Green Chili Stew

So it's been a while since I last posted a recipe.  (It's been about that long since I last cooked anything at home!)  Finally last night I decided that enough was enough and set to work making something to make me forget about the dreary weather we've been having in Seattle.

Before I begin let me give you a little bit of background as to why I don't cook anything worthwhile all that often. 

My husband, Lucky, is a tattoo artist and typically doesn't get home until 10 or 11 at night.  That just leaves me and the kids from when I get home from work at about 5:45pm until they go to bed at 8:30.  And we all know how picky my kids can be refusing to eat anything remotely healthy if it doesn't include peanut butter, honey, and/or pasta.  So there isn't really anything besides bread, peanut butter, pasta, butter, and honey in my house at all times.  If I want something else I have to go to the store.  With two little kids.

Say it with me people: P.L.A.N.N.I.N.G.

Planning.  I'm not that great at planning.  I'm normally at the store before I decide what I want for dinner and that normally it's something quick and easy that I don't have to think about.  Or I just wait for Lucky to get home and we'll eat Thai takeout or pizza.  Yes, I know, VERY HEALTHY.

Early in the day I knew that I was going to the store after work so I decided that I wanted to cook something for dinner.  Looking out my office windows it was dark and dreary outside so I figured something hearty and comforting would do the trick.  My go-to food style is Mexican (I'm from San Diego) and it took me about 30 seconds to decide on the Green Chile Stew with Pork recipe from AllRecipes.com would be just what the doctor ordered.  I changed up the recipe a little bit and used chicken instead of pork but other than that I used all the other ingredients.

I also was so focused on making my stew (while making a separate dinner for Kate and Oliver) that I forgot to take pics of the process.  It was pretty easy.  Just sauteeing the chicken and throwing the rest of the ingredients into the pot.  We can all imagine those pictures in our head right? ;)

Green Chile Stew with Pork

Adapted from AllRecipes.com

3 pounds boneless pork loin, cubed (I only used 2 pounds of chicken instead of pork, sliced into strips)

3 tablespoons peanut oil

3 stalks celery, chopped (I only used 2 stalks)

2 tomatoes, chopped (I only used 1 tomato)

7 green chile peppers, chopped (I only used 5 peppers)

4 cloves crushed garlic (Heck yeah I used all 4 cloves!)

4 cups chicken broth (I used roughly about 3 cups)

1 (10 ounce) jar prepared green chile salsa  (Maybe only a cup)

salt to taste

 

1.In a large pot over medium high heat, brown the chicken in oil, for 4-5 minutes. (Until the chicken is almost completely cooked.) 

 

2.Add celery, tomatoes, chilies, and garlic.

3.Add green chile salsa and just enough chicken broth to barely cover the ingredients and bring to boil. Cover and simmer until stew is thick and meat very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add salt to taste before serving. If stew is not hot enough, add a bit of jalapenos salsa.
 

 
The recipe turned out great.  The last time I made it I used pork and had put everything into a slow cooker to cook for 8 hours.  Both times the stew turned out amazing.  This is definitely a keeper; all I get are rave reviews on the recipe and if there's not enough to go around, I get faces like this:
 

Oh yes, that is a real face from Oliver when my stew was gone...

Peanut Butter Toast with Icy-Cold Banana Milk

breakfast this morning consisted of something I usually make, just not with Challah or Maple Syrup.  it was good- nothing special or worth making when your in-laws come to visit, but I suspect if you have children this would be a nice twist to present to them.

the ingredients:

2 slices of Challah

2 c. Milk

2 small, ripe Bananas

1/4 c. Maple Syrup

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

3 tbsp. Peanut Butter

Honey for drizzling

Powdered Sugar for dusting

pinch of Nutmeg

now that I write this I realize I left out the Vanilla.  that totally sucks because that's typically my favorite sweetness when it comes to banana milk.  (Nutmeg is my #1 favorite part.)

we'll talk about the toast first: like I said, it's nothing spectacular, but is good to eat.  toasted bread, heated peanut butter and honey is a favorite flavor combination of mine.  I just wouldn't go out of your way to find Challah bread like I did (i.e. go to 4 different grocery stores).  I am more interested in the french toast recipe  that calls for Challah than I am in using it in this recipe!  I didn't use the Powdered Sugar because I think it bears no flavor and just gets messy.

the milk: the authors say they started making this because one of their son's wouldn't drink regular milk.  my milk was super thick so I'd like to meet the child that could suck this stuff through a bottle!  I had to cut mine with about 1/2 c. more milk.  it is really frothy and has a great banana flavor to it.  I didn't notice the Maple Syrup at all...  until I got to the bottom of the glass and found it all sitting there.  if you want to know how I make my banana milk, just ask and I'll share the recipe sometime.

I got these awesome plates from foldedpigs on Etsy.

I couldn't finish.  but I had one bite right about here that really made me want to.  it just got too heavy between the milk, Challah and warmed peanut butter.

I'm off to Borders.  they have some really cute Owl glassware that I've been successfully avoiding for about a month now.  I'm also going to stop by the Humor section and check out Regretsy's new book.

oh!  I also got an awesome vote of confidence from my mother who told me my pictures look like they belong in a magazine.  (I wonder if that means you all really think I'm making this stuff?!)  she's so cute.  she also wants to try the Eggs Benedict recipe- she really loves eggs.  A LOT.

I hope to see you back for dinner!

~pam