Skillet White Chili Dip

Back when Brad and I first started dating, I had less than zero interest in anything football related. It all seemed the same to me: run a little, crash into each other, fall down, do it again. Still, because I loved him so much, I gave in and watched a game with my boyfriend. We were sitting on the sofa in the house he shared with several other college boys. I stretched out just as the game began. Five minutes later I was sound asleep. And I stayed asleep for the entire game.

Oops.

These days I'm a least slightly more interested. Between watching a 2 year old cheering for Peyton Manning and the excuse to make delicious snack foods I can remain entertained. I've realized during this football season that has been so amazing for the Denver Broncos that I enjoy watching others enjoy the game more than the actual event itself. I guess that's the beauty of sports. In a time when we are distracted by smart phones, computer screens, video games and more, anything that brings people together to spend time cheering, laughing and eating together is worth it.

I've been traveling for the last week and a half, so I'm looking to keep this weekend as simple as possible. This white chili skillet dip is perfect if you have last minute guests coming over to watch the game or if you just want something that doesn't take tons of time but brings the classic flavors people expect during the big game. What I love about this appetizer is that it's a little more elegant than the typical cheesy chili dip with tortilla chips. Serving it in a classic cast iron skillet lends a nice touch.

The simple combination of onions, garlic and green chiles make the perfect base. A little bit of beer (I used an IPA) reduced down to concentrate the flavor and give the white beans an extra boost creates the most delicious contrast to the creamy cheese. After some time in the oven getting bubbly and golden, the dip is sprinkled with fresh cilantro and drizzled with lime juice. Scooped up with salty tortilla chips, this dip was made for game day.

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Easy Skillet White Chili Dip

Yield: 8-10

Author: Rachael

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinInactive time: 5 MinTotal time: 35 Min

This warm and delicious skillet dip is full of creamy white beans, diced green chiles, and lots of cheese. Perfect with tortilla chips on sportsball watching days!

Ingredients

Easy Skillet White Chili Dip

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4.5 to 5 ounces diced green chiles
• 1 small jalapeño, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 12 oz can white beans, rinsed and drained
• 6 oz beer (IPA works nicely- stay away from darker beers)
• 12 oz Pepper or Monterey Jack cheese, cut into cubes
• fresh cilantro
• lime wedges
• tortilla chips

Instructions

1. Move a rack to the top third of your oven and preheat your broiler.
2. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron (or other oven proof) skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the green chiles, jalapeño (if using), garlic and onion to the skillet and heat until softened and fragrant, 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the beans and a bit of salt to the skillet and stir to combine.
5. Pour the beer into the skillet and bring to a boil. Use a fork to mash the beans a bit here for a creamier final texture.
6. Reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid has reduced by nearly half.
7. Turn off the heat and add the cheese.
8. Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil for 5 minutes, watching carefully to make sure nothing burns, until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown on top.
9. Remove the skillet from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes before garnishing and serving.
10. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and lime juice. Serve the dip piping hot with tortilla chips on the side.

Notes

• To make your dip extra creamy, mash the beans with a fork after you add them to the skillet. They will absorb more of the liquid in the pan beautifully!
• You can use other cheese: white cheddar, pepper jack, even a scoop or two of cream cheese along with the Monterey Jack cheese!
• If you don’t want to use beer, you can use chicken or vegetable broth
• I love the green chiles from the Hatch Chile Shop- they’re worlds better than anything canned! They were kind enough to send me a box of their frozen chiles and I cannot recommend them enough.
• Would you like to see how to make it? You can check out my Instagram Reel here!

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @setthetableblog on instagram and hashtag it # setthetableblog

Peanut Butter & Date "Jelly" Bulgur Wheat

Some of you may remember that I decided to Go Sugar Free in 2014. A lot of you expressed how crazy I am. After all, how could anyone give up something as wonderful as sugar? Well, here's the deal: I am not giving it up entirely. I'm taking a course that teaches me what sugar and other foods do to my body and how to overcome cravings that won't actually make me feel better but will make me feel worse. It hasn't been as hard as I originally anticipated. I thought for sure I would be hiding in the closet with a freshly baked batch of cookies and a jug of milk. No one would ever know. But instead, I find myself focusing my energy on developing easy recipes that are added sugar free.

Breakfast is a tricky time for me because I love to have a simple piece of toast slathered with jam. Raspberry jam, to be exact. It's not like I'll never have that again, but I'm doing my best to find something I like even more. As I searched for recipes with no added sugar, I found that many people use dates. Dates are one of those things that I frequently forget about, which is unfortunate seeing as how they taste like delicious soft caramels. So I went to a big box store (don't judge) and bought a massive container of Medjool dates. I went home and cut one open. As I took my first bite (after removing the pecan shaped pit from the center, of course) I was struck by the smooth texture and nutty sweetness. I knew right then and there that I had found an ingredients that could take me to new realms of freedom from sugar.

For this bulgur wheat, based on a Cooking Light recipe that I fell in love with a couple weeks ago, I chopped the dates very finely and added them to the wheat along with some natural, unsweetened peanut butter. It was absolutely delicious. The flavors came together beautifully, creating a PB & J bowl of wonderfulness.

If you've never used bulgur wheat, you should start now. It has a wonderful flavor and all the work is done in the fridge while you sleep. One minute of microwaving in the morning and you have a healthy, easy, delicious breakfast ready to go. AND THERE IS ZERO SUGAR. You're welcome.

Peanut Butter & Date "Jelly" Bulgur Wheat

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

• 1 cup bulgur wheat
• 3 cups low-fat milk or unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tablespoon natural, unsweetened peanut butter
• 1 large date, pitted and finely chopped
• Extra milk (optional)

Instructions

1. Put the bulgur wheat in a large bowl.
2. Add the milk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
3. In the morning, fluff the bulgur with a fork.
4. Scoop 3/4 cup bulgur into a microwave safe bowl along with the peanut butter.
5. Microwave for 1 minute.
6. Stir in the dates and top with additional milk if desired.

Go Sugar Free in 2014

I'm not up for making a long list of resolutions this year. It may be helpful for some, but for me it almost promises absolute failure. Instead, I am simply hoping that each day brings the opportunity to make my life a healthier one. That said, I am not above seeking a little help in achieving a healthier mind, body and spirit. Therefore, starting January 1, 2014, I will be participating in the winter Go Sugar Free course with Jacqueline Smith.

Working as a recipe developer and food blogger, I find it exceedingly difficult at times to keep tabs on my diet. Sure, we eat healthy meals, but constantly tasting food throughout the day can sometimes derail my best efforts. Participating in a class, something structured and educational, is exactly what I need to get me going on the right foot in 2014.

Kale & Asiago Frittata | Set the Table

And I have some exciting news! If you are feeling like you need to change your eating habits to sleep better, think more clearly, lose a few inches from the middle area of your body, and generally feel more whole, this class is open for enrollment through January 5! Click here if you are interested in reading more about Go Sugar Free and wish to sign up. It is a 10 week course that I'd love to go through with you! I'll be sharing recipes on Set the Table that will be delicious and sugar free. Jacqueline also has a collection of delicious meals, like thisPasta Bake, to help make the transition to sugar free even easier.

Pasta Bake

I know Jacqueline personally and can say with complete confidence that you will be immediately struck by her genuine desire to work with you and give you the motivation you need. She is an inspiring woman who is a great example of the "glow" a sugar free life can give you inside and out.

I hope you'll consider registering for her winter course! If you have any questions about the course, please leave them in the comment section below and either Jacqueline or myself will be sure to answer them.

And don't worry- I won't leave you recipeless (totally a word) at the close of 2013. Here is a perfect breakfast recipe for the morning after; the first morning of 2014 can start off fresh and healthy while also curing what ails you after holiday celebrations. Healthy kale, protein-rich eggs, and salty Asiago make for a deliciously easy breakfast, brunch, or even and easy dinner.

Kale & Asiago Frittata Recipe | Set the Table

So, here's to a healthier, happier year!

Click here to register for the 10 week course or to learn more about Go Sugar Free.

*The links provided in this post are affiliate links.

Kale & Asiago Frittata

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 6-8 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 large eggs
• 1 bunch dinosaur kale, roughly chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup shredded Asiago cheese
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat. (Make sure your pan is oven-safe.)
2. Add the onions and kale to the skillet and season lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent and the kale has wilted slightly, about 3 minutes.
4. While the vegetables are cooking, whisk the eggs in a large bowl.
5. Pour the eggs into the skillet, right over the cooked kale and onion.
6. Allow the eggs to cook until they are just set on the bottom. As the eggs cook, use a rubber (heat-proof) spatula to separate the eggs from the edge of the skillet every once in a while.
7. Once the eggs are set on the bottom, start using the spatula to make a gap between the eggs and the skillet. Tilt the skillet so the runny eggs on top run to the bottom of the pan. Continue doing this until there is no longer a substantial amount of runny eggs on the top. The top will still appear wet.
8. Sprinkle the top of the frittata with the Asiago cheese and place under the broiler. Cook until the cheese has melted and starts to turn golden brown in spots.
9. Slice the fritata and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Feel free to get creative with the kinds of cheese and veggies you put in your frittata. This is a great way to use leftover meat as well!

Shortbread with Dark Chocolate Ganache, Pistachios + Red Gold Sea Salt

I'm pretty sure the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is on TV as I write this. That's right. I'm writing about cookies in my flannel pajamas, without any makeup, my hair piled on top of my head (still not dry from my super fast shower this afternoon during nap time), and my black lab just burped at me from her perch on the sofa. I don't think I need to elaborate on how different my life is from that of a VS model.

What I will say is this: I would bet good money that none of them know how to make killer shortbread. At least I've got one up on them.

Seriously though. This shortbread turned out beautifully. It is light and airy with a perfect balance of buttery sweetness and a hint of salt. Many recipes call for cornstarch to help make the texture a little lighter than it would be using only flour, but I decided to take it a step further. Based on what I've learned about potato starch through Asian cooking, I decided to try it out in this shortbread recipe. Typically, I find potato starch has a more delicate, crisp result (very similar to a potato chip texture, actually). Cornstarch can get  a little heavy for my liking and sometimes leaves a sandy feeling in my mouth. I don't want any of that in my shortbread!

As if shortbread wasn't rich and decadent enough on its own, I decided to dip it in dark chocolate ganache and pistachios. A little sprinkle of red gold Hawaiian sea salt and the cookies were absolutely perfect. This shortbread is festive enough for a Christmas cookie exchange and simple enough to make for a coffee date with friends (although I'd recommend making it the day before). The red gold Hawaiian sea salt is not exactly necessary, but it adds a nice smokey, salty flavor that contrasts nicely with the rich chocolate.

To shape the cookies, I used a method from Cook's Illustrated Baking (if you don't already own that book, you should get on it). If you're not into this shape, feel free to change it up.

If it's all the same to you, I'm going to keep not watching the Victoria's Secret Fashion whatever show and eat another cookie.

Cheers to that!

Shortbread with Dark Chocolate Ganache, Pistachios & Red Gold Sea Salt

Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon potato starch
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• 7 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup toasted, chopped pistachios
• red gold Hawaiian sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Line a 9 inch cake pan with a circle of parchment paper and set aside.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
4. Whisk the flour, potato starch, sugar (reserve 1 tablespoon for sprinkling later) and salt together in a large bowl.
5. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or two knives. When the mixture resembles wet sand, transfer it to the prepared 9 inch cake pan.
6. Firmly press the dough into the pan with your fingers.
7. Gently turn the dough onto the baking sheet lined with parchment.
8. Place the baking sheet in the oven and reduce the temperature to 300 degrees F.
9. Bake for 20 minutes.
10. Remove from the oven and cut a circle in the center of the dough with a metal cookie cutter about 2 or 3 inches in diameter.
11. Remove the circle of dough from the center and leave the cookie cutter in its place.
12. Use a wooden skewer to etch lines into the dough creating 16 wedges.
13. Return the shortbread to the oven for another 40 minutes.
14. When the shortbread has finished cooking, sprinkle it with the remaining sugar and cut it using the lines you drew earlier as a guide. Transfer to a cooling rack and bring to room temperature.
15. Meanwhile, make the ganache by heating the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to steam. Remove from the heat.
16. Stir the chocolate into the cream until it melts completely and the mixture is smooth.
17. Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment and set aside.
18. Dip each shortbread wedge first into the ganache, then sprinkle with pistachios and a pinch of the red gold salt.
19. Place the wedges on the prepared cooling rack and allow the chocolate harden. It won't be like a chocolate shell, but it should be firm enough that it doesn't drip.

Homemade Potato Lefse

Last week, Riley and I drove up to Evergreen. It's about a half hour drive from our house and on this particular day, it was absolutely gorgeous. The snow that had fallen earlier in the week was still coating every rock and tree in the mountains, making me catch my breath at every turn. My favorite part of the drive was seeing the stream that runs along with road, which is usually bubbling merrily on it's way regardless of the season, frozen over in most places. The few spots with visible running water added to the enchantment of the scene thanks to steam that slowly rose into the air. And did I mention that the sun was shining and the sky was a bright, vibrant blue? Well, it was. And it was magnificent.

I wasn't able to find a good place to stop and get a photo, so I hope my description helps you imagine what it looked like. It was glorious.

Here's a little taste of what life has been like for the past week...

The reason we went to Evergreen was to make lefse with a new friend of ours. She is a fellow Minnesota transplant and one of her family traditions is to make lefse at Christmas time. If you're not familiar, lefse is a Norwegian flatbread made with potatoes, flour and milk or cream. The dough is made into golf-ball size rounds, then rolled very thinly and placed on a griddle where it gently cooks until brown spots are visible. The end result looks very similar to a tortilla but the texture is much more tender and delicate.

There are other versions made without potato, though I don't recall having tasted that kind before. I do recall Christmases as a kid when my uncle's parents would bring homemade lefse as their contribution to the holiday buffet. It was always folded neatly in triangles that were filled with creamy butter and nutty, sweet brown sugar. There is almost nothing in this world better than that combination.

This was my first experience making lefse and I was pleased to find it is not difficult at all. It does take a little practice finding the right consistency for the dough (my friend Andrea fortunately has lots of experience with this). It helps to do a test run with one or two balls of dough that have been rolled out to see if the dough needs more flour. If the dough seems exceptionally sticky as you're rolling it out, you may want to add a bit more before forming the rest of the balls.

I loved using the traditional equipment to make the lefse, but I'm sure you could do it without a lefse stick or traditional griddle. (If you are interested in buying the traditional gear, click here.)

It took some trial and error experiences for us, but in the end we came out with a nice batch of beautiful, delicious lefse to have at home. Despite the fact that this is the most simple and comforting snack on the planet, Riley didn't quite warm up to giving them a taste.

Someday he will appreciate them, I'm sure.

I'm hoping this will become a new tradition for us. It was such a blast chatting about lutefisk, lefse, and other Minnesota oddities with someone from the motherland. Thanks, Andrea, for introducing me to the art of lefse-making!

I don't have my own personal recipe for lefse, but click here for a great one posted by The Kitchn.

Clean Eating Round-Up

It's entirely possible that I am STILL full from the holiday weekend. Oops. BIG diet-oops.

To help my body and mind recover, I'm planning a week of healthy meals to help me feel energized and these are a few of my favorites that will be making an appearance at our table.

Did you overdo it for Thanksgivukkah? Or were you well-behaved? Either way, I think you'll enjoy these clean eating recipes!

One of my all-time favorite healthy recipes is thisKale & Pineapple Smoothie. Fortunately, Riley loves them too so I can get a crazy amount of kale into my little toddler with no problem.

For lunch and dinner, I like to work with dark leafy greens and eggs. With flavorful garlic and chili flakes, this Baked Eggs, Rainbow Chard & Yogurt dish is satisfying, fast to assemble, and perfectly healthy (and yes, there is butter, which maybe doesn't make this as "clean" as some might prefer, but you can always omit it).

Now this recipe is one that all of you, cooks or not, can make on a busy weeknight. It's a one-pan, super healthy meal that is comforting without the typical comfort-food guilt. Jacqueline's Pasta Bake is the perfect way to serve a healthy, crowd-pleasing meal to your family.

This Asparagus with Black Sesame is a beautiful way to enjoy your vegetables. Flavorful, nutritious, and gorgeous.

And finally, here is a perfectly amazing Roasted Broccoli Salad (I'm so thankful to the person who discovered roasted broccoli) that is perfect for a light lunch or a healthy side dish.

So now you're armed with some delicious, healthy recipes that will help get you through the week! Of course, I can't help you if you are still working through Thanksgiving leftovers. You're on your own with that one.

Have a wonderful week everyone!