.::|TheDish|::.

Beautiful Flowers To Brighten The Day!

From the boy, and the Boston Flower Market:

Easy White Chicken Chili

The Fall chill is in the air, and therefore it's time for hearty soups and slow-cooked meals; but that doesn't mean you have to sacrafice the healthy for the hearty. Here's a favorite recipe that I found on Williams-Sonoma (which I think has some of the best recipes around). Since the only time I have a lot of turkey leftovers is Thanksgiving, I tweaked the recipe a tad, and use rotisserie chicken, found at most grocery stores (I love the all-natural Bell & Evans chickens at Russo's).

It's quick and easy:

Ingredients:
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tsp. toasted ground cumi5 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and mince1 lb. Anaheim chilies, roasted, peeled and diced, or 3 cans (each 7 oz.) whole fire-roasted
4 to 4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, warmed
1 lb. diced cooked turkey(or chicken)
3 cans (each 15 oz.) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, or 4 1/2 cups cooked white beans, drained
2 Tbs. minced fresh oregano
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup cornmeal
Shredded jack cheese, sour cream and lime wedges for serving

Directions
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cumin, garlic and jalapeño and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in the chilies and 3 1/2 cups of the broth, then transfer to a slow cooker. Stir in the turkey (or chicken), beans, oregano and cilantro.

Put the cornmeal in a small bowl and slowly whisk in 1/2 cup of the broth. Stir the cornmeal mixture into the turkey (or chicken) mixture. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours according to the manufacturer's instructions. Thin the chili with more broth if needed.

Ladle the chili into warmed bowls. Serve with cheese, sour cream and lime wedges. Serves 6 to 8.

Kui Buri Resort, Thailand

I have been starting to playfully and casually search for honeymoon destinations. I really want to go somewhere that I haven't been to before, somewhere unique, and far away. So I was perusing the October issue of Travel + Leisure mag the other day, and keyed in on the cover story: 25 emerging destinations where the dollar goes far (always a plus!). I came across a resort called Kui Buri (pronounced goo-wee... boo-ree). Located 3 hours south of Bangkok, Thailand, this resort hasn't turned a year old and it is simply stunning and pretty affordable! The area surrounding is rather underdeveloped, with only small neighboring fishing villages, and the resort, comprised of 23-semi private villas with terraces, gardens and pools, sits on a "virgin beachfront". Paradise! Though what most do there is simply relax, there are plenty of other activities for the more active or adventurous, like: mountain biking, scuba diving (yay!), yoga (yay again!), golf, and fishing. And the 4K (pronounced "fork") restaurant and bar serves up international fare featuring local ingredients and great wine.

As far as pricing goes, believe it or not, it is affordable. This bungalow here is listed at $115 (though that is a "low season" rate I think, but still)!

Though if we hauled all the way across the globe, we just may have to chose this:

So, we may not be going to Kui Buri for our honeymoon, as it's on the cusp of monsoon season (though the more I research, I am realizing it doesn't rain as much as you may think), but man I want to get there some day before everyone discovers this secret.

Good Morning, Santa Monica

Logan Is A Ghost Town!

How eerie is this:

St. Francis 1997 Reserve Zinfindel

About 10 years ago my Mom and I visited St. Francis vineyard in Sonoma, CA and purchased 2 bottles of this zin, and tucked both away for my brother's and my engagement. My bro got engaged a year or 2 later, and my bottle has been collecting dust with a Post-it: "Save for Katie's Engagement!" Well tonight is the night! Cheers!!!!!

Recent Great Finds

A couple weeks ago I took a staycation. If you haven' t heard of the term, it's vacation without (much) travel, pretty much staying close by. So I decided to spend the first half with my folks in Sutton, MA. We hiked, hung out at the lake, BBQ'd, drank wine, gardened, and read. Oh, and of course, my Mom and I shopped! And here's a couple of my stellar finds:

Samuel Dong Bubble Trench Coat

Shown here in Slate, but I chose Algae (a deep green color) for Fall. Samuel Dong is know for his classic styles, with a trendy twist, at super reasonable prices. This was a gift from Mom, from the fabulous Lyn Evans boutique in Westborough (thanks Mom!)

Big Buddha Groupie Bag

I love this over-sized Big Buddah bag, especially the mustard color, and the price. It's super spacious, but not at all bulky, and is a great splash of color for many outfits.