Good Taste: Ghost Chili

My friend, Kari (the one who made Peter's spectacular birthday invite), always wins our ward's annual chili cookoff with her Ghost Chili recipe. This recipe was handed down to her from her mother-in-law, and now I give it to you. This winner of a recipe is on our permanent cold-weather food rotation. It feeds the soul.

Ghost Chili
1 lb. boneless chicken, chopped into bite size pieces
1 onion, diced
1 Tbl. Oil
1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
14 oz. can chicken broth
1 can chopped green chilis
2 15 oz. great Northern beans drained and rinsed
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
½ tsp. black Pepper

Brown chicken and onion in oil until chicken is cooked and onion is
tender. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.

Before serving, stir in 1 cup of sour cream and ½ cup of whipping cream. (sometimes if i don't have whipping cream i add all sour cream. if you don't have enough of that just add less salt when you simmer the soup.)

Kari spent a year in China and adapted the Ghost Chili recipe to the ingredients available to her there. To our benefit, she has created a delicious Asian Ghost Chili recipe. I wonder how one would say 'ghost' in Chinese....

Ghost Chili in China!
1 boneless chicken breast, chopped into bite size pieces
1 onion, diced (red onion)
1 Tbl. Oil
3 cups chicken broth
2 chopped green peppers (the medium-sized skinny hot ones, without the seeds)
2 small stems of celery

4 whole cloves of garlic (let the soup simmer with the garlic cloves then remove them before serving. or just chop them so you don't need to remove them.)

3-ish cups of the white beans (great northern preferably), if dried soak for 8-10 hours
1 ½ tsp. chives/ginger/garlic seasoning (packaged as one-i get this at my local market but if you have these things in powdered form use that)

1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin

½ tsp. black Pepper

Brown chicken and onion in oil until chicken is cooked and onion is

tender. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Before serving, stir in 1 cup of sour cream and ½ cup of whipping cream. Homemade sour cream: 1 cup cream to 1 T vinegar. let sit in fridge for a few days before using.

Good Taste: Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Mustard

So many recipes....I have other things on my mind than food--it's true! But, I've been having fun with the grill this summer, so here are a few more food posts.


From Martha Stewart Living, June 2009


1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
2 garlic cloves, minced
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 chicken cutlets (6 oz each)
1 large red onion, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
3 ounces aged cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
1 baguette, cut crosswise into 4 pieces and halved horizontally
3 tablespoons creme fraiche
3 sour pickles, thinly sliced lengthwise

1. Mix 1/4 cup mustard, the oil, dill, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Add chicken and onion and toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill onion, turning often, 8 to 10 minutes. Grill chicken on 1 side for 3 minutes; flip, top with cheddar, and cook 3 minutes more. Cut cutlets in half. Grill baguette, cut sides down, until crisp, 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Mix remaining 3 tablespoons mustard and the creme fraiche in a small bowl. Spread onto cut sides of baguette. Sandwich chicken, pickles, and onion between bread.

Thoughts: I should always have Shane grill our chicken. My lack of patience always results in almost-safe-but-I-wish-I-gave-it-5-more-minutes doneness. Really fab French sandwich; actually so much better than all the on-the-go baguette sandwiches I ate in Paris (at Paul's--anyone remember that chain? Shane and I would always exclaim, "Merci, Paul" when we saw one. Had to be there, I guess.)

Good Taste: Chicken Salad with Potatoes and Arugula

From August 2008 Real Simple

1 pound new potatoes
Kosher salt and pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 rotisserie chicken
3 bunches arugula, thick stem removed
1/4 cup fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan, shaved

Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain, run under cold water to cool, and slice.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Using a fork or your fingers, shred the chicken, discarding skin and bones.

In individual bowls, combine the arugula, chicken, tarragon, and potatoes. Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Thoughts: Perfect autumn salad, especially on a busy day.