Festive Food Gifts

Photography by Paulette Phlipot

With the holiday season approaching quickly, our growing lists of things to do may seem overwhelming. If you are looking for some stress-free ideas for giving creative and edible presents, see my sensational recipes for Festive Food Gifts in the just released winter issue of Teton Family Magazine!

Chicken and White Bean Chili

Makes 4 to 6 servings

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 (7-ounce) can green chiles
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cans (15 ounces each) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained, divided
3 cups chicken broth, divided
1-1/2 cups (6-ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Sour cream (optional garnish)

1. Heat oil n a large skillet and cook chicken over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Stir in the onion and garlic; cook 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Sprinkle with oregano and cumin; cook 1 minute longer or until chicken is browned and vegetables are tender.
4. Transfer chicken mixture to a 3-quart slow cooker and add green chiles.
5. Add 1 cup of beans to a small bowl and mash; add 1/2 cup broth and stir until blended.
6. Transfer bean mixture to the slow cooker and add the remaining beans and broth.
7. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
8. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with grated cheese and cilantro. Garnish with sour cream if desired.

Butternut Squash and Jalapeño Soup

With Thanksgiving approaching quickly, I want to share one of my favorite seasonal soup recipes from A Taste of Wyoming. The unexpected addition of jalapeño pepper to this rich, creamy soup provides a pleasant contrast to the mild flavor of the squash, and the pepper does not overwhelm the palate with too much heat.

This velvety soup is also a favorite of Chandler Roosevelt Lindsley, my husband’s godmother (and the granddaughter of President Franklin Roosevelt). Chandler is a wonderful cook and she called me the first time she prepared it to tell me she likes it with a little more heat, which didn't come as a surprise since she lives in Texas where hot peppers are a favored ingredient of southwest cuisine. So adapt the dose of pepper to your taste and enjoy this lovely soup on Thanksgiving eve!

Makes 6 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup water
1 1/2 pounds peeled, seeded, and diced butternut squash
1/4 cup seeded and finely chopped jalapeño peppers
2 cups heavy cream
Pinch ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium heat; sauté the onion until translucent.
2. Add the chicken stock or broth and water; bring to a boil and add the squash.
3. Lower heat to medium and cover; cook until the squash is tender, about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in the pepper and cream, bring to a low boil, then remove from the heat and cool for 20-30 minutes.
5. Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree.
6. Pour soup through a strainer over pan and add seasonings.
7. Warm over low heat for a few minutes and ladle into bowls; garnish with a drizzle of cream and finely chopped pepper for a pretty presentation.

Note: Always use caution when cutting and seeding hot peppers, and avoid touching face/eyes.

Pumpkin

About a week before Halloween, I began craving pumpkin bread, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin pie, pumpkin pancakes, and this morning I thought, hmmm, maybe I should make a pumpkin smoothie! And no, I'm not pregnant.

I tend to get bored with my own recipes and I love trying new ones, so I've been browsing the pages of my favorite cookbooks and food blogs looking for everything pumpkin, and Cheryl’s blog features the best sensational pumpkin recipes I could find. So, instead of posting my ho-hum pumpkin recipes, I'm sending you to Cheryl's site. She has compiled several from her favorite sites, so I'm going down the list and trying each one.

And while you are there, congratulate her and Paulette on their new book contract! Read more about RIPE here.

GOOP

One of my favorite celebs is Gwynth Paltrow, and through her new website GOOP, I feel as if I've come to know her as a cyberspace neighbor who shares my love of all things culinary.

One of my favorite features of her unique (very cool) website is MAKE - a segment devoted to food and recipes. Gwynth has ALOT of sensational foodie friends who are famous, and not famous - and she shares these friends by including their recipes with tasty tidbits of info about them, along with some of her own delish recipes, favorite restaurants, and good food stuff.

Gwynth has some fun treats for Halloween in her newsletter this week that I wanted to share with you! I hope you enjoy getting to know her as much as I have by "nourishing the inner aspect" at GOOP!