We left early this morning for the drive down to Tucson to pack up Marissa and move her back to Scottsdale. Of course, I love having her home, so that is the really sweet part. But I also know how eager she is to “begin” her independent life, her career, and to have a place of to call her own. I remember that feeling of longing and yearning and wish all those wonderful things for her. But with today’s economy and job market, she is just one of thousands, probably hundreds of thousands, of young adults and college graduates in the same situation. Daily she is sending out resumes, searching on-line, reaching out to every possible connection; lucky to ever get a call, acknowledgement, or interview. So, we’ll store her furniture and other belongings that one doesn’t need when living with your family (meaning parents) in mini-storage and continue to give her all the love and support we can while she waits for her new beginning. And of course, if you are reading this and know of any positions or possible openings for a brilliant, beautiful, and bold graduate with a bonafide Journalism degree, (such as writing, editing, public relations, journalist, newspaper, magazine, etc.) who will move anywhere for an opportunity; please email or call right this very minute!

Happily, Marissa has some very generous, kind, and loving male friends in Tucson who will help us load up the U-Haul in the 100+ degree heat today. So, Alberto and Will and anyone else who is there today – these bittersweet treats are for you, as a small token of my thanks and appreciation. xoxo

No-Bake Haystack Cookies

2 cups (12 ounces) bittersweet chocolate chips, divided
1 3/4 cups butterscotch chips
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces dry chow mien noodles
1 cup peanuts

1/4 cup melted white chocolate chips, if desired

Line 2 or 3 baking sheets with wax paper.

Melt 1 3/4 cups chocolate chips and all the butterscotch chips in a large microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute, stir and return to microwave 45 seconds at a time, until chips are completely melted. Stir in vanilla extract and then carefully mix in noodles and nuts until completely coated. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips.

Drop by tablespoon onto wax paper. Put in refrigerator to set. If desired, drizzle with melted white chocolate to “fancy them up”.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, using the same wax paper to place in-between the layers of cookies.

Makes about 3 dozen haystacks

• Sweet: Something that is awesome –  ”Girl, that is one sweet outfit!”
• Hot: One who is: a. gorgeous b. pretty c. beautiful d. cute e. attractive – “George Clooney is so hot!”

Nice definitions in the current urban language, but not the sweet or hot I’m talking about here…

• Sweet: Tasting or smelling of sugar or a similar substance.
• Hot: Spicy or peppery enough to cause a burning sensation in the mouth or throat.

My friend and neighbor, Ronnie Jaap, dropped by yesterday smack dap in the middle of  my current “pickling craze” with a bag of big fresh jalapeño peppers for me. How convenient! Now I have a jar of pickled jalapeños in my fridge! It’ll be about a week before I can use them but when they are ready, I’ll stem and slice them, remove the seeds and use the slices or dice them into any recipe that could use a bit of spice and a touch of sweetness. Or maybe use them whole as a condiment for my favorite Mexican, Southwestern, or Tex-Mex dishes and beverages. I’m already thinking how great a slice would be with a tall icy cold Bloody Mary. The week needs to go by faster! Thanks Ronnie, we’ll have to make a day of it.

Pickled Jalapeños

1/2 pound (about 6 or 7 large) fresh jalapeño peppers
1 cup water
3/4 cup white distilled vinegar
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

Poke each pepper 3 or 4 times with the tip of a sharp paring knife and pack jalapeños tightly in a large glass wide mouth jar.

In a non-reactive saucepan, bring all the remaining ingredients to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and pour the brine over the peppers. Place the lid on the jar and let cool at room temperature. Once cool, refrigerate for at least a week before using to allow the jalapeños to develop their full flavor. May be kept for 2 to 3 weeks, refrigerated. To preserve longer, use the canning instructions and guidelines found here.

If you do go to the work, time, and trouble to can them, but sure to double or triple the recipe.

Yesterday I mentioned the outstanding sliders that Barb, Kim, and I had at Chaparral Pines in Payson, Arizona. We split an order and I’ve been dreaming about and wanting MORE every moment since then! I dissected the menu description and, by Joe, I think I’ve got it! They are so fabulous, they must be shared – here you go! These would be a great addition for next year’s 4th of July BBQ.  BTW, you will have extra mayo and onions leftover after you make the 12 sliders – this is a good thing… a very good thing!

Ahi Sliders

Roasted Jalapeno Cilantro Aioli
2 large jalapenos
2 cloves garlic
Dash cayenne pepper
1/3 cup packed cilantro leaves
1 lime, zested and then juiced for 2 tablespoons of juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup mayonnaise

Pickled Red Onions
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 bay leaf
Dash red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

Chile Rub
2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Tuna and Assembly
1 teaspoon olive oil
1  pound Ahi tuna
12 slider buns, buttered and toasted

Aioli: Heat a skillet over high heat. Add the jalapeno and garlic to the dry skillet. Cook until blackened and charred on all sides, about 10 minutes. Place in a plastic bag, seal and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Then remove the stems, most of the blackened skin, and all of the seeds and ribs from the jalapeno, and the peels from the garlic cloves. Add jalapenos and garlic to a food processor with remaining ingredients. Blend, taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Onions: Heat vinegar, sugar, bay leaf, pepper flakes, and salt in a small nonreactive heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Place onion slices in a bowl or jar and pour pickling liquid over onions, stirring occasionally to coat with liquid, and let stand at least 10 minutes (onions will brighten in color). Onions may now be kept for several weeks in the refrigerator. To use, just pull out what you need, drain and pat dry.

Chile Rub: Combine all seasonings in a small bowl.

Tuna: Heat heavy medium skillet over high heat 2 minutes. Brush both sides of tuna with olive oil; sprinkle chile rub and pat into tuna to adhere. Place in hot skillet and sear until brown outside and almost opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side.

Spoon the jalapeno-cilantro mayo on each side of toasted buns. Place a generous piece of tuna on each bottom half, finish layering with onions and top half of bun and enjoy.

Makes 12 sliders

I spent the last couple of days in beautiful Payson, Arizona at the summer home of my dear friend and mentor, Barbara Fenzl, along with Kim Howard, who rounds out our “3 Amigos”.  Kim and I drove up on Tuesday morning and the three of us spent a wonderful day relaxing, catching up, and cooking together. Then early on Wednesday morning we hiked for about 90 minutes up and down the Horton Creek Trail before heading back for a yummy lunch at the Chaparral Pines Country Club (recipe to follow tomorrow for my take on their scrumptious Ahi Tuna Sliders!) Kim headed back down to the Valley after lunch, while Barb and I drove north to Strawberry, Arizona to check out Fossil Creek Creamery.

We tasted and purchased their lovely goat cheese, which you will find on fine menus around the Valley; including Binkley’s, T-Cooks at The Royal Palms, Quiessence at South Mountain, and Kai at Wild Horse Pass. While the cheese is tasty, the best part was petting the baby goats – adorable! The little black and white cutie at the top of the page was my favorite!

Now, what to make with this fabulous fresh goat cheese… I can’t think of anything better than these amazing biscuits that are served at Art Smith’s southern-style Chicago restaurant, Table Fifty-Two. Art Smith was the personal chef to Oprah Winfrey from 1997 to 2007, so the biscuits have quite a pedigree! Enjoy!

P.S. Funny how things work out… my own adorable daughter talked about goats on her blog, “Linger”, just a couple days ago… strange when you think about it – how often do people you know actually mention goats?

Art Smith’s Goat Cheese Drop Biscuits

2 cups self-rising flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup goat cheese
1 cup buttermilk
Extra butter to grease pan and top biscuits
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place one 10-inch cast iron pan into the oven while it is preheating.

Place flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder into a medium-sized bowl. Cut in the butter and goat cheese with pastry cutter or 2 forks. Make a well in the middle of the ingredients and pour in the milk. Stir until the mix is moistened, adding an extra tablespoon of milk if needed.

Remove the hot skillet from the oven and place a tablespoon of butter into it. When the butter has melted, drop 1/4 cupfuls of batter into the pan. Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter.

Bake from 14-16 minutes until browned on the top and bottom. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the grated cheese.  Enjoy warm!

Makes 12

“Hi, I’m back!”  That is what I feel like saying because I haven’t put up a new post in 12 days! “What?”, you say, “That doesn’t make sense, I just read your post from yesterday.” (you DID read it, didn’t you?!?!) Well, as previously stated, there is a wonderful thing in the blogging world called “scheduling a post”, so all the posts of the past 12 days were done weeks ago, so I really do feel as if I’m finally “back at it!”

Dave and I had a glorious trip to Wisconsin to stay at the gorgeous log cabin (really a big lavish house!) on a lake, in the “North Woods” where life is slow and relaxing. I was able to snap an even better picture of a bald eagle this year than I was able to snap last year… here it is!

The cabin belongs to our BFF’s, Jeff and Jen and their three boys. Jen is a fabulous cook and one of the best parts of the trip is cooking with her and eating on the deck (overlooking the lake, of course) with our husbands. After each meal the guys ask, “Why do we ever bother to go out to eat, when the food here is so much better than anything we pay for?”  Good question!

Next year, I vote, we just stay in! A favorite all week long (for us adults) was this drink that I learned to make when Dave, Marissa, Connor, and I were in Turk & Caicos in May. And since we came home to 110 degree heat, I may be making another batch later today! As promised yesterday, you’ll find pictures of my fridge from classes at the bottom of the post.

Dirty Banana

4 teaspoons plus 1/4 cup Kahlua, divided
4 teaspoons plus 1/4 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream, divided
Ice
4 medium bananas
1/3 cup dark rum

Pour 1 teaspoon Kahlua and 1 teaspoon Bailey’s in a tall glass, repeat with 3 more tall glasses. Twirl the glasses around to coat insides with the liqueurs.

Fill a blender 3/4 full with ice. Add bananas, plus the remaining 1/4 cup Kahlua, the remaining 1/4 cup Bailey’s, plus the rum. Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy.  Divide the mixture evenly between the 4 prepared glasses and serve immediately.

(To change your Dirty Bananas into Hummingbirds, just add 1/3 cup frozen strawberries to the blender.)

Serves 4 happy adults

As previously mentioned, yesterday was my darling friend, Anne’s birthday. So, of course Peggy, Anne, and I celebrated the joyous occasion together. They came over after classes today and I made a new summer cocktail which we enjoyed and were so happy to be able to have “girl time” together.  We called Connor downstairs to take our picture…and although he took about a dozen, not a one of them came out clear, so I used an artistic touch called Fresco in Photoshop to “enhance” it a bit. Believe it or not, it is less blurry now than it originally was! I know, that’s hard to imagine – but true all the same. It’s all good, because after a couple of these drinks we couldn’t tell the difference anyhow. Happy Birthday, Anne – love you dearly! xoxo

Watermelon Mojitos

2 large limes, each cut into 8 wedges
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup sugar
4 cups seedless watermelon cubes
1 cup light rum
Ice
Mint leaves and limes slices for garnish

In the bottom of cocktail shaker; muddle half of the lime wedges, half of the mint leaves, half of the sugar, and half of the rum until sugar is completely dissolved and the lime and mint are well crushed.

Strain the mixture into a 2 quart pitcher that is half filled with ice. Repeat the muddling process with the remaining limes, mint, sugar, and rum and strain into the pitcher.

In a blender; puree the watermelon cubes.  Strain the watermelon juice into the pitcher and stir well to combine.

Serve over ice and garnish with additional mint sprigs and a slice of lime.

Serves 4

Nine of the 10 kids from week 1 - with their creative individual pizzas

Pepper-Corn Salad

Bill Austin 1954 – 2010

Yesterday a friend of mine passed away after a brave battle with bladder cancer. He was not the kind of friend who I would see often, actually I only saw him in person about a dozen times. But I heard his voice 5 days a week for nearly 20 years… and man.. could he make me laugh!  Not only me, but hundreds of  thousands of people across the Valley of the Sun and throughout the state of Arizona.

Bill Austin was half of the morning radio team of “Beth & Bill” on 99.9 KEZ radio. He retired from the show in late February. Many of us knew he had been fighting cancer for some time and believed he would power through and beat it, with his humor, if nothing else. Sadly, as we all know, cancer doesn’t care how funny, kind, generous, uplifting, talented, or brilliant you are – it does not show the least amount of prejudice about who it takes.

Besides their highly rated and wildly popular morning show, the pair also hosted “Cooking with Beth & Bill” for 8 years in the 90′s on KTVK-TV. I was very privileged to appear on the weekly television show a couple of times. The first time, Beth’s two younger children, Brennan and Bridget, were also guests on the show. It was always totally unscripted, the only thing planned was my dish – handmade pasta. Just before going on air, Beth and Bill decided that we’d have a contest to see which team could roll out their pasta the quickest.  Team 1 was me and the kids and Team 2 was, of course, Beth and Bill.  Trust me when I say that they honestly tried, it was not staged, but those two could not get their pasta through the machine. The handle kept sliding out, the machine was slipping out of it’s grip on the counter, and so on.  Finally, Bill gave up and decided to just put the dough on the counter and proceeded to jump up on top of it with his own derriere and use his behind to “roll” out their dough.  It was one of the most hilarious things I’d ever seen, and if I can ever figure out how to post it on YouTube, I just might.

The second time, I brought along my youngest, Connor. Bill was adorable and so sweet with him and Connor, very shy, took a liking to Bill. He just had a way about him that drew you in.

Beth was at Bill’s side when he died.  In a written statement she said, “Bill was not just my radio partner. He was the brother I never had. A couple of days before he passed, while at the hospital, he told me, ‘I sure miss doing that little radio show.’

“I talked to him and held his hand,” she said. “He had his eyes closed and I said ‘Bill, I love you and you’re not alone. If you can hear me, squeeze by hand.’ And he did.”  Beth also shared, “This morning, in true Bill fashion, he signed off at exactly 10 o’clock.”

My deepest sympathy and condolences to Beth, Vinnie Del Rosso, Lisa Hobaica, Marty Manning, the entire KEZ family, and everyone else who knew and loved Bill Austin.

A tribute to Bill Austin, featuring the most memorable moments from his nearly two decades with Beth, will air Friday, June 4, 6-10 AM on 99.9 KEZ. Fans of Bill can add comments on www.kez999.com.

Rest in peace, dear Bill, and thank you for all the wonderful memories and laughs you have so generously given us. xoxo

*Top three pictures courtesy of KEZ999.com Photo Gallery

A photographer, I am not! I know this, and I accept it. And if you stop by here often, then I am guessing you know and accept it too.  Sometimes I just can’t get the correct light, or unable to correct the light and color in Photoshop. I’ve never taken a Photoshop course and really only know a couple quick tricks out of the whole big program. Marissa and I signed up for a community college photography night class five years ago, when she was a senior in high school. We quickly discovered that the instructor wasn’t really organized enough to teach. Being the great example- setting mom that I am, after only two very disappointing classes, I turned it into girls-night-out for shopping and dinner instead. Hmm?

Imagine this blog without food pictures, even mediocre pictures. Hard to do, at least for me. So I take on average between 6 and 10 shots of each picture I want to feature and hope for the best. That didn’t work out so well for today. I took 9 different shots of this broccoli last night. Then we had it for dinner.  This morning, I downloaded the photos and every single one is out of focus! It sure didn’t look that way in on the camera screen last night. Please forgive me, I still want to post the recipe because it was really good, but I won’t go to the store to buy more broccoli just to get a focused picture.

On a happier note; at the same time that Maris and I signed up for the photography class, we also signed up for a weekend watercolor class. I think there were five other women in there and Maris and I were, by far, the youngest… and the least talented! I mean, we were awful! And please keep in mind, that my son, Connor is a great artist! That is one of his many watercolors above, which he did when he was 11 years old. We came home each week with our pitiful “art” and I do not know how he kept a straight face. But we stuck with it! And we had fun. It helped that our instructor was very sweet and encouraging even though it was obvious that neither of us was getting any better. If you’re interested in seeing my talented son’s artwork, you can check out some of his work at this link. Most of the art posted there is done with a Pen Pad and his computer. Plus there is are a few photographs of some of his oils as well. Hope you enjoy the broccoli and the art.

Steamed Broccoli with Warm Sherry Vinaigrette

1 1/2 pounds broccoli
1 1/2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, peeled and lightly mashed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large tomato, diced

Cut broccoli  into florets. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the stems and then cut stems crosswise into 1/4-inch slices, set aside. Set up a steamer and bring to a low boil.

Whisk vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.

Cook garlic in oil in small heavy skillet over moderate heat until golden, 1 to 2 minutes, discard garlic, reserve oil.

At the same time, steam broccoli in covered steamer set over boiling water, until just tender, 3 or 4 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl.

Add hot oil to vinegar mixture, whisking until emulsified, then add to broccoli and toss to combine. Garnish with diced tomato.

Serves 4

You may remember a post back in September about a raffle that Larry Fitzgerald and I were doing for a charity event. The winner, Bill Nassikas, was announced on October 1, 2009 and last night we finally held the cooking and dining event.  Bill’s guest was Beau MacMillan, chef at Elements at the Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa, which received a rave review in yesterday’s Arizona Republic. Bill is the President & COO of Westroc, owners of Sanctuary, so there is that connection and congratulations to you both!  We had a great night cooking together and then sitting down to enjoy the fruits of our labor. A BIG thank you to my BFF, Peggy, for assisting with the class and the evening, I couldn’t have done it with you! xoxo

I’ll be taking off the next 5 or 6 days for an out of town adventure…. well except for Saturday, when the second phase of the Limoncello recipe will be here… hope you’re ready for that! Have a wonderful weekend and see you on the flip side.

Beau, Larry, Linda, and Bill

Finally, this is the last of the Easter brunch recipes. Hopefully this past week of posts has given you a nice repertoire of brunch, breakfast, and spring recipes ideas.

I’ve mentioned of my love for Nutella before, so how about a little “history of Nuttela” this time?  This comes straight from the Nuttela website, “Nutella® spread, in its earliest form, was created in the 1940s by Mr. Pietro Ferrero, as pastry maker and founder of the Ferrero company. At the time, there was very little chocolate because cocoa was in short supply due to World War II rationing. So Mr. Ferrero used hazelnuts, which are plentiful in the Piedmont region of Italy, to extend the chocolate supply.” There you go, a little history with your breakfast!

I served this at the Saturday office brunch last weekend and have some “do-head” tips for you. The brioche can be sliced, spread, and sandwiched together a day ahead. Place in an airtight bag or container and refrigerate until ready to cook. And the cereal-brown sugar mixture may also ground together ahead and stored in an airtight container. Unsliced loaves of brioche can be found at Trader Joe’s.

Lastly, a shout-out to my girlfriend, Lorie, in Los Angeles…. I couldn’t decide which old picture to choose, so I put up both of them.  Happy Birthday, Lorie! xoxo

Crunchy Peanut Butter-Nutella French Toast

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/4 cup Nutella
Sixteen 1/2-inch-thick slices brioche
4 large eggs
1/4 cup half and half
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups Special K® cereal
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 to 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups mixed berries
Maple syrup
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter and Nutellla. Spread 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mixture on each of 8 slices of brioche and cover with the remaining 8 slices, making sandwiches by pressing together.

Place the cereal and brown sugar in the bowl of a food processor and use the pulse button to crush the cereal, pour onto a large flat plate.

In a large wide bowl whisk the eggs with the half and half and vanilla.

One at a time, lightly soak three of the sandwiches in the egg mixture, then dredge in the cereal, pressing to help the crumbs adhere.

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a very large skillet. Add the 3 prepared sandwiches and cook over moderate heat until golden and crisp on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Adding more butter as you turn them over.

Transfer the browned French toast to a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Wipe out the skillet and cook the remaining 5 sandwiches in the same manner, two and three at a time.

Cut sandwiches in triangles and place on serving plates. Top with the berries, drizzle with maple syrup, and dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

Makes 8 French toast sandwiches

On Sunday, my friend and neighbor, Ronnie had a party to introduce and welcome new neighbors to “the hood”.  She made this colorful fresh and flavorful salad that we all went crazy for. It is inspired by a recipe she found in a cookbook by Rick Rodgers. I had two servings, and would have had a third if I could have gotten away with it! The original recipe called for 3 ears of corn to be roasted on a grill. This simple take on that uses frozen roasted corn kernels found at Trader Joe’s.  One medium cob of corn yields about 3/4 cup of kernels. So that is convenience item number one.  And here is number two … a new way to freeze and store chipotle peppers. As you know, chipotle peppers are sold in cans and they are packed in adobo sauce. The sauce is just about as good as the peppers themselves, spicy and smokey and just so addictive. I can’t think of a time when you would use an entire  7-ounce can of the peppers, generally recipes call for just a few peppers and then you have the rest of the can to deal with.  In the past I have  placed the remaining peppers on a small greased baking sheet, frozen them, then removed the frozen peppers and placed them in ziplock bags to freeze. But now… I have an even better way. In the majority of recipes the peppers are very finely chopped, so why not freeze them that way? First place all the remaining peppers and all the adobo sauce left in the can in a food processor and puree it. Next, carefully spoon the puree into the little holes of an empty garlic cube package. What is a garlic cube package, you ask. In a prior post, I told you how much I love to use the minced garlic cubes sold at Trader Joe’s. My freezer is full of them… so I reuse those empty containers and now I always have chipotle cubes on hand too.  One chipotle cube equals about 1/2 chipotle pepper.  Plus they pop out just as easily as the garlic does.

Here is what I did today… I used the five remaining chipotle cubes I had in my freezer (approximately 2  1/2 chipotle peppers), opened a new can and used 3 whole peppers for the vinaigrette recipe below. Then I pureed the remaining contents of the can and packed it into the empty cube tray.

As you can see, there was still a little bit of pureed chipotle in the food processor, so I added 1/2 cup prepared mayonnaise to that and blended  - an added bonus; not only do I have a whole tray of chipotle cubes but also a little chipotle mayo for sandwiches too!  So there you go, a new convenience  item you can make yourself. Oh, and a big “thank you!” to Ronnie and Mike for a lovely Sunday afternoon and big welcome Flint family to our great community!

Bean and Roasted Corn Salad with Chipotle Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
5 to 6 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad
2  1/4 cups frozen roasted corn kernels, thawed
15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 small red onion, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup (4 ounces) queso fresco

Vinaigrette: Place the lime zest, lime juice, and chipotle peppers in the bowl of a food processor. Puree. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a slow and steady stream through the feed tube. Turn off machine, taste and season with salt and pepper.

Salad: In a large bowl, combine corn, both types of beans, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, and cilantro.  Toss with the Vinaigrette and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Toss in the queso fresco just before serving.

Serves 8

I recently learned of a great new convenience item available in the frozen food section of the local supermarket. OK, maybe it’s not new to the supermarket or even new to you, but it is new to me. Frozen chopped green chiles and chopped red chiles can be found in plastic containers, similar to a sour cream container, in the freezer section. Locally, I’ve found them at Safeway, Fry’s, and Food City. Supposedly they come in hot and mild, but I was only able find the hot, so I’m combining them with mild canned green chiles for this recipe. Feel free to roast, seed, and peel your own mild long green chiles, if you prefer.  Pictured below: Frozen chile container (do not worry if you don’t find the same brand, any brand will do) and a side by side comparison of mild canned diced chiles on the left and hot frozen diced chiles on the right.

It’s been in the mid to high 80’s the last few days here in AZ, but we’re expecting rain and a cooling trend for the rest of the week.  It may be our last chance to really enjoy a nice steaming bowl of chili for many months to come. Marissa requested this recipe so she could make “roomie” dinner tomorrow for her four beautiful roommates; Kaley, Petra, Kelsey and Paige.

Girls, I hope you enjoy it, ‘cause summer and 100+ degree temps are just around the corner!

Chili Blanco

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
1/4 cup frozen hot chopped green chiles, thawed
4-ounce can fired roasted mild green chiles, drained and diced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1  1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Two 15 to 16-ounce cans white beans (such as Great Northern or Cannellini), drained
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 cup grated Queso Fresco or Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Garnishes
Chopped fresh cilantro
Diced tomatoes
Minced green onions
Additional grated cheese and sour cream

Heat a heavy large pot over medium heat.  Add oil and onions and sauté until tender and translucent, about 12 minutes. Add the garlic, both types of green chiles, cumin, oregano, and hot pepper sauce and continue to cook for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the white beans and 4 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and simmer gently to blend flavors, about 20 minutes.

Just before serving, add the shredded chicken, grated cheese, and sour cream to chili; stir just until chili is heated through and cheese melts (do not allow to boil). Taste and season with salt and pepper. Ladle chili into bowls and serve.  Allow guests to garnish with cilantro, tomatoes, green onions, cheese and sour cream as they wish.

Serves 8