Taco Chili, My New Recipe

The other day I decided chili season was upon us so it was time that I started the season with a new chili recipe.

My original recipe:

1 large can diced tomato
10 oz ground turkey
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
4 fresh tomatoes
2 Serrano peppers
2 banana peppers
3 cloves garlic
1/2 packet any kind of taco seasoning (I used chipotle)

Optional: Serve with tortilla chips

I started by cooking the ground turkey with the taco seasoning and the peppers (chopped with my food chopper) and the garlic (pressed with my garlic press). I peeled the tomatoes (not as bad as it sounds with large tomatoes that you run under hot water for a little minute) and cut them into smaller pieces with my super awesome tomato knife, I don't know why I ever tried cutting tomatoes with a non-serrated knife before, but just don't do it. Always use a serrated knife when you want to cut tomatoes! It's just so much easier.

I put the tomatoes into my new Manual Food Processor and wow do I love that thing! It's lightweight and has no cords (that's the manual part) so it's no hassle to get out and use and then clean up and put away. To use it I just push down on the handle pump thingy and it spins the blade, so to finely chop and nearly liquify the tomatoes just takes a few pumps.

Add the tomatoes and the beans and corn, and simmer for about ten minutes. Voila! Chili!

Peanut Chicken with Firecracker Green Beans

I'm wandering around the kitchen, trying to decide what to make. I ask Shane, "What do you want to eat?" And he says, "Oooh make that spicy peanut-y chicken!" So I did.

This is VERY easy to make. You need a non-stick pan and a spatula (NOT a turner) that will not melt. And tongs that won't damage your non-stick pan. And measuring spoons. Yeah, that's it for hardware.

So we start by heating less than 1 T of sesame oil with more than 1 tsp of crushed red pepper in the non-stick pan. Add the chicken and cook on low-med for about 5 minutes before flipping, don't fiddle with it and don't poke it and don't flip it early, it ruins the process. (By the way don't use frozen chicken, that's just silly.)

After your chicken has cooked on the second side for another 5 minutes, remove it from the pan and put in as many green beans as you feel like eating and cook them for about 5-6 minutes. They will absorb the flavor of the sesame oil and the crushed red pepper. Very yummy!

Now remove them from the pan and we shall make the peanut sauce! This is a basic sauce, so you won't have to do anything special. In the pan add 2 T each of sugar, peanut butter, water, and soy sauce. 1 T of your choice of oil (I use olive) and 1 clove of garlic crushed. Stir all this as you cook it over medium heat. The peanut butter will melt and then you need to let it cook unstirred until it starts to bubble (NOT boil) the sauce will look dark brown and thick like molasses. Give it another stir and then remove from heat. Add the chicken back to the pan and use the sauce to coat both sides. This is when you use that spatula by the way.

I serve this chicken on toasted buns with lettuce. That's it. It is so flavorful and delicious that any extras would be a distraction rather than a lovely addition. Of course, I have my green beans on the side :D

I have also diced the chicken and stirred it into white rice with this sauce, but for some reason that really brings out more of the peanut flavor. If you love that, it's amazing, if you do not, then just don't do it.