Easy Kitchen Creations

I spent most of the morning in the kitchen today. I finished up the dishes from the past few days (it's my week to do the dishes), folded some laundry, and wiped down the stove and counters. I also did a little cooking.

We have a ward activity tonight, and they passed around a sign-up sheet for soup, chili, and deserts. So I signed up to bring my moderately famous white beach chicken chili. I also whipped up a batch of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for us.

Now, before you get too impressed, let me assure you that neither of these recipes is particularly difficult. They're so easy, even a bachelor can make them. Observe:

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White Bean Chicken Chili

Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken
2 cups chicken broth (or bouillon)
2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can white beans (Great Northern, cannellini, navy beans, etc.)
1 15 oz. can whole kernel corn
1 4 oz. can diced chiles
1 small to medium white or yellow onion
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon coriander

Cook chicken until no longer pink in the middle; slice into small (½") pieces. While chicken is cooking, add broth, tomatoes, beans, corn, chiles, and spices to a Crock Pot set on low heat. Dice the onion and add to the broth/vegetable mixture. Add chicken as soon as it is ready. Cover and let cook on low for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally. Serves 4-8, depending on portion size.

This produces a flavorful, very mild chili. Add black pepper and/or red pepper flakes to taste to make bolder chili. This chili is very good with either tortillas or cornbread.

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 29 oz. can pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix!)
1 18 oz. spice cake mix
6 oz. milk chocolate chips (half a bag)

Preheat oven to 375° F. Mix pumpkin and spice cake mix together on low speed for 2 minutes or until completely mixed. Add chocolate chips. Use a small spoon to place batter on cookie sheet 1" apart (these cookies will not expand while baking). Bake for 25-30 minutes or until done. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from cookie sheet. Serve with cold milk.

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If anyone actually makes either of these, let me know what you think of them.