Recipes Cooking

This soup comes from the "My Kitchen Cafe" blog. She has a lot of tasty recipes and this one was definitely a winner! (She also happens to be my brother-in-laws cousin). It has a little bit of a kick to it and it has tons of flavor. Ive made it twice now and it was delicious both times. I also found a yummy cornbread recipe from Martha Stewart to go with it. Both were really easy and super delicious. (My picture is lame, but it really is good). Yum!


Creamy White Chili

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2" cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 T. oil
2 (15oz.) cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz.) chicken broth
1-2 (4 oz.) cans green chiles (I did one)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Makes about 6 servings. (Or 4 if youre really hungry).

Cornbread

1/2 c. butter
2/3 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. cornmeal
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Melt butter. Stir in sugar. Add eggs quickly and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into other mixture. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Bake in greased 8x8 pan at 375 degrees for 30-40 min.
Originally posted 11/17/09

When Mr. Ferdzy and I were courting - if you can call a single month between meeting and moving in together courting - he invited me to dinner at his co-operative house, and I brought this in the form of a pan of cornbread, in the hopes of seducing him with my culinary skills. It didnt exactly work, since he ate it cheerfully enough but somewhat obliviously. On the other hand it did no harm, and in another month we will have been together for 23 years. Not bad, considering we gave all our parents spasms from the speed at which we moved in together.

Ive had this recipe for at least 10 years longer than that, and maybe more like 15, so it definitely comes under the heading of "tried and true". Not tired of it yet either.

The amount of sugar you put in is very flexible. Half a cup will make them sweet and cake-like which may be what you want sometimes. Two tablespoons will give just a touch of sweetness and make them suitable to serve as an accompaniment to a main dish such as chili or stew. For normal breakfast purposes I usually put in about 1/4 cup of sugar.

12 muffins
1 hour - 30 minutes prep time


1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1 3/4 cups milk or buttermilk

1 1/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons to 1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg
1/3 cup mild vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 12 muffin cups with muffin papers, or butter and flour them well.

Mix the cornmeal with the milk and let sit for 10 minutes.

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Beat the egg and oil into the cornmeal and stir in the flour, until just mixed. Do not overmix.

Divide the batter evenly amongst the muffin cups. Bake 25 minutes. You could also put it in a well buttered and floured 9" x 9" pan, but I did not record and no longer remember the time it took to bake. Probably a few minutes longer.





Last year at this time I made Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits.

This is a Tex-Mex version using some of their unique spices, which adds to this a very hearty and robust chili... I found that my photo and recipe are featured @ http://pinterest.com/pin/121386152426146053/

Servings: (6)
Prep: 10 Mins. |
Cook: 50 Mins.

Posted: by Sandra at

INGREDIENTS

4 bacon strips, cut into 1/2 " slices
1 lb. lean venison burger
½ spanish onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz. can) stewed tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz. can) tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (16 oz. can) chili beans, undrained
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1 carrot, shredded
½ cup celery, chopped
½ red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (Or more if you like it spicier)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon unsweetened Hershey’s Cocoa Powder
½ tablespoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

***Toppings (Optional):
--Cheddar Cheese, shredded
--Jarred and sliced pickled jalapeno peppers

METHOD

Heat a dutch oven, or large heavy-bottom pot, to medium-high heat, and brown the bacon until crisp, and set aside, while reserving drippings. Add the venison burger and brown in drippings, and when it’s about ¾ the way cooked through, add the onions and saute just until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients, except the bacon and fresh cilantro, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, covered, while occasionally stirring for 50 minutes.

Premium Cornbread Muffins

Meanwhile, begin preparing the Premium Cornbread Muffins about 20 minutes before Venison Tex-Mex Chili is scheduled to be done, if making...(as they take about 15 minutes to bake).

-- Premium Cornbread Muffins - For recipe, click here: Sandras Premium Cornbread Muffins)


After the Venison Tex-Mex Chili has cooked for 50 minutes, stir in the fresh cilantro, and crispy bacon.

To serve, ladle the Venison Tex-Mex Chili into soup mugs placed in the center of a plate, and place Premium Cornbread Muffins around parameter. (Top the Venison Tex-Mex Chili with shredded cheddar cheese and sliced pickled jalapenos, if using). - Enjoy!


Tip:  This is just as fantastic using any other type of lean ground meat or poultry as well!

I have already been raving about my crush on Mexican food ever since I opened that tiny tin of Chipotle chillies that Nupur got me. I dont know if winter has officially set in, in Hyderabad or is it some random cyclone effect - but the mornings and evenings are chilly and the day is generally cloudy. I am not a big sun person, so this suits me just fine. More so, I can indulge in infinite cups of tea, drink big bowls of soup for dinner and my taste buds suddenly develop a liking for spicy stuff. "Bring back the Chili" said my tastebuds to me yesterday. And opposites attract, dont they. What better way to complement the hot and flavour blasting chili than this mildly sweet cornbread, scented with cumin and coriander leaves?



I have baked cornbread some 3-4 times and this was THE. BEST. EVER. I am not exaggerating.
Especially if you are someone who has shied away from baking this because you dont eat eggs, you are in for a pleasant surprise. My husband quit eating eggs a few years ago and I am constantly figuring out ways to turn out decent baked stuff with replacements for egg and yesterday I hit gold. Flaxseed which is one of the best sources of Omega-3 for a vegetarian. You can buy the seeds and powder the quantity required for each recipe in a coffee grinder / chutney jar of mixer.

For each egg to be replaced - use 1 tbsp flaxseed powder whisked into 3 tbsp of very hot water. You will get an emulsion like beaten eggs and use it at the stage of the recipe when it calls for eggs.

This was most perfect match for the chili and I must add that my toddler son loved this too - in fact he was making it extremely difficult for me to take a picture, by digging his tiny fingers into it!


Recipe for Eggless Cornbread
Serves 3-4
Loosely adapted from Alton Browns Creamed Corn Cornbread recipe

In a large bowl, mix-
1 cup yellow cornmeal (Makkai ka atta)
1/2 cup all purpose flour (Maida)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar

In a medium bowl, whisk well-
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp flaxseed powder whisked into 6 tbsp hot water
1/2 cup milk

Extras
2 tbsp finely chopped pickled jalapenos or 1 tsp finely chopped green chillies
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds for garnish (optional, but gives a nice look to the bread)
1/4 cup frozen corn kernels (gives a nice sweet crunch, but I did not have it on hand, so did not use)

Directions
Preheat the oven at 200C.
Grease a loaf tin or line with tin foil.
Mix the wet ingredients into the dry - till just combined and stir in the jalapenos, coriander leaves and corn kernels. I added a few spoons of the brine from pickled jalapenos as I found the mix somewhat dry. This gave a big flavour boost to the bread.
Pour into greased loaf tin. Flatten lightly with wet fingers and bake for 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
Let it rest for 15-20 minutes outside, before slicing.
Serve warm with chili. Recipe for chili posted here.

Food shopping in Hyderabad

Flaxseed also called Alsi in Hindi and Tashi in Bengali (knowledge shared by my twitter friends) is available with most grocers nowadays.
In Hyderabad, you can buy it at -
Ratnadeep (Srinagar Colony / Madhapur)
Q Mart (Road no.2 Banjara Hills)
Hypercity (Inorbit Mall, Madhapur)
Fabindia outlets that stock food

Pickled Jalapenos are available in all supermarkets. American Garden, Frigata are some of the good brands.