Lentil Apple Chili

I haven't posted in awhile, mostly because I got seriously out of the habit of cooking for a bit. I've been experimenting lately, however, and I decided that I needed to share some more original recipes. I got the idea of combining apples and lentils from a co-worker, and I was in the mood for spicy, so lentil chili was born.

Lentil Apple Chili

2 cups lentils
6 cups water
1 bay leaf
sea salt & black pepper (to taste; I used about 1/4 tsp of each)
1 can tomato paste
1 tbsp butter
dash of red pepper flakes (no, really)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 green apple
1 tbsp chopped ginger (I used crystalized)
1 lb ground beef
1 oz. chili seasoning (I used a brand called Simply Organic, but any packet of chili seasoning will do)

Put the lentils, bay leaf, and salt & pepper in a 2 quart sauce pan with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 20 minutes.

As the lentils are simmering, heat the butter and the red pepper flakes in a frying pan on medium heat. Add the ginger, apples, cinnamon, and a dash of black pepper. Mix well. Cook until the apples are slightly tender (about 5 minutes). Remove from the pan.

With the frying pan still on medium heat, add the ground beef. Cook until browned. Drain the grease and remove from the pan.

Once the lentils have simmered for 20 minutes, add the chili seasonings and tomato paste. Stir until thoroughly dissolved. Add the ground beef and the apple mixture. Stir until combined. Return to a simmer and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve alone or over steamed rice.

Quick Chicken À La King.

I decided to post this recipe first, because I absolutely adore this one. It's quick, simple, relatively inexpensive, delicious, and very flexible. I get dinner for about four days with this recipe, but it'll also feed several people very well for one meal.

Quick Chicken À La King -

You'll need:

• 1 tablespoon butter (feel free to substitute w/ margarine)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/2 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 can (10.75 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup milk (I suggest 2% or whole)
• 1 and 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken OR turkey (see notes for more info)
• 4 cups hot cooked regular long-grain white rice (see notes for more info)

Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes; cook until garlic is slightly brown and aromatic. Add the mushrooms and cook until they're tender and have soaked up most of the butter. Add the salt and ground black pepper at this point to suit your own taste. Add the soup, milk, and chicken. Mix until milk and soup are well combined and heat through. If you want to, add more salt and/or ground black pepper before serving.

You can serve this by putting rice in a bowl and spooning the sauce over the top of the rice, or you can mix the sauce and the rice together, but I definitely suggest the first option.




NOTES:

I don't use canned chicken for this recipe, but, if you're in a hurry, it's a viable option.

A couple of medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (fresh or frozen) are best for this recipe (although I used a decent sized roasted turkey breast when I last made this recipe, which was absolutely delicious).

I suggest sautéing the chicken (whole or cubed) in a skillet with some butter or olive oil for about five minutes. If you're reluctant to sauté, however, you can bake the chicken in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes. It's done when it's lightly browned on the outside, no longer pink in the middle, and the juices run clear.

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If you must, use a rice cooker, but I use the following recipe.

Put 1 and 1/2 cups rice, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper into a medium saucepan with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir. Replace the cover, let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

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If you want to add some green to the recipe, I suggest chopping up a decent sized green bell pepper and cooking that along with the mushrooms.