Loaded Baked Sweet Potato with Mexican Slow Cooker Chili

I offer a loving testimony to my slow cooker. I came home from work this morning after a stretch of night shifts at the hospital, and wanted to cook a nice date night dinner. I spent all of 10 minutes throwing these ingredients in the slow cooker, and slept like a baby all afternoon. I managed to serve up a delicious dinner, no sweat. It may be a small victory, but it felt like a big one today!

I will warn that Josh and I LOVE spicy food, and this chili packs a punch from the chipotle in adobo and the rotel tomatoes. For a less spicy version, use regular diced tomatoes and half the can of chipotle chiles.  As always, Bon Appetit!

Slow Cooker Mexican Chili
1.5 pounds lean ground turkey
3 cups canned diced tomatoes (*I used original rotel, substitue for less heat)
15 ounces canned black beans, drained and rinsed
15 ounces canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
7 ounce can chipotle chile in adobo (*use half can for less heat)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprike
1 tsp worcestershire sauce

1. Add all ingredients to slow cooker and stir to combine.
2. Set slow cooker to low and cook for eight hours (or high for four hours)
3. After set time, serve chili over baked potato or sweet potato, t0rtilla chips, rice, or on it's own. 

Loaded Baked Sweet Potato
1 batch mexican chili
2 sweet potatoes (I buy the kind you can cook in the microwave)
Mexican cheese, shredded
Sour cream or plain greek yogurt
Avocado, diced
Cilantro, roughly chopped
Jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

1. Cook sweet potatoes according to package instructions. Top with chili, cheese, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and jalapeno pepper. 

Mac & Cheese

The first time I made this recipe was back in 2010 when we hosted Thanksgiving here at the house for Josh's family. I did not have my fancy food processor at the time, and spent an hour just grating cheese (OK it felt like an hour). It seemed like a lot of work at the time, until I tried the best mac & cheese I'd ever tasted.  The cavatappi pasta, gruyere cheese, and nutmeg push it over the top. That's when the dish was nicknamed "Holy Macaroni" - it will make you a believer! 

My friend Aaron requested that we bring mac & cheese to his college football party today, and if Michigan wins, then clearly it was due to this divine dish.  If not, then he can drown his sorrows in comfort food at it's best...

Holy Macaroni & Cheese 
from Ina Garten 

kosher salt
vegetable oil
1 pound cavatappi or elbow macaroni
1 quart milk
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
12 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (4 cups)
8 ounces extra sharp cheddar, grated (2 cups)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
4 small fresh tomatoes
1 1/2 cups white bread crumbs or Panko

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions. Drain well.
3. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4 quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked pasta and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.
4. Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Met the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the bread crumbs or Panko and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top. 

Ramen Coleslaw

My mom makes a variation of this Asian coleslaw, and it's perfect for picnics or camping trips. You can even throw the cabbage and green onions in a big ziplock bag, make the dressing, and combine and toss right before serving. I love the crunch of the almonds and ramen.  After you taste this version, I promise you will not miss the thick mayonnaise based Southern coleslaw. 

Ramen Coleslaw
from allrecipes

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp white sugar
1 (3 counce) package chicken flavored ramen noodles, crushed, seasoning packet reserved
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 medium head cabbage, shredded) - I combined a bag of white and red cabbage
5 green onions, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, ramen noodle spice mix, salt and pepper to create a dressing
3. Place the sesame seeds and almonds in a single layer on a medium baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly brown.
4. In a large salad bowl, combine the cabbage, green onions, and crushed ramen noodles. Pour dressing over the cabbage, and toss to coat evenly. Top with the toasted sesame seeds and almonds. 

Slow Cooker Southwest Chicken

 We woke up Sunday morning to the slow drizzle of rain, the kind of weather that makes you want to crawl under a blanket on the couch and read a good book. I had just started The Shoemaker's Wife, and spent a perfectly lazy day under a quilt with a cup of coffee and my kindle. I was in no mood to fuss in the kitcen, so I sent Josh to the store for a few ingredients and pulled out the slow cooker. 

This recipe will make your house smell good for hours. It just so happened we had a six pack of Negra Modelo in the house, which was the perfect match for this Mexican meal. 

Slow Cooker Southwest Chicken
4 raw chicken breasts
1 can pinto beans, rinsed
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes (14oz)
1 can rotel (10oz) - substitute if you don't like spicy
1 bag frozen corn 
1 jar of salsa (12oz)
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp taco seasoning (I use this allrecipes version)
brown rice or quinoa (optional)

Toppings: monterey jack shredded cheese, diced jalapenos, diced avocado, cilantro, sour cream

1. Place chicken breasts on the bottom of slow cooker. Pour the tomatoes and salsa over the chicken, then add the beans, corn, cumin, and taco seasoning. 
2. Cook on low for 5-7 hours, until the chicken easily shreds when the pot is stirred.
3. Serve as a soup or over rice or quinoa, then add toppings of choice. (I loved the cheese, avocado, cilantro combination) with a cold Mexican beer on the side! 

Peach and Blueberry Crisp

 A warm scoop of fruit crisp topped with vanilla bean ice cream is one of the simplest pleasures in this life. I think of myself as a (dark) chocoholic, until moments like tonight when I remember how much I love the old-school classic desserts.

I turned to the trusted Joy of Cooking for this simple and scrumptious treat. My friends, this is a definite keeper. Just ask the Salmon men, you would have thought their spoons were shovels!

 Peach and Blueberry Crisp  
4 cups fruit (can mix - blueberries/peaches/blackberries)
1 stick cold butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup quick (not old fashioned) oats
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Rinse the berries in a colander and set aside to drain. Remove paper wrapper from butter and set wrapper aside. Cut the butter into teaspoon size pieces and place in a mixing bowl. 
3. Add the flour, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Using 2 knives or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it is chunky, with pieces resembling small peas.
4. Use the wrapper from the butter to lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Shake any remaining water from the berries and pour them into the baking pan. Sprinkle the vanilla extract over the berries and stir to blend. 
5. Sprinkle the flour-sugar mixture over the berries. 
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serves six. Perfect with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top! 

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

This is the only oatmeal raisin cookie recipe I will ever need. It's absolutely perfect, and I have the recipe committed to memory. There are a lot of things I struggle to remember (song lyrics/key and wallet location/birthdays) but this recipe is not one of them. I speak with a proud sense of knowing the "important" things in life, which are often the most simple. 

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
¾ cup butter (must be room temperature)

½ cup white sugar

¾ cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1¼ cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
2 and 2/3 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins (soak in boiling water)

1. Preheat oven to 35o degrees
2. In a bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, oats)
3. Soak raisins in boiling water until ready to strain into mixture to plump up
4. Cream butter and sugars in mixer.
5. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well.
6. Add dry ingredients and mix until well combined but do not overmix. 
7. Strain raisins and add to dough.
8. Drop cookie dough onto baking sheet lined with Silpat (or parchment paper) and bake for 10 minutes. Cook on cooling rack. 

Preacher Cookies

You want to know what I did this weekend? I baked lots and lots of cookies. My house is short four sticks of butter, and the few straggler cookies are now in Josh's truck to take to work in the morning. 

I owe the inspiration for this post to my new hiking friend for pulling out a bag of preacher cookies at the midpoint of an 8 mile hike. I used to make these in PA school, and have not made them in ages. The taste of gooey peanut butter and chocolate melded together with oats is glorious. After that cookie, I walked a little faster with my chin a little higher. Just Friday, I had to call a local emergency when I realized one of my surgeon's sons had NEVER tasted or heard of a preacher cookie. That gave me just the excuse I needed to whip up a batch. 

Not to worry, I remedied the situation and he is now a devout fan.  I took a bagful to my father-in-law for his birthday, and he is convinced that eating a few of these cookies is equivalent to hearing a good sermon. Amen! 

Preacher Cookies
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup milk
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
3 cups oats
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Mix first four ingredients and bring to a boil in a saucepan for one minute - stir continuously while sauce thickens, then take off heat
2. Off heat, add remaining three ingredients (oats, peanut butter, vanilla)
3. Stir and drop on wax paper until cool