Chicken and white bean chili

Chicken and white bean chili photo copyright Christy Pringle

This white bean chili is a hearty stew that's perfect those cold dreary days. Adjust the type and amount of green chili's to suit your taste. I used canned diced green chili's found in the mexican aisle of the Wal-Mart in Fayetteville. Feel free to substitute fresh chili's, such as pablano. If you would like it a bit spicier, add in a jalapeno or other, hotter, chili. If you would like it milder, substitute green bell pepper. The Mayocoba beans, or Peruvian, beans are also found in the Mexican food aisle of Wal-Mart. If you can't find these beans, you can substitute any white bean you like or can find.
Make it fast tip: Use a store-bought rotisserie chicken and canned beans. Make sure to drain and rinse the beans well. Using these already prepared items will cut the cooking time down to only about 30 minutes.
White bean Chicken Chili

• 1 tablespoon oil
• ½ cup diced onion
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• ¼ - ½ cup diced green chilis
• 1 pound of mayocoba beans, soaked overnight in water
• 3 cups of diced cooked chicken
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• water or (low sodium) chicken broth to cover, about 2 quarts or to cover
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large pot. Add in the onions, garlic and peppers. Cook the vegetables until the are softened. Add in the rest of the ingredients, and bring to a boil. Let the mixture boil for about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low-medium low and let simmer for 2-3 hours, or until the beans are tender. Serve with cornbread, tortillas or spoonbread.

Southern Fried Catfish

Catfish has long been a staple, and considered “poor people food” here in the South. It has been gaining popularity with chefs around the country as a versatile and flavorful protein. This is a basic fried fish recipe that will work for any fish.
The masa is finer than corn meal and so eliminates the need for mixing flour with it. This gives you a stronger corn taste. If you would like a lighter corn taste, mix it with flour, a half and half mixture. (2 cups flour, 2 cups masa). Kroger in Tullahoma recently had their colossal catfish fillets for $2.99 a pound. They are huge fillets, weighing in at about 1 pound apiece. You will need to cut them into smaller serving pieces and that will fit into your pot or fryer.

• 1 pound of catfish filets
• salt
• pepper
• garlic powder
• red pepper sauce (Tabasco, optional)
• 1 cup milk
• 4 cups masa de harina (Maseca)
• oil for deep frying, preferably peanut

In a large, heavy 5 quart pot ( a cast iron dutch oven works best), heat the oil to a 350 degrees, using a deep frying thermometer. Adjust the your heat to maintain the temperature.
Sprinkle the fillets with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pour the milk into a shallow dish, big enough to accommodate the fillets. Stir in the red pepper sauce if you are using it. Put the masa in a separate shallow dish. Dredge the fillets in the masa, then milk then back into the masa. Set on a cooling rack for 5 minutes to rest.
Carefully and gently add the fillets to the hot oil. Don't crowd the pot or the temperature of the oil will drop to much and you will have greasy fish. Fry the fish until it is golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack placed over a sheet pan lined with paper towels. Do this with the rest of the fish. Serve immediately with either a seafood cocktail sauce or tartar sauce.

Fresh Peach and Blackberry Cobbler

When I originally made this, I used half the amount of fruit.  This made for WAAAAAY to much of the pastry part.  So I doubled the fruit and it was so much better.  I've also made it using blueberries which is also an awsome combination..
Fresh peach and blackberry cobbler

• 2 cup sliced peaches
• 1 cup blackberries
• sweetener of choice,to taste
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup baking mix
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an 8x8 baking dish with nonstick spray.  If you are using fresh peaches, you will need to peel them.  Do this by plunging them into boiling water for a few seconds, the skins will slip right off. Slice them by cutting down to the pit, then gently prying the pieces off with your fingers or your knife.  Place them into a bowl and add the blackberries, sweetener, cornstarch, cinnamon and ginger.  Gently toss together until well combined.  In a small bowl, measure out your baking mix.  Add in the brown sugar and stir to combine thoroughly.  Using a fork, mash the butter into the mix.  Stir in the milk.  Spoon the fruit mixture into your baking dish.  Dollop the dough onto the top of the fruit, leaving little gaps in the top.  If using, sprinkle on the chopped pecans.  Place in the oven and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes.  Serve hot topped with ice cream or at room temperature with whipped cream.

Cucumber and tomato salad recipe

Summer 's here and the time is right for.... salads. Crisp, cool salads. They go perfect with all of your summertime grilling favorites, be they hot dogs, brats, hamburgers or chicken. Whatever your favorite thing to throw on the grill, beat the heat this summer and throw together this easy cucumber and tomato salad. It uses bottled salad dressing so is super easy to put together at the last minute. The bright colors of the fresh from the garden veggies make it look as good as it tastes!
Cucumber and tomato salad recipe

Twice Cooked grilled brisket

Brisket is a cut of beef that takes long slow cooking. You see it being used all the time in barbecue competitions, including the Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational Barbecue competition. If you don't have the time, or the equipment, to slow smoke your brisket, try this twice cooked method. The meat is first slowly braised in your oven for 3-4 hours, then put over hot coals and hickory wood chips to finish. The result is a perfectly cooked brisket with a nice smoky flavor. Save the resulting braising liquid for a sauce to pour over the finished beef. The oven portion of this recipe can be done the day ahead. Just take the brisket out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before smoking it.



Twice Cooked Brisket

* a 4 pounds of beef brisket
* 1/2 cup sliced onion
* 3 cloves of garlic, crushed.
* 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
* 1/4 cup dry red wine
* 1 tablespoon ketchup
* 1 tablespoon maple syrup
* 1/4 cup honey
* 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar



Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Place the brisket fat side down on heavy duty aluminum foil, large enough to hold the beef and have plenty to fold and wrap around it. Rub the top side of the meat with salt and pepper. Smear on the garlic, and scatter on the onions. Bring the foil up around the meat and onions, but don't close it yet. Pour in the wine and Worcestershire. Carefully close up the foil tightly to seal in the liquids and enclose the meat. Place it seam side up in a pan, deep enough to catch all the juices if the seal isn't good or a hole is developed. Braise in the oven for 3-4 hours, or until the meat registers 140 on a meat thermometer. Remove from the oven and let it cool in the juices. When cool enough to handle, carefully open the foil and pour the juices into a sauce pan. Stir in the ketchup, syrup, honey and vinegar. Bring this to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture reduce by half. It should be syrupy. One hour before you plan to serve, light your fire, if you are using a charcoal grill. If you are using a gas or electric grill, you can wait until about 45 minutes before you plan on serving. The fire/elements should be a medium heat. If you have a thermometer on your grill, it should register about 300. Prepare your chosen wood chips according to the package directions. When the charcoal or gas grill is ready, place the chips on your fire or element according to manufacturers directions. Let the chips get started. When the wood starts to smoke, place the meat on the grill, fat side down and close the lid. Allow to smoke on the fat side for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, flip the meat over and smoke for another 15 minutes. Be careful, you don't want to over cook it. You are basically just warming it up and giving it a smoky flavor. The meat is already cooked. Remove from the grill and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. Slice across the grain and serve with the sauce.

Lemon Snaps

Great with a cup of Earl Grey tea, these cookies are a nice change from your typical gingersnaps. Try substituting orange or lime for the lemon! You can find the sparkling sugar in the baking aisle of Wal-Mart in Fayetteville.

Recipe here.

Pimento cheese

A common food in the South and the Philippines, pimento cheese is an excellent dip for chips, veggies and crackers. It is the signature dish of the Masters Tournament and an economical sandwich spread. This recipe is fancied up a bit with Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, onion and garlic powder. You can eat it as soon as you make it, but it is much better after a day or two.

Pimento Cheese Recipe

Barbecue shrimp recipe

Barbecue shrimp recipe

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Chuck's Tomato Dip

This quick and easy dip recipe is similar to a salsa. Try it in place of salsa in your favorite recipes, or just use it as the name describes, a dip. It's great with tortilla chips.

Chuck's Tomato Dip

* 1 20 ounce can of diced tomatoes
* 1 onion, finely diced
* 1 bell pepper, finely diced
* 4-6 jalapeno peppers, finely diced
* 1 clove of garlic, minced
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 1/4 cup vinegar
* 1/4 cup ketchup
* 1/4 teaspoon each of thyme, oregano, basil and rosemary

Place everything in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Serve with chips.

Ground beef pistolets

Generally known as "French rolls" pistolets are are used for stuffing, frying and handy sandwiches. If you're doing stuffed pistolets, such as these, look for rolls that aren't well browned. If you can find 4-6 inch long brown and serve dinner rolls, those would be perfect. If all you can find are browned rolls, those will be fine too.

Pistolets can be stuffed with any number of things. Crawfish, shrimp, sausage, veggies, whatever you like. It is a good way to use up bits of leftovers. This recipe is for approximately 50-60 sandwiches, or a small invasion force. Feel free to reduce the amount. One pound of meat will make about 10-12 sandwiches.

Ground beef pistolets for a crowd

* 50-60 french bread rolls, 4-6 inches long
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 3 onions, diced
* 2 stalks celery, sliced
* 1 bell pepper, diced
* 5 pounds ground beef
* 1 large box Velveeta cheese
* 40 ounces of frozen chopped broccoli, defrosted and drained well
* salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Hollow out the bread by cutting off the tip and pulling out the insides. Save the tip. Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the onions, celery, and bell pepper and sautee. Add the ground beef and brown well. Stir in the broccoli and add in the Velveeta. Add salt and pepper if you feel it needs it. Fill the hollowed out bread with the ground beef mixture. Stick the tips back on, otherwise the filling runs out everywhere. Brush with some melted butter and arrange on baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes.

Pistolets for not so big a crowd

* 10-12 french bread rolls, 4-6 inches long
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 onion, diced
* 1 stalk celery, sliced
* 1/2 bell pepper, diced
* 1 pound ground beef
* 1 small box Velveeta cheese
* 10 ounces frozen chopped broccoli, defrosted and well drained
* salt and pepper to taste.

The directions are the same as for the larger amount above.