Daily Challenge - Simplify Dinner

Cooking a nutritious meal after a long day at work can sometimes be overwhelming. One great way to reduce the effort – and the dishes afterward – is to cut-up your produce before leaving the house in the morning and then cook everything using one pot when you come home. Soups are an obvious choice for this kind of meal, and there are lots dishes that you can make with a slow cooker (which are more energy efficient than the stove). The nice thing, too, is that when different foods simmer together their flavors blend in delicious ways.

Today, challenge yourself to find a one-pot recipe and plan a day for simplifying dinner by cooking a one-pot meal. _________________________________________________________________ My favorite one-pot meal is white chicken chili.   Ingredients:

• 1 T olive oil
• 2 med onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 4oz cans chopped green chiles
• 4 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 2 t ground cumin
• 1.5 t dried oregano, crumbled
• .25 t cayenne or crushed red pepper (depending on taste)
• 3 16 oz cans, great northern beans, drained & rinsed
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 3 cups grated monterey jack cheese
• salt
• pepper
• sour cream

Directions: Heat oil in large heavy pot to med/high. Add onions & saute until translucent, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic, chiles, chicken, cumin, oregano, and hot pepper. Saute 2 minutes. Add beans and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 2 hours or more. Add 1 cup of grated cheese. Stir until thick and melted. Season with salt & pepper. Serve with remaining cheese and sour cream.