Easy Red Chili Sauce

I've had a lot of people ask me for a red chili sauce, here is a simple one I use for lots of different recipes. I buy most of my stuff online at Mexgrocer.com because I live in an area that doesn't have these chili's readily available! I've linked the chile to that site so you know what I'm talking about! Enjoy!

Red Chili Sauce

For a mild sauce, use more California and less New Mexico chilies: For a spicier sauce, use less California and more New Mexico chilies.

• 1 Bag dried chile ancho/pasilla
  
• ½ Bag dried chile California
• ½ Bag dried red chile New Mexico
  
• 2 medium onions diced
• 6-8 cloves garlic diced
• 1 Tablespoon cumin powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Remove the stems from the chilies (not the seeds) and place in a sauce pan with 2 quarts of water. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Place the chili and water mixture in a blender and liquefy. Pour through a strainer and push through with a rubber spatula. Put the residue back into the blender with one quart of broth (you can use any kind of broth you like but you might want it to match up with the protein you will be serving the sauce with, so chicken, pork or broth - homemade is always best!). Liquefy and repeat straining again.

Pour the chili into a sauce pan and add onion, garlic and cumin. Simmer over low heat for ½ hour. Chili will become darker. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Sweet Potato Bake

Growing up, my mom always made the marshmallow covered sweet potatoes. I never ate them (unless you consider picking off the toasted marshmallows, eating them). I don't like my sweet potatoes, overly sweet. Since I didn't eat them, I continued making them the way I saw my mom make them when I got married. Kevin enjoyed them. Quite a few years ago, I stumbled across this recipe in one of my Taste of Home magazines and it has been a staple on our table every Thanksgiving and Christmas ever since. Everyone loves it and I've been known to sample a spoonful every now and again.

Sweet Potato Bake
3 cups cold mashed sweet potatoes (prepared without milk or butter)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cold butter or margarine

In a mixing bowl, beat sweet potatoes, sugar, milk, butter, eggs, salt and vanilla until smooth. Transfer to a greased 2 qt baking dish. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, pecans and flour; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over potato mixture. Bake uncovered at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown!

Creamy Corn Dip

*Maybe one day blogger will let me upload pics again*

One of the ladies that works at the building I do most of my volunteer work at shared this recipe with us. I was apprehensive at first because it didn't look like much and I'm not a big fan of sour cream but I really enjoyed this.

I had my 13 year old whip this up the other day and my family LOVES it. In fact they were disappointed when the bowl ended up empty.

Creamy Corn Dip

1 cup sour cream
1 can Rotel
1 cup mayo
1 can fiesta/mexicorn, drained
2 cups cheese (whatever flavor makes you happy)
chopped green onions

White Bean Chili

White Bean Chili (Paula Deen's Recipe)

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried navy beans
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3/4 cup diced onion
• 1 1/2 cups chopped green chiles (fresh or canned)
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 to 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
• *I added additional chicken broth because I like a little more liquid, I added about 3/4 cup but you could play with that.
  

Directions

Rinse beans well, cover with cool water, and soak for 2 hours. Drain. Put the beans in large pot with the chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat.

In a saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, and chiles and saute for 5 minutes. Add chile mixture to pot with beans. Add the chicken, cumin, oregano, pepper, white pepper, red pepper flakes, and cilantro. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for approximately 1 1/2 hours. Serve with cornbread, if desired.