My wonderful husband, Eric, is taking the reins today to share the recipe for the scrumptious White Bean and Chicken Chili he made this weekend. It is perfect for these cooler nights. Enjoy!
This chicken chili hits the spot on a cool evening.
White Bean and Chicken Chili
Ingredients
One whole chicken, in parts
12 tomatillos
Two large poblano chiles
Two medium jalapeño chiles
1 1/2 cup diced onion
3 12oz cans cannellini beans
3 cloves garlic, sliced
2 beers
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp Adobo
3 tsp sage
2 tsp basil
Salt & black pepper
Debone the chicken. Season evenly on both sides with salt, pepper, adobo, sage, and basil. Reserve.
Peel and rinse the tomatillos. Cut the smallest in half and the larger to roughly that size. Put in a medium saucepan, and add the cider vinegar and one beer. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes or until the tomatillos soften.
Roast the chiles and wrap in plastic to steam them, 15 minutes. Rub or peel off the skin, then remove the seed pits and dice.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot to a shimmer. Add the chicken, skin side down, and brown. Remove before the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Drain on paper towel.
To the pot, add half of the liquid cooked with the tomatillos and deglaze. Add the chiles and onion to the pot and sautée* with a pinch of salt. Once toasted, add the garlic and toast, stirring often 5 minutes. Add the tomatillos and liquid, then the cans of beans, with liquid. salt and pepper the beans before you stir them in. Add the other beer.
Dice the chicken and return to the pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer for an hour. Taste frequently to correct the seasoning.
Serve with white corn tortilla chips and a dollop of sour cream.
* If you started with a whole chicken and have giblets, dice them and add them with the onions and chiles. Skip the kidneys and neck.
Today’s post comes from my friend, Chip Ivie, who told me of a supper club he belongs to. They recently got together to create a Feast of the Seven Fishes, which fascinated me. Chip was very sweet to write up and send me all the details. This sounds like the perfect way to involve all your friends in a special dinner.
I hope your holiday party calendar is full this season. Mine certainly is. Party, Party, Party! Last week Eric and I went to a party here. Truly giggle inducing. It’s not everyday you get invited to a $10 million dollar house just to party. It is an evening we will not forget.
Another party I will hold dear in my Christmas memories this year is Richard’s Christmas party last Friday night. It was so much fun! Yummy appetizers, delightful beverages and some of the coolest people. It was a swell time.
The perfect time for my red hat!
We exchanged stories, sang and filled up on tasty fare that my sweet friend Richard slaved over all day long. Marvelous bruschetta, mini quiches and all sorts of treats. There were friends I already knew (Patricia, Jay, Barry and Kathy), along with brand new friends, Ricardo, Michael, Jamie, Kris, Sonny, Alexis and Bria – all super fabulous.
Sharing a hug with Kathy and Barry.
Not only is Richard an insanely talented photographer and stylist, but an incredible host as well. We had so much fun and were so tickled to be invited.
And aren’t friends the best gift of all? Priceless.
A very happy and stylish group of friends!
xoxo, Patti
Today, blogging to Dionne Warwick and Friends – That’s What Friends Are For
Last week my sweet friend, Patricia Tinsley, who knows everybody, invited me to a tasting at Atlanta’s own Imperial Fez. Of course I jumped at the chance to visit the emporium of low seated booths draped in silk and filled with exotic belly dancers. I picked out an appropriate outfit (no shoes necessary, you take them off when you get there so you could show up with flip flops on and no one would notice), realized I was the first from our party to get there and was led to our gorgeous seating area.
Just like being in the movie Casablanca, without the long flight.
I am thrilled to welcome today’s guest blogger, reader Cindy Cullen, who has some very sage advice for your upcoming dinner parties. Cindy writes on the topic of culinary arts colleges and may be reached for further advice at CindyCullen84@gmail.com
Dinner parties are a mixed bag – some are absolute bores, some are so-so, and some just blow you out of this world with their fun quotient. And if you had to host one, you’d definitely want to be in the last category and wow your guests. So how do you go about making a dinner party a fun affair, especially if you’ve never thrown one before or worse, if your last attempt was a damp squib? Dinner parties are fun when:
They’re tailored to the guest list: The party has to be about what your guests would enjoy, not about what you want it to be. Choose a theme and entertainment based on your guest list – something formal for colleagues and co-workers, especially if superiors are present, an all-out fun affair with no protocol whatsoever when it’s a bunch of close friends, all of who love to let their hair down, or a toned down yet informal dinner when there are family members with children in tow. There’s no one-size fits all when it comes to dinner parties, so customize them to suit your guest list.
They have backup plans to prevent disasters: So your main course just went down the drain because your caterer failed to understand your instructions or because you’re not such a great cook. Your dinner party is still sure to be a success if you have acontingency plan for such situations, like an arrangement with a restaurant where you can order some decent food at short notice. The key to backup plans is that they must be executable quickly and with the minimum chance of a mishap.
They don’t take themselves too seriously: It may be formal, but it’s still a party. So don’t stand on ceremony or expect your guests to do so as well. If you’re a stickler for rules and frown at accidental spills and the wrong use of cutlery, your future dinner parties are not going to have a very long guest list. Dinner parties that don’t take themselves too seriously are the ones that are most fun.
They include all the guests in the merriment: The best dinner parties are those where all your guests enjoy themselves; so as host, it’s up to you to get people to socialize through activities that allow them to do so. If your dinner party is themed, choose one that is amenable to all your guests so that they all have fun. And if you see people feeling left out or remaining wallflowers, entice them to join the fun by being a good host.
Thanks, Cindy! This is advice we can all learn from.
xoxo, Patti
Today blogging to Beauty and The Beast Soundtrack – Be Our Guest
Last night was a dinner for 12 sponsored by POM Wonderful but given by me at our house. With a bundle of courses.
This morning I am staring at a kitchen full of dirty dishes.
Thus, my very belated Halloween post. And since a picture says a thousand words, here are several thousand words for you.
My costume was the Tooth Fairy, with my precious husband crafting my fleece tooth crown all himself. He is incredible. He went as a Juggalo. Google it for fun.
Our party hosts were the always charming Steve and Carrie Burns at their killer loft in Castleberry, overlooking the Georgia Dome. I especially loved the cockroach cupcakes. Brilliant.
Eric is the best at everything. Loved my softie crown.
Good Morning Darlings! Okay, so belicious isn’t a word, but I liked how it sounded with the other words. Sunday night our besties John and Danny whipped up the most fabulous meal for a belated celebration for my sweetheart, Eric. You know we never need a reason to party. What’s that you say? It’s Tuesday? Pop open the bubbly!
Poor Eric has been on crutches this past week due to a bad ankle, so he gave Danny a lesson on balancing on crutches when we arrived. Hilarity ensues.
Danny had never used crutches before. It's kind of a balancing act.
I received an email from reader Zach, and he popped the question – about risotto! He was having some folks over for dinner and was concerned about leaving his guests while he slaved away over the pot of creamy rice. An excellent inquiry, Zach. After the dinner, he emailed me to let me know how it all had gone and I asked him to guest blog for me. Plus, I just bought a new laptop (bye bye little Mac, how I loved you….) and I am getting used to all the new bells and whistles.
So, without further adieu, here’s Zach!
My name is Zachary Olah and I live in Columbus, Ohio. By day I work as a criminal defense attorney, but by night and weekend I dream of wielding a chef’s knife in the trenches of fine restaurants, or catering large swanky events…heck, I even dream of flipping greasy burgers at a local diner. I simply love cooking, but do I love entertaining? As I planned a dinner party for 10 I realized there was more to it than just cooking.
My story began on a Sunday night when my wife Courtney and I, as well as our two children, were meeting with a small group of friends from our church. We meet nearly every week at one of our homes, and along with some spiritual nourishment we often times enjoy refreshments and light banter. Currently we are reading through a parenting book and discussing parenting issues as we go, while our children are running about the house enjoying themselves. All of our talk and focus on our kids one night gave me an epiphany. It occurred to me that nearly all of our time spent with these wonderful people was also spent with all of our children or talking about our children. We all needed a date night without the kids, and what better way than to plan a dinner party. One very excited group member was Sonjia who also has a love for food and entertaining. She also has a beautiful new kitchen that really need to be broken in! With her as my wing man I got to work planning the menu.
Zach and his sous chefs
Napkin folding class in the dining room!
In Ohio this time of year the temperature has really started to drop and I new I wanted something comforting, something creamy, something my friends may not make at home very often…I knew I wanted to make risotto before I decided on anything else on my menu. The danger there is once you set your heart on something it is hard to shake. I knew I could make a good risotto, but then I thought about the hosting and entertaining aspects of a dinner party. Risotto as many of you know is not really difficult, but it does require attention. Constant attention. How can I host and entertain and enjoy myself while working this dish to perfection? This was where Patti and the Anatomy of a Dinner Party comes in. While looking online at different ideas for risotto I came across this wonderful gal and her very entertaining and informative blog. I posted a note with my query, to risotto or not to risotto? She flew into action by email with many great suggestions. In the end it was up to me and I decided I had to go with my heart. I was going to make that risotto and it was going to be the best darn risotto any of my friends had ever eaten!
Our menu for the evening started with shrimp prepped two ways and broiled, then served with a garlic sauce. We followed with an arugula and smoked mozzarella salad with lemon vinaigrette. For the main course we were having cabernet braised beef served over a wild mushroom risotto and topped with a fresh herb gremolata. Everyone attending was responsible for bringing a dessert to share. My love for cooking is matched by my wife Courtney’s love for baking and she made french bread from scratch to serve with dinner.
The one thing I learned in cooking for this many people is you can’t plan too much. The best advice I took was preparing as much food ahead as I could. The beef lent itself well to this plan and I braised the beef for two hours the night before then chilled it overnight. It required only reheat in the oven the next day and sauce prep prior to service. All the shrimp and salad was done by Courtney, Sonjia and I the afternoon leading up to the party. Things were going well, almost too well. Then I realized how close it was to showtime! We had to get the shrimp under the broiler, but not too soon. While they were under the broiler I had already begun sautéing my onion for the risotto. As we were pulling blazing hot pans of shrimp out and preparing the platter for appetizers I was trying to be faithful to my risotto. If I neglected her, she would surely betray me. People are walking in and greeting us as I leave the stirring of my pot to draw another pan of shrimp from the broiler, only to realize I don’t have the best grip and I feel my fingers burning. Of course things are going great until my friends walk in. The pan slips from my hand and slides across the island and came to rest next to the platter. Courtney looks to me with concern, but I am already back to my pot, stirring diligently and adding more stock.
The kitchen is now alive with talking and laughter and eating, and the pain in my finger is residing as the risotto comes to that creamy point where you know you are half way there. We moved everyone into the dining room and served the salads. I was so confident in the risotto at this point I lowered the heat a bit and ate the salad with my friends while leaving to stir only for a few brief moments. The salad was great and was receiving high praise from our company, but it was time for the main event. Sonjia and I plated each dish of risotto topped with three to four juicy chunks of beef then covered it with a spoonful of the rich cabernet sauce. The final touch was the herb gremolata. I almost skipped this step. I had read about it on another website. Why was it needed? I had read that after cooking meats for long periods of time in such a dark rich sauce, it would add a fresh note right at the end of each bite. I followed the suggestion and was rewarded. It turned out better than I had imagined.
The table went nearly silent for several small moments as my friends enjoyed their meal. As all hosts know, this is the best part. All the love and efoort you put in is now transferred to your loved ones. It was at this moment I remembered why I wanted to have this dinner party. I sat back, breathed deep, and saw pleasant smiles of comfort on each face. I noticed there was no crying of babies and no “Mommy can I…” or “Daddy I want…”, there was just a very simple happiness. A happiness that comes when two of our most basic human needs are met, the need to be fed and the need to be loved. It’s not magic. It’s hospitality. That is what Patti believes in, and I am now a witness to what well planned and fairly well executed hospitality can do. Thanks for the outlet Patti, I am already imagining my next party and pray the very best for you and your guests!
Thanks, Zach! I loved reading about your dinner party and I loved the photos of you and your friends having fun.
Anyone else like to have their party on Anatomy of a Dinner Party? I would love to feature your ideas and photos, so send them on in!
xoxo, Patti
Today blogging to the Oliver! Soundtrack – Consider Yourself
Oh how I love my friends – the diversity among us is riveting and our differences make for the very best get togethers. After all, if we were all the same, it would be dull as dirt, yes?
And this weekend was Pride. What better excuse for a fabulous party than Pride? None, that’s what. So I got together all my favorites and threw a dessert dance party on Thursday as a mini kickoff to the Pride activities. A wonderful time was had by all.
I fashioned this sign out of 2 Happy Birthday Banners. The last "E" is a "B" cut up.
This was also the party I swore I could do for $100. How did I do?
I am still glowing from the weekend’s activities. Last Friday, I got some surprise news that tickled me to no end. It was a treat I wanted to share with our very besties and neighbors so I sent out an email asking everyone to be at our house on Saturday between 5- 7pm for a huge surprise.
All the guesses I received were hilarious – was I pregnant (what?!?!), did I get a television show (hmmm…), are we moving (hell no!!!)
But I knew it would make all of us smile and warm our hearts in a big way.
