I hope that you all had a great Thanksgiving. We all have a lot to be thankful for, that is for sure. Lately there seems to be a lot of troubling news on the nightly evening World News. Personally, it only makes me feel concerned for the future.

During the children’s sermon at our church recently, led by my stepdaughter, she handed out a Thanksgiving calendar which had room for the youngsters to write one thing they were thankful for every day.

I think this is a good idea for adults as well.

White Chicken Chili Soup

For those that get tired of chili using the usual ground beef, why not try a chili recipe using chicken. With the weather turning cold, this soup may be a new favorite. White Chicken Chili Soup is a recipe that is to be made using a crock pot. One of our granddaughters shared this recipe recently and said “it is “so-o-o delicious” and that her family all enjoyed it. The soup has a creamy, hearty and full delicious Southwest flavor. She recommends serving tortilla chips on the side.

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cans northern beans, drained

1 can corn, drained

1 can diced green chiles (4 ounces)

1 small onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack Cheese

Fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving

Instructions

Combine chicken breasts, corn, diced green chiles, beans, onion, garlic, broth, and seasonings to the crockpot. Give it a quick stir, cover with lid, and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours (or high for 4 hours). Once the chicken is tender, shred it right into the pot, then stir in the sour cream and cheese until creamy and smooth. Serve it warm with cilantro, lime, and maybe some tortilla chips on the side.

Cauliflower-Grape Salad

This is an easy and quick recipe to prepare if you’re short on time. With the fruit and vegetables it contains, it is also good for you. They are packed with vitamins and antioxidants that support overall health and contain dietary fiber, which is good for digestion.

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, broken into bite-size pieces

2 cups green grapes, cut in half

1 cup pecans, slivered the long way

Dressing Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar

1 to 2 teaspoons prepared mustard

1 1/2 to 2 cups mayonnaise

Instructions

Place cauliflower, grapes, and pecans in a bowl. Combine dressing ingredients together; pour over salad ingredients, coating them with the dressing. Refrigerate for one hour.

Poppyseed Chicken

Looking through some recipe files recently, I discovered this recipe that my sister had served when we were at her home some time ago. It is a great chicken dish and a recipe that is sure to please.

Ingredients

2 packages boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 — 8 ounce containers plain yogurt

1 stick butter/margarine

2 cups Ritz crackers

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Instructions

*Bake two packages of thawed boneless, skinless chicken breast until done. Let chicken cool, then cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Place in a 9-by-13-inch greased pan. In a bowl, mix yogurt and soup together. Spread this mixture evenly over the chicken.

Next in a bowl, mix with a fork: 2 cups crushed Ritz crackers, 1 stick melted butter/margarine and 1 tablespoon poppy seed. Spread this mixture on top of the yogurt/soup topping. Cover the pan with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove tin foil and bake for another 15 minutes.

*I cook the chicken breasts in a crock pot until they are done cooking.

Loretta’s Tips

1. When rolling cookie dough, sprinkle the board with powdered sugar instead of flour. Too much flour makes the dough heavy.

2. To keep cookies crisp longer, put a piece of lemon peel in the cookie jar.

3. Lemons that are slightly heated before squeezing will give almost twice the quantity of juice.

Loretta Krahling is a columnist with over 38 years of newspaper experience. If you have a favorite recipe you would like to share or if you have any questions, email them to Loretta at krahling93@gmail.com.