Cuisine: Chilis

Chile Rellenos Soup

Chile Rellenos Soup is a creamy and cheesy soup inspired by the classic Mexican Chile Rellenos. Roasted poblano peppers, cheese, and chicken capture the flavors of the traditional dish in an easier-to-make format. To make it easier, I used rotisserie chicken and topped with with crushed tortilla chips. It's really delicious.

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Firehouse Chili and Cornbread Casserole

I have made this Firehouse Chili and Cornbread Casserole twice in one week due to the rave reviews. I like this dish because the cornbread is baked right on top of the chili, which gives it a nice crust on top.
Cocoa powder (my secret ingredient in all my chilis) adds a rich depth of flavor to chili. Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder so it doesn't make the finished dish sweet.

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Tater Tot XLNT Chili Casserole

My late mother-in-law always served albondigas soup and tamales on Christmas Eve, which we do every year. She always served an XLNT chili brick for a topping. I never really thought about using it any other way, until we read the inside of the packet. It's basically a base to make your own chili, by adding peppers, beans, etc. I decided to try this Tater Tot XLNT Chili Casserole (actually my husband Eric made it!).

Starting out as a push cart on the side of Southern California roads, XLNT became a popular lunch time meal for some of California’s earliest residents. It was Californians’ love for the recipe that allowed XLNT to be one of the first tamales to be distributed and sold directly to grocery stores.

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Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili

This Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili is made with ground chicken, jalapeño peppers, corn, black beans, cream cheese, and a variety of spices. The chili can be cooked in either a pressure cooker or a slow cooker; I have given instructions for both.
The chili gets its heat from the jalapeño peppers, but you can adjust the spiciness to your liking by removing the seeds from the peppers or by adding more or fewer peppers. The cream cheese adds a richness and creaminess to the chili, and the spices give it a depth of flavor.
The chili can be served with a variety of toppings, such as shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped bacon, and additional jalapeños. It is also great for meal prep, as it can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge or freezer.

By Leslie Blythe

Chili Crisp Baked Feta

This Chili Crisp Baked Feta is really good. It's a little bit spicy, salty, and delicious! Once out of the oven, it gets a drizzle of hot honey. If you've never had hot honey then you are missing out. I love it on pepperoni pizza.

By Leslie Blythe

Spaghetti all’Assassina (Assassin’s Spaghetti)

After watching this CNN episode of Stanley Tucci Searching for Italy, I was intrigued by this recipe, which uses an alarming amount of red pepper flakes. I happened to be rather fond of red pepper flakes and always carry some in my purse and my car. This recipe is courtesy of chef Celso Laforgia, chef and owner of Urban Bistrot in Bari, capital of Puglia in southeast Italy.  He says that the two things you need are a powerful fire and a big pan that will fit the spaghetti. The trick to the dish is to burn it enough to make it crunchy, but not burn it so much that it's bitter. When the pasta makes a crackling noise, you know it's ready. If you want to make it, you should watch the episode which explains it all. By the way, we loved it.

By Leslie Blythe

Sweet Chili Garlic Glazed Salmon

This Sweet Chili Garlic Glazed Salmon is a quick weeknight recipe. The salmon is glazed in chili garlic sauce, green onions, brown sugar, and soy sauce. It can’t get any easier.

By Leslie Blythe

Blistered Shishito Peppers with Soy-Ginger Sauce

Shishito peppers have become a popular appetizer. They are mostly mild, but about one out of ten are spicy, which adds an element of surprise. The person that gets the spicy one will have good luck! The other interesting aspect of this dish is when you add the bonito flakes (dried fish flakes) on top before serving they move and dance from the heat of the peppers.

By Leslie Blythe

Lamb Chili

My father has been going through some major health issues and needs to eat more. We were out at a restaurant and he ordered Lamb Chili, which he absolutely loved. I decided to make him a big pot of it and have included two methods - stovetop and Instant Pot. This was definitely a labor of love given that I really hate lamb!

By Leslie Blythe

New Mexico Red Chile Sauce (Chile Colorado)

My friend Jessica sent me dried red Hatch chiles from The Hatch Chile Store. Her favorite red chile sauce recipe is from The Sunset Cookbook. Lightly toasting the dried chile peppers in a hot pan for a few minutes loosens the oils in the skins, which adds more flavor. You can use this sauce for enchiladas, soups, stews or as a condiment. It's so good and definitely worth the extra effort. The sauce can be frozen.

By Leslie Blythe