Learnings

I had an educational weekend.  I learned (via google) how to add fringe to the scarf I am working on and I ventured into the world of bread baking.  I purchased this book...

image borrowed from Amazon.com.

So.  Having purchased said book, it was time to get baking.  I also made a creamy white chicken chili (that I for the life of me cannot remember where I got the recipe from ,but it's so frickin tasty, it's ridiculous) so the bread was all warm and crusty and went REALLY well.  I was excited that it had turned out so well!

So, the book claims that if you can make a brownies from a box, you can make bread.  I, however, found that to not *exactly* be the case.  Brownies don't need a broiler pan.  Or a method of transferring the dough from a cookie sheet to a hot stone not unlike to whipping the table cloth out from under the dishes.  Or a specific (but easy) way to measure flour as to not get too much.  (scooping vs. spooning)

And yet.  I persevered.  The slash marks I made with my serrated knife didn't quite give the "blow out" appearance I was looking for (see pretty picture of uncut bread on book cover), but it was crusty on the outside and warm and soft and not gummy in the middle.  And very delicious with cream white chili!

Aha!  I just discovered where I got the recipe.  My sister-in-law's mother (or my brother's mother-in-law) sent it to a bunch of people.  It's wonderful.

I'm going to post it here.

Creamy White Chili

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts - cut into 1/2 cubes
1 medium onion chopped
1 & 1/2 t. garlic powder
1 T. vegetable oil
3 15 oz cans Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
2 - 14 oz can chicken broth
7 oz can of chopped green chilies
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 boil.  Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in sour cream and whipping cream.      

Yield 7 Servings


Ok.  I actually did some things different here.
I used one (large) chicken breast and 3 boneless skinless chicken thighs.  (is it me or are chicken breasts just huge these days?  I remember when 1 lb of chicken breasts would be about 4 breasts.  Now, it's like 3 chicken breasts are 1.5-2 lbs!  I have trouble buying chicken breasts the way and weight I like them, so I purchased a big thing of chicken breasts, and some thighs, and repackaged them in ziploc bags for the freezer.  And this was the package I grabbed.)
I boiled the chicken instead of sauteing it and grabbed the water to use fresh broth instead of canned.  I then sauted about a half an onion and some fresh garlic in oil and then added the chicken after I had pulled it out of the water and shredded it.


I only used one can of Great Northern beans and one can of jalapinto beans.  Have you seen this?  Pinto beans with jalapenos and even some bacon.  The can of green chilis I used was only 4.5 oz, not 7.  Then I added all the seasonings and cooked it as stated in the recipe.  I don't think I used a full cup of sour cream either.  I just finished whatever was in my container.


Still.  Yummy, creamy, deliciousness.


Looking forward to lunch.  And I had it for lunch yesterday too.


Alright, off to clean.