A little taste of home....

So I was chatting with an old friend the other day from New Mexico & started craving some good green chili. Now, there are plenty of places that make good green chili, but if you want the BEST green chili of your life.... well sorry but you have to make a trip to Northern New Mexico. You will never taste food like this in your entire life! I've gotten pretty good at making my own but I won't lie, it doesn't compare to the chili some of my friends moms made back home. Chili doesn't photograph too well so this posts photo is of me & the peanut hanging at my moms last weekend! Enjoy!!!

Green Chili

1 lb. diced green chili (fresh is best but if you must a lot of supermarkets sell frozen green chili, just don't use the ortegan canned stuff!)
1 large can Swansons Chicken Broth
1 lb. diced pork
15 oz diced tomatos
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Salt to taste

In large stock pot combine green chili, broth and tomatos. Cover & bring to boil over low heat.

In skillet warm enough olive oil to coat bottom of pan. Add in diced pork. (you can flour meat but I don't like the extra weight flour adds) Season meat as you wish. I typically season with onion salt, pepper & cayenne pepper. Cook thoroughly. Add pork to stock pot. Add more oil to pan and sautee garlic & onions. Add to stock pot as well. Allow chili to cook over low heat for AT LEAST 1 hour. Salt to taste. If you chili is too spicy a dash of sugar during the cooking process will help. The longer the chili cooks the better the flavor.

Chili also freezes really well so I usually double the recipe and freeze half. When you are ready to serve just defrost & warm. You may need to add more chicken broth.

Fettuccine Success!!!

I feel triumphant! This was my first attempt at cooking fettuccine, and while I wish I could boast that I made my own pasta.... I wasn't that adventurous last night! Each week I get a email from Betty Crocker with quick & easy meals. Rarely do I try these but this week's looked extremely tasty! And since I love pasta I figured why not! It turned out amazing! Even my husband who hates anything remotely good for him, i.e. veggies, loved it. I served it with homemade bread sticks & it was a simple, fulfilling meal. Enjoy!



Fettuccine with Fennel & Spicy Sausage
Adapted from http://www.bettycrocker.com/


16 oz uncooked fettuccine
1 lb Spicy Italian pork sausage (I used mild so that our daughter could enjoy it as well)
4 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 medium fennel bulb, diced (I had never cooked or tasted fennel before so I only used half)
1 medium yellow & 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin strips (I diced mine in hopes D would eat them)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (I cheated & used about 2 tsp. minced garlic)
2 cans (28 oz) Muir Glen® organic crushed tomatoes with basil, undrained



Cook and drain pasta as directed on box. Return to saucepan; keep warm. Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium heat, stirring frequently, until no longer pink. Drain; remove sausage from skillet. In same skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, fennel, bell pepper and garlic in oil until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add tomatoes and cooked sausage to vegetables. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.

The recipe calls for you to stir in the pasta, however not knowing how everyone would like the sauce I served them separately. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.