Saturday, February 23, 2013

Chilli Chilli Yum Yum Thanks To GOYA!

© 2009 Jan Galbraith


I don't know about the rest of you but this winter has been one of the coldest- so much so that I have been in the comfort of my home more then I would like which for many people that translate into weight gain which I can not afford (the impending Bikini season is upon us!). So while I am in my winter phrase I want to eat smart and eating smart my friends means the standard of my culinary delights: GOYA. From the yellow rice to the delish side dishes GOYA products are flavorful and does not compromise my waistline. So this winter I will shake off the final chill of winter with a hearty chicken chili surrounded by fiber filled treats that will not sacrifice my physique. 
GOYA® 

While I am indoors hiding from the horrible winter season I am watching Bravo and indulging and being mindful of my consumption—there’s no better meal to cozy up with on a chilly winter evening than this sultry Chipotle Chicken Chili, fragrant with warm spices - the beans, cheddar cheese and sour cream truly divine! So without further adieu here's my recipe. 

Some ingrediants to my soon to be legendary Quick Chipotle Chicken Chili! 
QUICK CHIPOTLE CHICKEN CHILI 
INGREDIANTS

  • 2 canned GOYA®  whole chipotle chilies in adobo* or 2 dried whole chipotle chilies*
  • 1 cup water, boiling hot if using the dried chilies
  • 2 pounds fresh tomatillos (available at Hispanic markets and may supermarkets) or three 18-ounce cans GOYA® whole tomatillos*, drained
  • 2 large onions, chopped
  • 8 garlic cloves
  • 3 tablespoons GOYA® olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 4 pounds ground chicken
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried orégano, crumbled
  • 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • two 4-ounce cans GOYA® mild green chilies, drained and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon cornmeal
  • a 15-ounce can (about 2 cups) GOYA®  low sodium beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander
  • sour cream and cheddar cheese as an accompaniment if desired



PREPARATION
If using the canned chipotle chilies, in a blender purée them with the water and reserve the purée. If using dried chipotle chilies, stem and seed them wearing rubber gloves, in a small bowl let them soak in the boiling-hot water for 20 minutes, and in a blender purée the mixture, reserving the purée.
In a large heavy kettle cook the onions and 5 of the garlic cloves, minced, in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until the onions are softened, add the cumin, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the chicken and cook the mixture, stirring and breaking up the lumps, until the ground chicken is no longer pink. Add the reserved chipotle purée, the reserved tomatillo purée, the broth, the bay leaf, the orégano, and the salt and simmer the mixture, uncovered, adding more water if necessary to keep the chicken barely covered, for 1 hour. Stir in the bell pepper, the canned green chilies, and the cornmeal and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Stir in the white beans, the coriander, the remaining 2 garlic cloves, minced, and salt to taste, simmer the chili for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the beans are heated through, and discard the bay leaf. The chili may be frozen or made 3 days in advance, cooled, uncovered, and kept covered and chilled. Serve the chili with the sour cream and cheddar cheese.

The GOYA®  products  was provided by BzzAgent via GOYA®  .  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of GOYA®  .

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Quick Delish Fix With MorningStar Farms


I will be the first to admit I am not well versed in cooking so when I find products that are delisious, nutrious and wallet friendly too I am all over it! In comes MORNINGSTAR FARMS® - my go to brand for all things veggie! From the burgers to my all time fave Chik'n Nuggets the products packs on tons of flavor and satisfies my cravings. Since I am a small business owner I am on an ultra tight budget and the MORNINGSTAR FARMS® burgers are my daily lunch items that ensure I won't go out and waster hard earned $$ on needless food! I just throw it in the oven (I'm old-school - no microwave for me!) make a small salad on the side and voila! I get all I need and more - better yet these burgers (I particulary love the MORNINGSTAR FARMS® Asian Veggie Patties & the Chipotle Black Bean Burger) don’t try to hide their meatless nature and instead celebrate their grain-centric origins with wonderful texture and a hint finger-licking spice. Now I wish I had recipes to share but again I am gourmet-challenged - for some over the top yum-tastic recipes and ideas check out www.morningstarfarms.com! Your tummy will thank you ~ 

Photo Courtesy of Haute & Sexy

The MorningStar Farms® veggie burgers  was provided by BzzAgent via MorningStar Farms® .  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of MorningStar Farms® .

Thursday, February 7, 2013

All Hail (ASOS LPB)


Cleopatra, the last Queen of Egypt - the one person on Earth who has stood apart from both men and woman.  Her legacy - a paradox  that encapsulated strength, cunning wit, beauty and pure unadulterated lust whose presence has outlived her contemporaries yet even still she remains an enigma yet to be solved. I first was enamored with the story of Cleopatra from reading the Margaret George tome The Memoirs of Cleopatra: A Novel - a riveting historical novel written in the 'vain' of Cleopatra's voice. That tome is a must have and a  great introduction to the world of Cleopatra - so richly detailed it quenched my thirst into learning more about this Queen who has been both glorified and vilified through the ages. In comes Cleopatra: A Life (Little, Brown and Company) by Pulitzer Prize Winner Stacy Schiff - a book that has been celebrated since it's 2010 release; a book that is on my short list of Cleopatra tomes to tackle. So mon petites, would you be interested in doing a book club with me with this book? Tweet me your thoughts and let's get the dialogue going.