Jalapeno Popper Chili

I loved this chili. It had so much flavor and cheesy goodness to it. I'll definitely be making it again-although likely not until the fall.

Jalapeno Popper Chili-adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Total Time: 7 1/2 hours
Serves 8

• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 14 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 12 ounces dry great northern beans
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 8 ounces light cream cheese, cut into cubes
• 1 cup frozen corn kernals

Add all the ingredients except cream cheese and corn to a 5-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 7-9 hours.

Remove the chicken and dice or shred into bite-sized pieces. Return the chicken to the slow cooker. Stir in cream cheese and corn. Cover and cook on low for 10-15 more minutes, or until cheese has melted. Add additional salt and pepper to taste and serve with cheese and sour cream.

Honey Garlic Chicken

A really easy slow cooker meal. I serve this with some white rice and egg rolls as it has a little Asian flair to it!

Honey Garlic Chicken-adapted from Hugs & Cookies XOXO
Total Time: 5 hours
Serves 4

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup blackberry jam
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

Place chicken in a 5-quart slow cooker and top with honey, soy sauce, blackberry jam, olive oil and garlic. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours. Serve with rice and honey-soy sauce glaze.

Antipasto Salad

Happy June! My allergies are absolutely killing me today, so I'm holed up in my dark apartment working on posts. I love pasta salads. This is one of the best ones I've made. I took it on a trip to Wisconsin Dells that we go on every year around St. Patricks Day. It was a great hit, especially during the late hours!

Antipasto Salad-adapted from That's Some Good Cookin'
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Serves 4

• 8 ounces spiral (or your choice) pasta
• 16 ounces giardiniera
• 1/4 pound pepperoni, diced
• 1/4 pound mozzarella cheese, diced
• 1/4 pound salami, diced
• 1 cup kalamata olives, sliced
• 1 cup red onion, diced
• 1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
• 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup reserved giardiniera brine or white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Cook and drain pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, drain the giardiniera, reserving 1/2 cup of the brine. Chop the larger pieces into bite-size, if needed.

In a large bowl, combine pasta, giardiniera, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, salami, kalamata olives, onion, artichokes, tomatoes and basil. 

In a small bowl, make the dressing by whisking olive oil, reserved brine, salt, sugar, garlic salt and red pepper flakes. Pour over pasta mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.

S'mores Pie

I made this pie for Pi Day in March. There has been a lot of s'mores stuff going around online that I had been wanting to try, so this was the best one to start with! It was ridiculously sinful, but definitely tasty! It's also quite messy-I listened to the original poster and didn't try to cut into it when it's still warm. If you even attempt, you'll see how messy it is.

Before:

After:

S'more Pie-adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Total Time: 25 Minutes

Serves 6

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 7 ounces marshmallow creme
• 8 chocolate bars
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows
• 1/4 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 inch pie pan with baking spray.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until combined. Add in egg and vanilla. Stir in flour, graham cracker crumbs and baking powder.

Divide the dough in half, and press half into the bottom and up the sides of the pie pan. Evenly spread the marshmallow creme over the bottom crust. Separate the chocolate squares and place on top. Sprinkle with miniature marshmallows.

Using the remaining crust pat sections of dough on top and around the marshmallows. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and bake 20 minutes until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting.

Bacon Beer Cheese Soup

Scott and I are still searching for that perfect beer cheese soup. We fell in love with a few restaurants' soups in Eau Claire during college, but haven't been able to find a suitable replacement. This one was pretty delicious, but not quite THE one. We'll keep trying :)

Bacon Beer Cheese Soup-adapted from Smells Like Home
Total Time: 45 Minutes
Serves 4

• 3 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup carrot, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/4 cup chicken broth
• 6 ounces pale ale or beer
• 1/2 cup milk
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Cook the bacon in a large sauce pan over medium high heat until crispy. Scoop out bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and place on a paper-towel lined plate. Turn the heat down to medium and add the carrot, celery, garlic, salt and pepper and saute for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables begin to soften.

Whisk the flour into the vegetables and stir for one minute. Whisk in chicken broth and continue to stir until no lumps of flour remain. Blend the mixture with an immersion blender or carefully transfer into a blender. Blend until smooth and return to saucepan.

Pour the beer into the mixture, bring to a simmer, stirring as needed. Allow to cook down for 10 minutes, then stir in milk and allow to warm, stirring for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the cheese by the handful, letting each batch melt completely before adding more. Garnish with bacon before serving.