Recipe Wins and a Note/Edit on My 2017 Book Review

After reviewing my 2017 Book Review post yesterday, I realized I completely left an entire book out!

I read two books in November and would say those two books were in my top three for the year.

I forgot to mention the book Shattered.  I have since edited the post to include it and you can read about it HERE 

So, on to some recipe wins for winter.  They work if you are eating clean or following a Ketone type plan.  Regardless, they are delicious and the men in my house are enjoying them too!  (Rob gets worried when he sees me trying a new diet/plan but his concerns were quickly put to ease after he indulged in these two recent recipes.

I wanted to share them with you of course! 

First....

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients

1 lb chicken*

1.5 cups chicken broth

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 4.5oz can chopped green chiles

1 diced jalapeno

1 diced green pepper

1/4 cup diced onion

4 tbsp butter

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

4 oz cream cheese

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions
 
*In large pot, season chicken with cumin, oregano, cayenne, salt and pepper

*Sear both sides over medium heat until golden

*Add broth to pot, cover and cook chicken for 15-20 minutes or until fully cooked

*While chicken is cooking, melt butter in medium skillet

*Add chiles, diced jalapeno, green pepper and onion to skillet and saute until veggies soften

*Add minced garlic and saute additional 30 seconds and turn off heat, set aside

*Once chicken is fully cooked, shred with fork and add back into broth

*Add sauteed veggies to pot with chicken and broth and simmer for 10 minutes

*In medium bowl, soften cream cheese in microwave until you can stir it (~20 sec)

*Mix cream cheese with heavy whipping cream

*Stirring quickly, add mixture into pot with chicken and veggies

*Simmer additional 15 minutes

*Serve with favorite toppings such as: pepper jack cheese, avocado slices, cilantro, sour cream

Notes

*I used a rotisserie chicken as I often do.  It really makes dishes so much easier and it is oh so delicious.  It also didn't take as long to cook- I warmed it in the stock for about 10 minutes 

Next is.....

Deconstructed Pizza Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes (do not use petite dice)
• 5 links (19.5 oz.) uncooked turkey Italian sausage
• 2 tsp. + 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste
• 8-12 oz. fresh mushrooms, washed and cut into thick slices
• 1 1/2 cups grated Mozzarella cheese
• 15 slices pepperoni, cut in half 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F/200C. Spray an 8 inch x 11 inch glass casserole dish with non-stick spray or olive oil.
2. Pour the diced tomatoes into a colander placed in the sink and rinse with cold water. Let tomatoes drain a minute or two, then spread them out on paper towels to dry (or blot dry with another paper towel on top.)
3. While tomatoes dry, heat 2 tsp. olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan, squeeze the sausage out of the casing, and cook sausage over medium-high heat until it’s nicely browned, breaking it apart as it cooks.
4. While sausage cooks, wash mushrooms, pat dry, and slice into thick slices.
5. When the sausage is done make a layer of sausage in the bottom of the casserole dish and top with the drained tomatoes, spreading them out over the top of the sausage. Season with dried oregano, salt, and fresh-ground black pepper. 
6. Rinse out the pan if needed, then heat the other 2 tsp. of olive oil over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot add the mushrooms and cook, stirring a few times, until all the liquid is released and the mushrooms are starting to brown. Layer the mushrooms over the sausage-tomato mixture.
7. Cut pepperoni in half. Sprinkle the grated Mozzarella over the top of the casserole and lay the pepperoni pieces on top of the cheese, spacing them evenly so the whole top is covered with pepperoni.
8. Bake about 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and starting to brown. Serve hot.

 Let me know if you try these recipes and what you think!