Southwestern Turkey Club Sandwich

• 8 slices bacon (8 ounces)
• 4 turkey cutlets (4 ounces each)
• coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeno chiles
• 12 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread, lightly toasted
• 1 tomato, thinly sliced

1. Working in two batches if necessary, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until brown and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes per side; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons rendered fat from skillet.

2. Season turkey generously with salt and pepper, Add to skillet, and cook over medium heat until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes per side; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.

3. In a small bowl, mash avocado, lime juice, and chiles with a fork; season with salt and pepper.

4. Spread avocado mixture on one side of each slice of toast. Layer turkey, bacon, tomato, and toast to form four triple-decker sandwiches. To serve, skewer with toothpicks; slice in half with a serrated knife.

per serving: 553 calories; 17.4 grams fat; 45.2 grams protein; 51.2 grams carbohydrates; 8.7 grams fiber

from Everyday Food

Yield: 4 servings

Bacon, Avocado and Jack Cheese Omelets with Fresh Salsa

Salsa

• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

Omelet

• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons water
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 slices lean bacon, cooked until crisp, crumbled
• 1/2 small avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
• 1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

1. For salsa: In small bowl, combine tomato, green onions, jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. In medium bowl, whisk eggs with water and season with salt and pepper. Melt half the butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and, when foam subsides, add half the egg mixture. Tilt pan to coat bottom and cook 1 minute, until almost set. Sprinkle half the omelet with half the bacon, avocado and cheese and cook 1 minute. Fold empty half of omelet over filling and slide omelet onto a plate. Keep warm. Repeat with remaining butter, egg mixture, bacon, avocado and cheese. Serve with salsa.

nutrition per serving: Carbohydrates: 8.5 grams, Net Carbs: 6 grams, Fiber: 2.5 grams, Protein: 30 grams, Calories: 555

from Atkins for Life

Yield: 2 servings

Chili con Carne

To ensure the best chile flavor, I recommend toasting whole dried chiles and grinding them in a mini-chopper or spice-dedicated coffee grinder, all of which takes only ten (very well-spent) minutes. Select dried chiles that are moist and pliant, like dried fruit. Count on trimming one-half to a full pound of waste from your chuck roast, so start with a four-pound roast to end up with three to three-and-a-half pounds of beef cubes. For hotter chili, boost the heat with a pinch of cayenne, a dash of hot pepper sauce, or crumbled pequin chiles near the end of cooking. Serve the chili with any of the following side dishes: warm pinto or kidney beans, corn bread or chips, corn tortillas or tamales, rice, biscuits, or just plain crackers, and top with any of the following garnishes: chopped fresh cilantro leaves, minced white onion, diced avocado, shredded cheddar or jack cheese, or sour cream.

• 3 tablespoons ancho chili powder or 3 medium pods (about 1/2 ounce), toasted and ground
• 3 tablespoons New Mexico chili powder or 3 medium pods (about 3/4 ounce), toasted and ground
• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds toasted in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 4 minutes, and ground
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano preferably Mexican
• 7 1/2 cups water
• 1 beef chuck roast (4-pounds), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 teaspoons table salt plus extra for seasoning
• 8 ounces bacon (7 or 8 slices), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion minced (about 1 cup)
• 5 medium cloves of garlic minced
• 4 - 5 small jalapeno chiles cored, seeded, and minced
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes or plain tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons lime juice from 1 medium lime
• 5 tablespoons masa harina or 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• ground black pepper

1. Mix chili powders, cumin, and oregano in small bowl and stir in 1/2 cup water to form thick paste; set aside. Toss beef cubes with salt; set aside.

2. Fry bacon in large, heavy soup kettle or Dutch oven over medium-low heat until fat renders and bacon crisps, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon with slotted spoon to paper towel-lined plate; pour all but 2 teaspoons fat from pot into small bowl; set aside. Increase heat to medium-high; saute meat in four batches until well-browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch, adding additional 2 teaspoons bacon fat to pot as necessary. Reduce heat to medium, add 3 tablespoons bacon fat to now-empty pan. Add onion; saute until softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeno; saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chili paste; saute until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add reserved bacon and browned beef, crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce, lime juice, and 7 cups water; bring to simmer. Continue to cook at a steady simmer until meat is tender and juices are dark, rich, and starting to thicken, about 2 hours.

3. Mix masa harina with 2/3 cup water (or cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water) in a small bowl to form smooth paste. Increase heat to medium; stir in paste and simmer until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning generously with salt and ground black pepper. Serve immediately, or preferably, cool slightly, cover, and refrigerate overnight or for up to 5 days. Reheat before serving.

from Cooks Illustrated

Yield: 6 servings

Chicken Cashew Chili

Pureed ancho chilies lend a rich, sweet, and only mildly hot flavor to this chili. To make a hotter dish, do not remove the veins or seeds from the chilies. If anchos or similar dried chilies are not readily available, substitute one roasted and peeled red bell pepper and 1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes when pureeing.

• 2 dried ancho chilies
• 1/4 cup cashews, raw or roasted
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 whole chicken legs plus 1/2 chicken breast (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped coarse
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped fine
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander sprigs (wash and dry before chopping)
• 1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1/2 cup cashews, raw or roasted
• 1/2 ounce fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate
• 1 cup canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Make chili puree: Heat a small heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot and toast chilies, 1 at a time, pressing down with tongs, a few seconds on each side to make more pliable. Wearing rubber gloves, seed and de-vein chilies. In a blender puree chilies with cashews and broth until smooth.

Cut legs into drumsticks and thigh portions. Remove excess fat from chicken and pat chicken dry.

In a large heavy saucepan heat oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cool onion and garlic, stirring, until softened. Add cumin, chili powder, and salt and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add chicken and stir to coat with onion mixture. Stir in chili puree, 2 tablespoons coriander, and tomatoes with juice and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking, 45 minutes, or until chicken legs are cooked through.

Remove pan from heat and transfer chicken to a bowl. With 2 forks shred meat, discard bones and skin. Return chicken to pan and stir in cashews, remaining tablespoon coriander, chocolate, and beans. Cook chili over moderate heat, stirring, until heated through and chocolate is melted. Chili may be made 2 days ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, before being chilled, covered.

from Epicurious

Yield: 2 generous servings

Chicken, Tomato and Tortilla Soup

Can be made with chicken breasts instead of thighs, but cook on the stove, not the crockpot.

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 6 chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
• 15-ounce can peeled plum tomatoes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 fresh hot green chile pepper (such as jalapeno), seeded and chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 10-ounce package frozen corn, defrosted
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• tortilla chips
• Chopped avocado, for garnish
• Lime wedges, for garnish
• Freshly grated Montery Jack cheese, for garnish

Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat, cook the chicken thighs, skin side down, until the skin is golden brown, about 3 minutes. (Do not turn the chicken.) Transfer the chicken to a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker. Discard all of the fat in the skillet.

Mash the tomatoes with their juice. Add to the skillet with the onion, chile pepper and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato mixture, chicken broth, cumin, salt, pepper, and bay leaf to the slow cooker and stir well.

Cover and slow-cook until the chicken thighs are tender, 5 to 6 hours on low.

Remove the chicken thighs and cool slightly. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and remove the meat from the bones. Coarsely chop the chicken meat and return to the slow cooker. Stir in the corn and chopped cilantro.

Remove the bay leaf from the soup. Serve the soup in individual bowls, topping each serving with tortilla chips and a sprinkling of avocado, if desired. Let each guest squeeze on lime juice to taste, and pass a bowl of grated cheese for sprinkling.

4-6 servings

Chili-Rubbed Salmon with Zucchini and Sauteed Corn

You can use any salsa you like: mild, medium, or hot. For the best flavor, buy the fresh variety sold in the refrigerator section of grocery stores.

• 4 skinless salmon fillets, (6 ounces each)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 pound medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 3-inch spears (about 1/2 inch thick)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 (10 ounces each) frozen corn kernels, (4 cups)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup chopped scallions
• 1 container (16 ounces) prepared fresh tomato salsa, (2 cups)
• Lime wedges, for garnish (optional)

1. Heat broiler; set rack 4 inches from heat. Rub salmon all over with salt and pepper. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet; sprinkle top of fillets with 1 teaspoon chili powder. Arrange zucchini around salmon; sprinkle with remaining teaspoon chili powder, and season with salt and pepper.

2. Broil until fish is opaque throughout and zucchini is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over high heat. Add corn and garlic; cook, tossing, until corn is tender and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in scallions and salsa; season generously with salt and pepper. To serve, place fillets on plates, and serve with zucchini and half the corn. Reserve other half of the corn for next day. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.

Serves 4

from Everyday Food

White Chicken Chili

• 1/2 pound dried navy beans, picked over
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco, or to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
• 4-ounce can mild green chilies, drained and chopped
• 4-ounce can jalapenos, drained and chopped
• 5 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds), cooked and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack (about 6 ounces)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Garnish: fresh coriander sprigs
• Accompaniment: tomato salsa

In a large kettle soak beans in cold water to cover by 2 inches overnight. Drain beans in a colander and return to kettle with cold water to cover by 2 inches. Cook beans at a bare simmer until tender, about 1 hour, and drain in colander.

In a skillet cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter over moderate heat until softened.

In a 6- to 8-quart heavy kettle melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter over moderately low heat and whisk in flour. Cook roux, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Stir in onion and gradually add broth and milk, whisking constantly. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in Tabasco, chili powder, cumin, salt, and white pepper. Add beans, chilies, chicken, and Monterey Jack and cook mixture over moderately low heat, stirring, 20 minutes. Stir sour cream into chili.

Garnish chili with coriander and serve with salsa.

4 servings