Frugal Foodie Friday - Chicken and Hominy Chili Bowls

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I don't do a lot of slow-cooker or Mexican cooking, so my expectations for this recipe were low. To be truthful, it made the cut for Frugal Foodie Friday only because it was cheap and simple to make. While I thought it would be passably good, I didn't expect it to be delicious, so I was pleasantly surprised. The recipe comes from Family Circle magazine, which, by the way, is a terrific source for great family meals. I tend to shy away from slow-cooker recipes because I think they grossly overstate the amount of time it takes to make a dish. I like beef and pork that can be sliced rather than shredded, and chicken, at least in my scheme of things, should be fork tender but still cling tenuously to the bone. I have found 10 hours to be way too long to cook chicken and I adjust the time to my preference. My version of this dish was done to my liking in 6 hours. Save for timing, I made few other changes to the recipe. I did substitute masa for the cornmeal and I didn't add the bell pepper until the last hour of cooking. I've found that peppers become bitter if they are simmered for too long in a slow-cooker. As I've already inferred, I really enjoyed this dish. I wish I could nail the amount of time a slow-cooker recipes need to cook. I'm beginning to suspect that my slow-cooker cooks too high when set on low and I've been doing some research lately. It seems that this is not an uncommon problem, but the experts do not agree on which is the best brand to purchase. When I find it I will let you know. In the meantime, here is the recipe for a surprisingly great Frugal Foodie Friday meal that even the kids will love.

Slow-Cooker Chicken and Hominy Chili Bowl...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Family Circle magazine

Ingredients:
6 large bone-in, skinless chicken thighs (about 6-oz each)
1 teaspoon salt, divided use
1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided use
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided use
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano,divide use
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can white or yellow hominy, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons cornmeal

Directions:
1) Spray slow-cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Place chicken in bottom of slow cooker and season with 1/2 teaspoon each of the salt and cumin and 1/4 teaspoon each of the black pepper and oregano.
2) Scatter onion, garlic, jalapeno and green pepper over chicken. Pour broth over top. Cover and cook on LOW for 10 hours.
3) Stir in hominy, cornmeal and remaining 1/2 teaspoon each salt and cumin and 1/4 teaspoon each black pepper and oregano. Cook on HIGH for 15 minutes.
4. To serve, stir in cilantro. If desired, accompany with tortilla chips, sour cream and additional chopped cilantro. Yield: 6 servings.

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One Year Ago Today: Chocolate Waffle Sundaes

Two Years Ago Today: Herbed Asparagus Salad

Three Years Ago Today: Shrimp and Corn with Fresh Basil

Four Years Ago Today: Blackberry Cobbler

Beef and Hominy Stew

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a great entrée for a family meal. It's made with a standard list of stew ingredients, but the addition of spicy canned tomatoes and hominy give it a slightly Southwestern bent. Hominy is made from dried corn kernels that have been soaked in a lye or lime solution. Soaking removes the tough outer shells of the kernels and produces a  more flavorful and nutritious niblet that has a creamier texture than corn. It is used in Native American and Mexican cooking and it is a popular addition to dishes in the Southern and Southwestern United States. While this dish can be prepared stovetop, today's recipe, developed by Family Circle magazine, utilizes a slow-cooker to make the stew. It is the type of entrée that will appeal to very busy cooks, and it certainly is easy enough for a novice to make. I must admit that I fussed a bit with this recipe. I browned the meat and vegetables before putting them into the slow cooker. I think browning adds enormous flavor to the stew and it is something that I always do, though I'm willing to admit it probably falls into the category of not necessary but nice. I also cut back on the length of time I cooked the stew because I wanted the meat to retain some texture. Those of you who try this recipe will not be disappointed. It is not gourmet fare, but it is perfect for a rainy fall night. Here's how the stew is made.

Beef and Hominy Stew...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Family Circle magazine

Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
1-3/4 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 green pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes with chiles
1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 can (15 ounces) hominy, drained and rinsed
Corn tortillas and salad (optional)

Directions:
1) Coat slow cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Place onion in bottom and add beef; season with salt. Add green pepper, carrots, celery and garlic. Pour tomatoes and 3/4 cup of the broth over the top.
2) Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours or LOW for 8 hours.
3) Mix cornstarch with remaining 1/4 cup of broth until smooth. Stir into slow cooker during last 15 minutes of cooking. Add hominy and heat through. Serve with corn tortillas and salad, if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Turkish Delight - Lokum

Two Years Ago Today: Cherry Cupcakes

Three Years Ago Today: Walnut Bread from Southern Burgundy

Corn and Hominy Casserole

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This lovely casserole can be served as a side dish or as a meatless entrée for lunch or a light supper. The recipe, originally develop by James Beard, has been changed substantially for health conscious cooks and diners. The original recipe used 9 tablespoons of butter and full-fat sour cream. I cannot tell a lie, it was delicious. This scaled back version is tasty as well and I like to serve it as a Lenten meal, along with soup or salad and tortilla chips. This dish used to be called two corn casserole because it is made with a mix of yellow sweet corn and hominy. Hominy is a food made from corn kernels that are soaked in an alkali solution of either lime or lye. The solution removes the hull and germ of the corn and causes the grain itself to puff up to about twice its normal size. Hominy is a common ingredient in Southern and Mexican cooking. This dish is really easy to prepare and it's a great starter recipe for young or beginning cooks. The casserole works really well with barbecue or Southwestern-style meals. I know that those of you who try this will appreciate its unique combination of flavors and the ease with which it comes together. There is nothing here not to like. Here's the recipe.

Corn and Hominy Casserole...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by James Beard
Ingredients:
3/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped jalapeno pepper
1/3 cup cilantro
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream or sour half and half, divided
16 ounces frozen corn , thawed
2 cans (15.5-oz each) hominy , drained and rinsed, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup Monterey or pepper jack cheese
3 tablespoons butter
cooking spray
1 teaspoon dried chervil

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a tall-sided casserole dish with cooking spray. Combine bell and jalapeno peppers. Stir cilantro into sour cream. Layer 1/3 of hominy, then 1/3 of corn in casserole. Sprinkle with pepper and salt. Top with 1/3 cup mixed peppers. Cover with 1/3 cup sour cream, then 1/2 cup cheese. Dot with 1 tablespoon butter.
2) Build a second layer with 1/3 of the hominy, 1/3 of the corn, 1/3 cup mixed peppers, and 1/3 cup sour cream. Dot with 1 tablespoon butter. (this layer is not seasoned or topped with cheese).
3) Build final layer using remaining hominy, corn, mixed peppers, sour cream, and cheese. Dot with final tablespoon butter. Sprinkle chervil on top of casserole.
4) Bake casserole, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Allow to stand for 10 minutes. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.






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Two Years Ago Today: French Quarter Beignets

Crock-Pot Pork Posolé

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...A traditional Posolé is a spicy stew that's made from hominy, chilies and some type of meat or poultry. Hominy is dried corn that has been softened by soaking it in a mild lye solution. The process separates the hull and germ from the kernel, leaving behind corn kernels that can then be dried and reconstituted for cooking at another time. Hominy is the foundation on which a good posolé is based. The soupy stew is very popular in Mexico and the desert Southwest and, when it's properly made, it can be delicious. I've decided to serve posolé, along with Sonoran hot dogs and super nachos to our guests on Super Bowl Sunday. I hasten to add that my version of this famous stew is not traditional. I add peanut butter and a mole sauce to mine which gives it a more distinctive and unusual flavor. I first tasted the stew with these additions at a competition, and, once I'd sampled it, I knew I would have to incorporate them into my own recipe. I really love this dish. It's a great way to feed a crowd who might be tired of chili, and it is even easier to make. If you wish, the stew can be braised in the oven, rather than cooked in a crock-pot. My only caution is a reminder. While, you can always add more heat, once the chilies are in the pot they are there to stay. So, please use the jalapenos judiciously. Most of you will love this stew. Here's the recipe for those of you who would like to try it.

Crock-Pot Pork Posolé...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Marybeth Mank

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 (14.5-oz.) cans hominy, white or gold, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15.5-oz.) can kidney beans, undrained
2 tablespoons diced jalapeno or other green chilies
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup jarred prepared mole (mole can be found in Latin section of your grocery store) the grocery store]
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
Optional Garnish:
Sour cream
Fresh chopped cilantro

Directions:
1) Spray 5-quart crock-pot with nonstick cooking spray. Heat olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add pork and saute until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to crock-pot. Add onions, carrots and garlic to pan and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to crock-pot. Stir in bell pepper, hominy, tomatoes, kidney beans and jalapenoes. Mix well.
2) In a separate bowl, combine tomato paste, peanut butter, mole sauce, cumin, oregano, chili powder, cinnamon and 2 cups chicken broth. Whisk until thoroughly combine.Stir in remaining 2 cups broth. Pour over mixture in crock-pot and stir to combine.
3) Cover crock-pot and cook on LOW for 6 hours, or on HIGH for 3 hours. The completed posolé should have the consistency of a stew. If it is too thick, thin with additional chicken broth or water. If too watery, dissolve 2 tablespoon of flour in 1/4 cup broth. When smooth add 2 cups of liquid from stew and stir until smooth. Return to pot and cook until posolé comes to a simmer and thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with sour cream and cilantro. Serve with warm tortilla or cornbread. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Mexican Chicken Wrap - The Life of a Foodie and Her Family
Chicken Tortilla Casserole - Christine's Cuisine
Tostadas - The Farmer's Wife
Caldo de Res - Cooking in Mexico
Mole Chicken - Real Food Whole Health
Tortilla Soup - Katy's Kitchen

This post is also being linked to:
Crock Pot Wednesday at Dining with Debbie

Crock-Pot Southwestern Sausage and Hominy Stew

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The third recipe in this month's crock-pot series would be given a pass, if pass/fail were the only grading options available. Were I to continue with the baseball analogy used with the other recipes we've featured so far, I'd call this a double play. Let me immediately add that there is nothing wrong with this dish. As a matter of fact, if there are teens in your house it might become a family favorite. My problem is that I think the recipe used to make this very basic dish is contrived. You don't really need a slow cooker to prepare it. This earthy casserole can be simmered stovetop or cooked in a microwave at the same time the rice that accompanies it is made. This is not a dish that needs to simmer for hours at a low temperature. You may want to prepare it that way, but it is not necessary and will add very little flavor to the finished dish. Most of the ingredients used in this stew come from cans and, like all dishes of this type, it is super simple to make. Texture in the dish is provided by the add-ons found at the end of the recipe. Don't forget them. The mango is used to brighten the flavor of the stew. If you don't have one, you can substitute a sweet apple or pear and get nearly the same affect. I think that those of you who are looking for crock-pot or slow cooker recipes will like this a lot. It's easy to do and very affordable. Here's the recipe.

Crock-Pot Southwestern Sausage and Hominy Stew...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann as featured in their book Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups prepared salsa, medium or hot (I recommend hot)
1 cup coarsely chopped red bell pepper (1-inch pieces)
1 cup coarsely Chopped yellow pepper (1-inch pieces)
1 (10-oz.) bag frozen corn, thawed
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 (15.5-oz.) can white or golden hominy, rinsed and drained
1 (12-oz.) package smoked turkey sausage, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
2 tablespoons tequila
For Serving:
3 cups hot cooked long-grain white or brown rice
1/2 cup crushed tortilla Chips
1 medium-large ripe mango (10 to 14-oz.) peeled and sliced off the pit
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped green onion (white and tender green)
3/4 cup sour cream

Directions:
1) Combine salsa, bell peppers, corn, chili powder, hominy, sliced sausage and tequila in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 7 hours.
2) To serve, divide rice among 4 bowls; top each serving with stew, crushed chips, mango slices (I diced my mangoes), cilantro, green onions and a big dollop of sour cream. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

Your might also enjoy these recipes:
Taco Pie - Home Cooking Rocks
Chicken Chilaquiles - Baked Cupcakes
Stacked Green Chile Enchiladas - My Baking Heart
Shortcut Chili Colorado - Shamrocks and Shenanigans
Mexican Lasagna - And Then I Do the Dishes
Posole - Around My Family Table

Tomatillo Chicken and Rice - Crock-Pot Cooking

The two winners of the Novica gift certificates have been chosen. Each of the 270 comments in the drawing received a sequential number at the time it was posted. The winners were chosen by a random number generator which selected the numbers 229 and 71. Congratulations to Aisling and Discovery Woman. I will be contacting you soon.



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...One of the perks of age is learning to cast away the things that aren't important. That helped this morning as I took a look around the house, assessed what I saw and declared an end to Christmas preparations. Basta! The day was crisp and clear and meant to be enjoyed. I grabbed my coat and headed out the door. I had a wonderful day. I accomplished nothing of importance but had an awfully good time doing nothing at all. I walked some along the river, lunched with a friend and relished the luxury of a midday nap. Dinner, too, was stressless. It was a crock-pot creation that turned out well enough to share with you. If you are looking for a quick holiday meal, I think you'll enjoy this simple dinner which has a Southwestern flair. If you'd like to make your own tomatillo salsa, a recipe can be found here. The recipe for the chicken appears below.

Tomatillo Chicken with Rice...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 cups tomatillo salsa
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-1/2-in. pieces
1 can (15 oz.) corn, drained
1 can (15-oz.) hominy, rinsed and drained
1 can (15.5-oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed
2 cubanelle peppers, chopped
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Lime wedges
3 cups cooked rice

Directions:
1) Mix all ingredients except cilantro in a 4 to 5-quart slow cooker.
2) Cover and cook on high 3 to 3-1/2 hours until chicken is cooked through.
3) Stir in cilantro; serve over rice with lime wedges. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja - The Perfect Pantry
Slow Cooker Mulligatawny - The Ungourmet
Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches - Jane Deere
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork - Never Enough Thyme
Slow Cooker Pork Chops - The Hungry Housewife
Crock-Pot Chili - Taste and Tell