Robyn's awesome white bean chili (makeover--Kandis)

So our family loves this soup that Robyn makes. It has chicken, cream and sour cream--but even if you leave those ingredients out, it still tastes awesome. So when I make the soup--just prior to adding the meat and dairy, I dish out some just for me and then add the other ingredients for Colby:) Here's Robyn's original recipe:
White Bean Chicken Chili (Robyn Gadd):
1 lb chicken, cooked and cubed (I tripled the recipe, so I just used a whole roasting chicken)
1 onion, diced
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cans white beans
1 can chicken broth
2 cans green chilies, diced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ cup cilantro
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Mix together everything but sour cream and whipping cream. Heat thoroughly. Add sour cream and whipping cream.

Best Bread Ever! (kandis)

My friend Brita gave me this recipe and I'm addicted--I make 4 loaves each week for my fam... 5 1/2 cups warm water
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup canola oil
1 T sea salt
1/4 tsp ascorbic acid (citric acid--you can buy it at 'Kitchen Kneads' on Redwood Rd.)
3 T yeast

Combine above ingredients and let stand until yeast is dissolved and starting to rise.

Add 11-12 cups whole-grain flour of your choice.

Knead for 10 minutes

Shape into loaves or buns and place into pans--let rise until double in size.

Bake at 325 for 30-35 minutes until golden on top.

Remove from oven and turn onto cooling racks immediately.

Makes 4 loaves.

My variations:
I like to divide the ingredients equally into two separate bowls and knead different ingredients into the separate flours. Some I've tried and loved:
raisins with pumpkin pie spice (brushed with olive oil/cinnamon/sugar)
dried oregano, garlic salt, cracked pepper (would also make excellent dinner rolls) (brushed with olive oil, cracked pepper, garlic salt)
coconut, pistaccio, honey-roasted sunflower seeds (pulsed in food processor) with either dried blueberries or cranberries and fresh orange zest. (Gotta love that bulk section at Winco!)

After the breads cool, I slice them all, place the loaves in bread bags and freeze two so they stay fresh for later in the week...
I love this recipe because I only use my hands:) I feel like a pioneer, and my boys like to beat the heck out of the dough (and get flour all over my kitchen:)

Thai Peanut Pasta (kandis)

My neighbor Angie brought this sauce over to me other day and Colby and I loved it! It's completely restaurant-worthy--it's pictured here with chicken--but I had it with only veggies and it was amazing! Noodles of your choice (you can use linguine, but I like to use noodles from the 'asian' isle...)
1 T sesame oil
1 cup chopped green onions
2 cups finely shredded carrots
6 T minced fresh garlic
1 T ground ginger ( or 2 T fresh mined ginger)
1 cup honey
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup soy sauce
6 T rice vinegar
1 T chili-garlic sauce
cilantro and green onions to garnish

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pot. Heat sesame oil on med-high heat; add green onions, carrots, garlic, and ginger. Saute until veggies softn--about 4 minutes. Mix honey, peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, and chili-garlic sauce and add to veggies. Mix well and simmer 2 minutes. Add pasta and toxx--garnish with chopped cilantro and green onions.

**notes: this is a copycat recipe from The Cheesecake Factory's dish by the same name. It can be spicy, so use less chili-garlic sauce if you don't want spicy. The recipe has been doubled above so you can freeze half and use it again later (simply thaw, heat and toss with cooked pasta). Enjoy!

how to love a parsnip (kandis)

cut into chunks:
2 peeled yams
2 peeled parsnips
4 red skinned potatoes
small red onion

Place in large ziploc bag:
oil, cinnamon, honey, ground chipotle pepper

Toss veggies in ziploc, then

Roast on cookie sheet at 400 degrees to desired tenderness (about 35 minutes)
drizzle with chipotle cholula for added kick and smile at the yummy goodness...