DANIELLE AT HOME

Fall

White Chicken Chili

by Leave a Comment

Today I am sharing my go to slow cooker meal. It’s delicious, super filling and pretty healthy (if you go light on the Fritos! lol). White Chicken Chili is the best, it’s super flavourful, takes basically no prep time. Perfect weeknight meal. Oh and you’ll have leftovers! Win!!

I love soups, stews and chilis in the fall and winter. I just find then so satisfying and super easy to make, but my husband isn’t a big soup fan. He’s a big strong man and likes a big plate of hearty food. He just doesn’t see soup as a meal. And he doesn’t like most chilis because tomatoes give him heartburn. So thats where this recipe saves the day. It’s hearty and there’s no tomatoes, it’s a serious winner. He actually asks for this meal regularly (could just be the Fritos!). And I happily oblige since it takes five minutes and it feeds us for days!

White Chicken Chili
White Chicken Chili
White Chicken Chili

So lets run down what makes this recipe so great.

  1. Canned Green Chilies, seriously yummy! Basically makes everything taste like queso blanco and adds delicious flavour to this chili
  2. Jalapeños, add just the right amount of heat. Remove or don’t remove the seeds to adjust the heat to your liking. I like one with and one without.
  3. White Beans, they make this chili so hearty and filling
  4. Cream Cheese, this is what makes this chilli creamy. Yep, no cream in sight! It’s perfect and my secret weapon!
  5. Spices, don’t skimp on the cumin! Heck add extra if you want!

This recipe really is one of those no recipe recipes. You chop a few ingredients and other then that just toss everything in and let the slow cooked do it’s magic. It’s really that simple! Add your favourite chili toppings and get to eating!

I hope you give this a try at your house, I know you won’t be disappointed!

White Chicken Chili

Creamy, spicy and delicious. This super easy slow cooker recipe is the perfect filling and delicious dinner.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 5 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Mexican

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients
  

Chili

  • 3 chicken breasts
  • 2 15 oz cans white beans, drained
  • 2 4 oz cans green chilies
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 2 jalapeños, chopped (remove seeds and ribs for a mild chili)
  • 1/2 onion, diced finely
  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 3 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • salt and pepper to taste

Toppings

  • cheddar cheese, shredded
  • avocado, sliced
  • fritos or tortilla chips

Instructions
 

  • Place chicken, beans, chilies, corn, jalapeños, onion, cream cheese and broth in you slow cooker. Add spices and stir. Place slow cooker on low for 8 hours or on high for 4.
  • Once chili is cooked remove chicken. Shred and return to the slow cooker. Taste broth and adjust seasonings accordingly.
  • Prepare desired toppings and serve.

Notes

Adapted from Cooking Classy.
Keyword Slow Cooker

Spiced Pear Galette with Maple Whipped Cream

by Leave a Comment

My first dessert recipe of fall is a spiced pear galette! And it’s topped with yummy maple whipped cream, I’m so excited to share it!

Fall and winter desserts are my favourite. Rich chocolates, spiced fruit and delicious pumpkin are by far my favourite flavours for dessert. So today I thought I would share a galette. It’s a fun and super simple twist on the classic fall apple pie!

Spiced Pear Galette

A galette is essentially a freeform pie with only a bottom crust, it’s insanely easy and totally forgiving. It’s a rustic dessert, the edges should be jagged and rough. If you’ve even made pie you know that sometimes it’s not easy to get the dough perfectly rolled and placed. Although some of my ugliest pies have been the most delicious!

I chose pears for this dessert simply because they are one of my favourite fruits, there delicious and just don’t get as much attention as apples this time of year. I only started baking with them over Christmas last year, but I was blown away with the flavour they bring to a dessert. They’ve always been a favourite snack but now there a favourite dessert!

Spiced Pear Galette
Spiced Pear Galette
Spiced Pear Galette

I decided to leave the skin on the pears in this dish, I find pear skin much softer then apple so I didn’t think it would be a problem. Plus it’s much prettier this way in my opinion.

Now as for the spice mix, I just used a classic apple pie spice, if you can’t buy the mix in store here’s a link to how to make it. I could have played around with the spices more but I really wanted a classic flavour with a twist. So I used lots of apple pie spice.

Now the whipped cream! Of course you could top your galette with deliciously creamy vanilla ice cream, but I thought a flavoured whipped cream would be better for this yummy dessert. So I added maple syrup instead of sugar to heavy whipping cream. It’s so yummy I now want to put it on everything!

This dessert would be perfect for Thanksgiving, or just a simple Sunday dinner. I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do!

Spiced Pear Galette with Maple Whipped Cream

Spiced pear filling on top of rustic buttery pastry, finished with slightly sweet maple whipped cream.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chilling Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, French
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

Crust

  • 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup butter, cold and cubed
  • 1/4 cup shortening, cold and cubed
  • 4-8 tbsp ice water

Filling

  • 3-4 small pears, sliced (1/8 inch thick)
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 3/4 tsp apple pie spice
  • 1 tsp corn starch
  • pinch salt
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • turbinado sugar

Maple Whipped Cream

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup (high quality)

Instructions
 

Crust

  • Whisk, flour, sugar and salt together in a medium bowl. Add shortening and butter. Using a pastry cutter or two forks cut the fat into the flour until it is the size of peas. Slowly add ice water 1-2 tbsp at a time until a ball starts to form.
  • Form dough into a disk, wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour

Filling

  • Pre heat oven to 425 °F. Line a rimless baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
  • Combine sliced pears, sugar, apple pie spice, corn starch and salt in a bowl.
  • Flour the parchment lined baking sheet, roll pie dough out into a 9 inch rustic circle. Arrange pears in the centre of the dough leaving a 2-3 inch border. Fold border over fruit.
  • Egg wash the folded dough and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until fruit is cooked and crust is browned. Remove and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Whipping Cream

  • In a high sided bowl whip cream on high using a hand mixer. Continue to whip until soft peaks form, about 3-5 minutes. Add maple syrup. Whip for another 30 seconds to combine on medium high.
  • Serve galette slightly warm or at room temperature with a large helping of maple whipped cream.

Notes

Adapted from Grandma’s Berry Pie
Keyword Dessert
Spiced Pear Galette and Maple Whipped Cream

Eggplant and Italian Sausage Pasta

by Leave a Comment

I don’t know about where you live but here in BC it has been a wet September. September seems to go one of two ways here, the longest hottest days of summer, or rain, rain and more rain. This year we have had the latter. Since the weather has been blah I’ve been able to dip into my fall recipes a bit sooner then normal. And of course I’m like every other girl out there and love fall. I mostly love sweaters and Thanksgiving, but I also really enjoy fall flavours and heartier dishes.

So since it’s fall here I’m sharing a new fall pasta recipe. A one pot pasta with eggplant and Italian sausage. It’s so yummy and is now a new favourite!

Let’s talk ingredients, it’s pretty simple here and most of these items are things I’m sure you have on hand. Your favourite short pasta shape, I love fussili. A delicious eggplant, Italian sausage, some canned tomatoes, a little wine, shallots, garlic and parmesan. So yummy!

Now the method here is simple, cook your pasta, set aside and start combining the sauce ingredients. This does take a tiny big longer then some of the one pot recipes out there since you really want to cook down the eggplant. I want melty velvety eggplant. It’s a total game changer in the sauces texture. If you think you’ve over cooked the eggplant it’s probably perfect. All the delicious flavours meld together to create a really rich flavourful sauce.

I like to serve this pasta with a super simple arugula salad, just arugula, shaved parmesan, lemon, oil and black pepper. Such a yummy bright compliment to the dish. You also can’t go wrong with a big glass of red wine to wash it all down. Also eating this by the fireplace makes it extra magical, but if it’s still summer where you are you may want to skip that. I hope you give this yummy dish a try!

One Pot Eggplant and Italian Sausage Pasta

A velvety smooth sauce with eggplant, tomato and red wine. Chucks of sweet Italian sausage and lots of parmesan cheese.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound fusilli pasta
  • 5 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 pound Mild Italian Sausage, casings removed
  • 1 shallot
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 medium eggplant, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1/3 cup red wine
  • 1 15 ounce can whole plum tomatoes
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese (additional for topping)

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Set aside 1 cup of pasta water, drain and set aside.
  • Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in pot over medium-low heat. Add shallots and garlic to pan, cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add sausage to the pan. Break into small pieces and brown until cooked through.
  • Deglaze the pan with wine. Simmer for 2 minutes until reduced. If the pan is dry add remaining olive oil. Add eggplant to the pan. Turn heat up to medium and cook for 10 minutes, or until beginning to soften.
  • Break up tomatoes with your hands. Add to pot. Season with salt, pepper and chili flakes. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste sauce and adjust seasonings if needed.
  • Lower heat, add pasta and cheese to sauce. Stir together. Add pasta water to loosen as needed, I typically use 1/3-1/2 cup. Top with additional Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Notes

Adapted from Food Network.
Keyword Eggplant, Pasta, Sausage
Eggplant and Sausage Pasta - So Yummy!

Scalloped Potatoes

by Leave a Comment

The perfect Easter side dish.

IMG_20190317_172403

Ok this recipe is a real winner. Scalloped potatoes are so yummy. I didn’t grown up eating scalloped potatoes with Easter dinner. My Grandma hates cheese (crazy right?!) so a potato dish covered in cheese just wasn’t on our table. But in my house we love cheese and potatoes and my hubby loves anything smothered in a creamy sauce. That means this recipe is a serious winner!

Layers of potatoes smothered in a creamy sauce , sautéed onions and more cheese than your diet would ever allow. This is comfort food people. It’s for special occasions not everyday.

IMG_20190317_172243IMG_20190317_172536

I’ve got a few tips for making this recipe and then we can get into making (and eating) this deliciousness!

Ok first things first cut those potatoes thin! As thin as you can. Personally I use a mandolin. They are really great at this job. This is the one I have. I love it because its small but effective. I use setting number two!

Secondly the type of potato. You can use russets but I like using a yellow potato. They hold their shape better after a long cook time and overall I prefer their flavour.

Slow cook your onions. This is a must! I’m super impatient but for this dish you can rush cooking your onions. You want them soft, translucent and not even a little brown. If they brown they will discolour your cream sauce.

Layering. Add sauce and cheese in between each layer of potatoes. Now depending how thin you cut your potatoes you will have approximately 4-6 layers of potatoes. Spoon a small about of sauce over each layer and sprinkle a small amount of cheese over each layer.

Now lets get into this delicious recipe!

IMG_20190317_172358.jpg

Scalloped Potatoes

Yields: 12 servings

Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp Butter
  • Yellow Onion, thinly sliced into half moons
  • 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
  • 1 cup Vegetable Broth (you can use chicken)
  • 2 cups Milk (I use 2%)
  • 1 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Pepper
  • 1 tsp Fresh Thyme, chopped
  • 4 pounds Yellow Potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
  • 2 cups Old Cheddar Cheese, grated
  • 1/2 cup Fresh Parmesan Cheese, grated

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a large sauté pan melt butter over medium low heat. Add onions sauté until soft and translucent, about 6-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add flour to the pan. Cook flour and onions for about a minute. Slowly add vegetable stock, stir constantly until a thick but smooth sauce forms. Slowly add milk to sauce, stir until smooth. Add salt, pepper and thyme. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Set aside.

Line a 13×9 inch baking dish with a layer of potatoes. Top with 1/3 cup sauce (approx.) and onions. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over sauce. Continue to layer potatoes until complete. Pour the remaining sauce over the top layer of potatoes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minute. Remove foil and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes until the top is brown and the potatoes are cooked though.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Top with additional thyme and cheese if desired.

Recipe adapted from Gimme Some Oven.

Scalloped Potatoes copy

Guinness Shepherd’s Pie

by 1 Comment

Seriously delicious and very comforting!

IMG_20190301_162106-2x3

St. Partick’s day is just over a week away. On Wednesday I shared my St. Patty’s party fav’s and now I’m sharing the perfect meal to serve at your party! It also has Guinness in it which adds a nice festive twist! Not only is this recipe great if your hosting people for St. Patrick’s day, but it’s also amazing for dinner year round. It’s delicious, filling and comforting.

When I was a kid my mom used to make shepherd’s pie out of leftover roast beef. It’s so good that way but today I’m using ground beef since it’s easy and readily available. Did you know that technically when you use beef you’re making cottage pie. Seriously lamb is traditionally used in shepherd’s pie. It gets it’s name from the shepherd’s who tend to the sheep. But since I know it as shepherd’s pie that’s what we’re going with.

IMG_20190301_163638-2x3IMG_20190301_163619-2x3IMG_20190301_163839-2x3

The first time I made Shepherd’s pie it was a failure. It was dry and tasteless. Since then I’ve discovered a few very important secrets to making a delicious Shepherd’s pie. First things first you need to make a thick flavourful gravy. Nothing is worse than dry filling. Cook down onions, garlic and carrots to create a flavourful base. brown off your ground beef add flour to thicken and then deglaze with Guinness. Seriously this creates an insane amount of deep flavour. Then add beef broth to create a thick luscious gravy.

The other tip I have is to make a super flavourful spreadable mashed potato. You need pretty loose mashed potatoes. You want them to still be soft and smooth when you eat them. Since they have to go in the oven if you dont add enough butter and milk they will really dry out. Also adding parmesan or another cheese can’t hurt either!

This recipe is seriously delicious and a must make for St. Patrick’s day, or any day!

IMG_20190301_162110-2x3.jpg

Guinness Shepherd’s Pie

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients:

Filling:

  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
  • 1 Onion, diced
  • 2 Carrots, diced
  • 1 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 1 tsp Dried Rosemary
  • 1.5 lbs Extra Lean Ground Beef
  • 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
  • 1/4 cup Tomato Paste
  • 1/2 cup Guinness
  • 2 cups Beef Broth
  • 1 Beef Bouillon cube
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup Frozen Peas
  • 1 cup Frozen Corn

Mashed Potato

  • 2 lbs Russet Potatoes, peeled and quartered
  • 3/4 cup Milk (I used 2%)
  • 1/4 cup Butter, melted

Topping

  • 3 tbsp Parmesan Cheese, grated
  • 2 tbsp Butter, melted

Directions:

In a large skillet over medium heat warm oil. Add onion, cook for 1 minute. Add carrots, cook for 1 minute until starting to soften and brightening in colour. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook for an additional 3 minutes until vegetables are soft.

Turn heat up to medium high and add ground beef. Break into small pieces and cook until browned.

Add flour, stir and cook for one minute to remove the raw four taste. Add tomato paste, bouillon cube, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and rosemary. Mix seasoning into meat until well distributed. Deglaze the pan with Guinness. Scrape brown its off the bottom of the pan until the beer cooks don and the pan becomes mostly dry again.

Add beef broth to the pan. Continue to scrape the pan to release the brown bits. Bring the mixture to a simmer, turn down the heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes, string occasionally. A thick gravy will develop. Taste gravy, add additional salt and pepper if desired. Stir in peas and corn. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes to defrost the vegetables.

Cool the mixture and place in the fridge until ready to use.

Place potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, season with salt and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.

Drain potatoes. Leave in the colander to dry for 5-10 minutes. In the mean time melt the butter in the microwave and measure out the milk. Return the potatoes to the pot. Using a potato masher or a hand mixer mash the plain potatoes. Add half the butter and milk to the potatoes, mash together. Check the consistency. The potatoes should be looser then regular mashed potatoes. They should be spreadable but not runny. Continue to add milk and butter until the mashed potatoes reach the desired consistency.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pour filling into a 9×11 inch baking pan, spread evenly. Spread mashed potatoes out evenly to cover the filling. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the potatoes evenly. Spoon melted butter evenly over potatoes. Bake for 45 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes to make serving easier. Serve with peas or a side salad.

Adapted from RecipeTin Eats.

Guinness Shepherd's Pie - St. Patrick's Day Favourite, so delicious!.jpg

Spaghetti & Meatballs

by 3 Comments

Flavour packed meatballs smothered in tomato sauce served on top of spaghetti.

00100dPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20190118141428913_COVER.jpg

I am constantly searching for dinner ideas that can be made ahead and frozen. Freezer meals save me during the week. I love spaghetti and meatballs. It’s such a classic comforting meal.

I like a flavour packed and tender meatball. I fill my meatballs with ground beef, sausage, herbs and parmesan cheese. They are baked not fried. I like to bake mine on a wire rack so that excess fat can be rendered off. This makes the meatballs really tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.

This recipe makes 24 meatballs, so I freeze what we won’t eat and pull the meatballs out portion by portion as we need them. It’s perfect since I always have spaghetti and pasta sauce on hand. Add a side salad and you have a complete meal in 20 minutes. I don’t know about you but I need more meals like this in my life!

As for the sauce. I keep it super simple fresh and flavourful. I like the meatballs to shine in this one. They have such a delicious flavour I didn’t want a heavy marinara sauce to overpower it. If you want to keep it super simple buy a really good marinara sauce doctor is up with garlic and seasonings, tell everyone it’s a family recipe. But if you have the time make your own sauce… it really is better.

00000PORTRAIT_00000_BURST20190118141539424.jpg

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Yields: 24 meatballs

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

  • 1 cup Breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
  • 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
  • 1/4 cup Milk (Use whatever you have on hand – I used 2%)
  • 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 3/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
  • 1 Small Onion, finely chopped
  • 1 pound Extra Lean Ground Beef
  • 1 pound Spicy Italian Sausage, removed from casings

Sauce:

  • 2 28 oz Can Whole Plum Tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 2 Garlic Clove, minced
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean up!), place a wire rack into the baking sheet. Spray the wire rack with cooking spray. Set

In a large bowl mix together breadcrumbs, parmesan, Italian seasoning, milk, tomato paste, salt, pepper and eggs. Stir until thoroughly combined. Add ground beef and sausage. Gently mix all ingredients until combined (you can use a spoon, but your fingers are best.. I know it’s gross, but worth it!)

Roll mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls (about 1 ounce each). Place on the prepared wire rack. Bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large sauce pan on low. Add garlic to the pan cook for 30 seconds until fragrant and softened. Add tomato paste, heat through for 1 minute. Add canned tomatoes to the pan. Simmer sauce over medium low heat for 10 – 15 minutes. Use a potato masher to crush the plum tomatoes. Add balsamic vinegar and simmer for 5 minutes.

Once the meatballs are cooked through add them to the sauce. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and toss pasta with tomato sauce.

Serve spaghetti in bowls topped with meatballs. Garnish with parmesan cheese if desired.

Spaghetti and Meatballs - Yum! Classic comfort food!
Spaghetti and Meatballs - Yum! Classic comfort food!