on medium heat.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  3. Coarsely chop tomatoes, zucchini, carrot, bell pepper, jalapeño and garlic (or use food processor to chop); add to skillet.
  4. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until vegetables are slightly browned.
  5. Add to pot, and bring to a low boil.
  6. Add chicken, corn and cumin and chile powder and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes.
  7. Top with chopped cilantro, and add salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Serve with tortilla strips, sour cream and cilantro, as desired.
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Luscious Leftovers: New Year Bloody Mary Meatloaf

Luscious Leftovers: New Year Bloody Mary Meatloaf

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New Year’s Bloody Mary Meatloaf

After a long New Year’s weekend, we had a fridge full of leftovers and a craving for comfort food. My friend the Comedienne thought up this recipe as she rummaged through a fridge-full of delicious dinner, snack and cocktail-mix remnants.

It’s great after the holidays or any time you have a lot of leftovers in the kitchen. Caramelize some onions and garlic, then add any delectable tidbits you have in the fridge: roasted potatoes, chicken and fennel sausage, figs, stuffing or other side dishes and casseroles. Blending these additions before mixing them into the ground beef spreads the flavors throughout the loaf. And after the holidays, the time is right for a unique, home-made catsup using spicy Bloody Mary mix, something we had plenty of on New Year’s Day. Perfect for curing hangovers and filling bellies.

New Year Bloody Mary Meatloaf

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
2-4 gourmet sausages (jalapeño mango, chicken fennel or any other gourmet grocery variety)
Any amount of other leftovers (stuffing, figs, tomatoes, vegetables, gravy, etc.)
1 pound ground beef
Freshly ground salt & pepper
4 T fresh basil, chopped
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs (fresh)
1/4 cup milk
Spicy Bloody Mary mix
Leftover cheese (we used Carmody, but anything will do)
5 slices pancetta

Directions:

Warm the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until slightly browned/caramelized. Remove sausages from their casings, and blend along with other leftovers until smooth (if you’re using a larger amount of leftovers, reduce sausages to 2). Add half the onion/garlic mixture and blend in.

Add this blended mixture to the ground beef. Add salt, pepper, 1 cup spicy Bloody Mary mix, 2 T fresh basil, eggs, breadcrumbs and milk. Mix thoroughly.

Oil a large baking pan with sides. Lay the meat mixture in the pan in long thin layer. In the middle, lay down a strip of cheese – however much you like, we recommend a lot – and roll sides of loaf up and over the cheese (like a jelly roll). Put the meatloaf in the fridge to set and preheat the oven to 350.

Put reserve onions/garlic in small stockpot and add 2-3 cups spicy Bloody Mary mix. Add 1/4 cup red wine leftover from the night before (if you were all big drinkers the night before, you can substitute with balsamic vinegar). Cook over medium heat until reduced by half. Turn the heat off.

Place meatloaf on prepared pan and top it with a layer of the reduced Bloody Mary mixture, then lay the pancetta on top. Cook for 45 minutes or until meat is cooked through. Garnish with remaining fresh basil and serve with Bloody Mary catsup.

Obviously, this meatloaf pairs very well with both leftover red wine and – you guessed it – spicy Bloody Marys. You’ll feel better almost immediately.