chili

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

This time of year tends to lean to the crazy side of things. Food, family, friends, programs, ending semesters, grading, finals, shopping, busy busy busy.

This is in addition to regular life stuff, like sports and work and feeding your family, so imagine my sadness when I realized that the blog hasn’t really gotten attention in a week. Then more sadness when I realized that this cookie has a grand total of two pictures for the whole blog. I guess, in the midst of photographing and recipe typing, this cookie got the short end of the stick. Kind of makes me sad, because of the cookies with the most surprise, this one is delish.

Imagine a dark chocolate cookie, rolled in a mixture of sugar, cinnamon, and two kinds of chili powder. Then baked to a soft dark sweet and spicy treat. You have this cookie.

Originally by Martha Stewart in her glory (yes I own almost every one of her cookbooks), the cookie calls for unsweetened cocoa powder. I have baked it with Dutch process and Dark Cocoa and hands down, my family prefers the darker chocolate flavor. I have also upped the spice factor by adding both Ancho and Chipotle, and increased the amounts, but trust me, with the sugar and the cinnamon, the subtle heat that happens with this cookie is more of a “Oh Wow” than “What the heck?”

As an aside, these spices are from the Atlantic Spice Company, an awesome little shop in North Truro, Massachusetts. This is in the Outer Cape Cod, at the junction of 6 and 6A. A must stop if you love to cook and are on the Cape. They have an amazing selection of spices and teas as well as the very cool gift selection for the culinary artist in your family (many items in my stocking came from the Atlantic Spice Company and I was very pleased).

In all fairness, I do typically warn the consumers of what is what on a cookie tray. My mom is not a fan. Spicy is not her thing. So, in respect for those who want to stay to the safe side of the cookie tray, let your guests know.

If you are the type who loves a little kick, and likes to be inspired, then this is the cookie for you. You can’t go wrong with a spicy dark chocolate chewy cookie that has just the subtlest hints of red flecks amongst the sugar. The cinnamon also rounds this out, so it is just a flavor boom of a cookie.

I also continue to bake my cookies at the lower temperature (I know, who do I think I am to mess with Martha Stewart on a recipe?) to keep them soft and I find that these are the kind of cookies you bake, and serve. As in, tender and break easily after the first day. So if you are planning to bake and freeze or bake and leave out…maybe do another kind of cookie. The good thing is, this dough doesn’t require chilling after mixing and before baking, so you can do this in one setting.

The soft chocolate crinkly top with the mix of sweet and heat makes this the perfect bring along to something like a Super Bowl party, where the folks who are clinging to the wings platter might enjoy spice with their cookie, or an event were foodies who like to try something new are up for a new dessert. I say, it takes all kinds of cookies to make up a tray.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy

Click below for a printable recipe!

 

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Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

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  • Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

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  • 2 ¼ Cup Flour
  • ½ Cup Dark Cocoa Powder
  • 2 Teaspoons Cream of Tartar
  • 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • ½ Teaspoon Coarse Salt
  • 1 Cup Butter
  • 1 ¾ Cup White Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
  • ½ Teaspoon Ancho Chili Powder
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne/or Chipotle Chili Powder (If you are going to go easy, this is the place to do it).

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In an electric mixer, combine butter and 1 ½ Cups of sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Scrape down sides of the bowl, beat in eggs until combined.
  4. With mixture on low, slowly combine dry mixture until combined.
  5. Refrigerate dough for a few hours up to two days.
  6. In a bowl, combine ¼ Cup Sugar, Cinnamon, and Chili Powder
  7. Scoop dough into balls and roll into cinnamon sugar mixture.
  8. Place dough balls on parchment lined cookie sheets.
  9. Bake at 325* for approx. 10 minutes. Bake until cookies are set in the center and are beginning to crack.
  10. Let cookies slightly cool on cookie sheets then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Yield 32 Cookies

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White Chicken Polka-Dot Chili

White Chicken Polka Dot Chili

Some days you want the same consistent thing.

And, some days, you want more.

That is life; and that is how I am with my white chicken chili. The chunk haters, the tomato haters, the crumbly haters be darned…or can at least appeased while I get the flavor I want.  I need more, I need different, and this is a nice spin on a classic.

Like when you play your playlist on shuffle…and suddenly that one song from long ago starts, and you think, “Oh yeah, I remember this song…Great song.” Suddenly you are 17, in your new-to-you-car, driving down the backroads of Connecticut and invincible.

Or, insert your young and carefree moment here.

Will this soup be the elixir to youth? Probably not, but its a nice way to mix up a stand-by in my house. Let’s face it folks, it’s almost winter. We need to keep the crock pot and soup recipes a-coming.

Using the crock pot means you throw the ingredients in, and walk away. That works for me as well. Because I have someone in my life who hates chunks of tomatoes specifically, I added the tomatoes with chipotle for this chili at the onset of cooking and then blended the ingredients prior to adding the beans. In truth, this chili is actually a really pretty light pinky peach color because of the tomatoes, but I thought calling this chili pink-polka dot chili a bit much. (Though in my head, that is what I call this).

Chili Ingredients

I also mixed up the beans (cannellini and black) to add a little more visual pop and flavor as well as texture. I added the beans at the end of the cooking, to avoid mushy consistency. I also added both cream cheese and with cheddar cheese to boost the creaminess as well as the flavor. I was very pleased with the end results.

So, RoTel tomatoes with chipotle…I saw these in my international aisle and thought, “Well hey.” If you want to add regular diced tomatoes that will do as well. I also added the green chiles and liked the flavor that resulted. I did use an immersion blender to break the chicken down as well as decimate the tomatoes, carrots, and chiles.

White Chicken Polka Dot Chili

The chipotle flavor is smokey and rich without burning your tastebuds. You get the warmth of spice without heat. You can add to the heat factor, it’s your chili.

Now, to serve. I treated this chili like a taco bar and put out fresh diced tomatoes, sour cream, additional cheddar cheese, and even diced lettuce, though I had no takers on the lettuce. I also served this up with super fresh salty tortilla chips, because, essentially soup is dip but better.

Can you feel the awesomeness of this recipe yet?

Another perk, it is not one of those soups that separates out and gets all icky the next day. My containers for lunch look fantastic. The cream cheese holds some sort of magic in it’s ability to hold the suspension. I’m so in love with a soup that is better the next day.

Oh, that everything would be better the next day. Like the coffee you forgot in the microwave, or the leftovers from that breakfast place. Just not as good after the fact.

Well, If pink and polka dotted soup doesn’t make you smile, maybe my apple cinnamon rolls will. But I am perfectly content with my circa 1990’s playlist, and a bowl of this deliciousness.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy

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White Chicken Polka-Dot Chili

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White chicken chili with a smoky chipotle kick and the pop of black bean color!

  • Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale

3 Chicken Breasts

1 Teaspoon Minced Garlic

1 10 ounce can of Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Chipotle

1 4 ounce can Green Diced Chiles

1/3 Cup Shredded Carrots

2 Tablespoon Better Than Boullion Chicken Flavor

32 Ounces of Chicken Stock

4 Cups White Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1 8 Ounce Package of Cream Cheese

3 Cans White Cannelini Beans (rinsed and drained)

1 Can Black Beans (rinsed and drained)

Instructions

  1. In a crock pot, place chicken breasts, garlic, Rotel tomatoes, green chiles, shredded carrots.
  2. Cover with chicken stock and cook on low for 6-8 hours, depending on crockpot.
  3. When chicken is fork tender and pulls apart, either shred chicken or use an immersion blender to make smooth consistency (as smooth as you choose).
  4. Add cubed cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and beans to soup mix.
  5. Continue to cook for an additional 20-30 minutes or until cream cheese is melted and beans are warmed through.
  6. Serve with fresh diced tomatoes, sour cream, additional cheddar cheese or whatever you desire!

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White Chicken Chili

Autumn is around the corner and it’s time to break out the soup and chili recipes!

Poached Chicken Breasts

I tend to put chili in the recipe rotation once every three or four weeks, and serve it with a nice green salad and some fresh cornbread or soft rolls. White Chicken Chili is simple and quick, and hearty as well. You can up the ante and add shredded cheddar or more spices, but this basic recipe is easy to do, especially when the weather turns colder and a bowl of comfort is welcome at the table.

For this recipe, I poached thinly sliced chicken breasts in chicken broth. Poaching sounds like a next level cooking term, but essentially, its simmering the meat in broth at a low temperature until it’s cooked through. The end result is a tender, moist chicken that is easy to shred. I think, in a pinch, you could use rotisserie chicken, but it is actually easier to poach and throw the breasts into a Kitchen Aid mixer to shred than it would be to stand there and take the chicken off the bone, and less greasy as well. However, some people love the use of extra Rotisserie chicken, and if it is on sale and you don’t mind the extra step, go for it!

Shredded Chicken Breasts

I poached the chicken, put it in the Kitchen Aid with the paddle attachment, and mixed it on low until the chicken had a fine shred. Again this is to your taste, so if you prefer bigger chunks, or larger shreds of chicken, go in that direction. I also saved the poaching liquid, and used that in the chili itself, as it is essentially broth that cooked the chicken, it is filled with flavor.

I have recently learned that my son doesn’t like the chunks of chili, be it tomatoes or onions, so this recipe is thick and hearty without seeing big chunks of anything. Now myself, I am a chunky person (I laugh to myself here. So much for self esteem). In more ways than one. Soup, cookies, muffins, chunks are good. So, this chili needed to deliver big flavor without big chunks.

in a stockpot, saute finely diced onion (you can add celery and carrot, I didn’t) until tender. Add the poaching liquid, three cans of drained, rinsed white beans, the chicken, and your spices.

Now for me, chili needs heat. I kept this mild and added hot sauce procured from my local farmers market that is a combination of smoked apple and heat. I did put in a dash of hot sauce into the chili to give it the extra pizazz. You can add green chili peppers that are canned, fresh jalapeño or ghost peppers if you like it hot.

Oh I almost forgot…what makes this chili creamy and delicious? A block of cream cheese! Cubed and stirred into the mix while it is on the stove, after heating thoroughly, the cream cheese dissolves and adds not only to the texture, but also to the flavor.

Let the chili cook on the stove until ingredients are combined, and serve. I love to add cheddar cheese, sour cream and hot sauce to mine. I would add cheddar cheese to the whole batch, actually.  Boom and Wow.

Serve with your favorite cornbread http://mythankfultab

White Chicken Chili

le.com/2017/09/14/cheesy-skillet-cornbread/

and enjoy!

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy

Click below for a printable recipe!

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White Chicken Chili

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  1. 2 Pounds thinly sliced Chicken Breast
  2. 64 oz Chicken Stock
  3. 1 Tbsp Olive oil
  4. 1 Onion, finely diced
  5. 1 block of Cream Cheese, cubed
  6. 1-2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese (If you wish/optional)
  7. 3 Cans White Cannelini Beans, drained and rinsed
  8. hot sauce, spices, canned green chilies, salt, pepper, to taste

 

  • Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale
  1. Gently poach chicken breasts in 1/2 of stock. (I usually use two containers of chicken stock, one to poach and one to add to chili later on). Poach until chicken is tender and cooked through. Drain and reserve poaching liquid.
  2. Shred chicken either in mixer or by hand until chunks and shreds are as desired. Set aside.
  3. Finely dice onion (you can also add carrots and celery but for this recipe I did not).
  4. Saute onion in olive oil in stockpot until translucent.
  5. Add three cans of drained white beans, chicken, poaching liquid, and additional stock.
  6. Add one package of cream cheese, cubed to chili and stir until mixed in.
  7. Add spices, chile peppers, hot sauce, and heat through.
  8. If desired, add cheddar cheese and continue to heat until melted.
  9. Serve with sour cream, additional cheddar shredded, and hot sauce.

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