Unwrapped

So the highlight of my day this week has been coming home and finding packages.

I make Thatboy play "Channukah" every night when we can open our "presents."

Normally, they're not really presents. I signed up for Amazon Mom which means I have free two-day shipping that I am definitely taking advantage of. In fact, I'm placing another order tonight.

But this week also brought an actual present in the mail too! Amber and I met on a wedding planning board, after we had both already planned our weddings. From the start I always joked we lived parallel lives in different places. It didn't hurt that she and her husband went to the same college as Thatboy and I. So it wasn't terribly surprising to find out that we were both expecting our first child within the same week of each other.

Amber took up sewing a couple years ago, and has made everything from formal dresses to blankets. This week, I got a package from Amber which was loaded to the gills with stuff for Thatbaby.

Blankets, covers, burp cloths, clothes - oh my! We're so excited to use everything.

Know what else we're excited about? (I may be using the "we're" a little liberally. I'm very excited for this, obviously) It's officially fall! Which means it's officially chili season! And there is no better way to break in the fall than with a new chili recipe. It's pretty well known that I love all forms of chili, but I tend to stick to the traditional kind when making it - ground beef or turkey in a thick red sauce. This is the first white chicken chili I've attempted. It's easy to go from red to white by switching the bean and adding chicken as the protein of choice. As with any chili, it's always best when loaded up with onions and cheese!

White Chicken Chili
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk, warmed
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 lb chicken, cut into cubes
4 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups corn kernels
2 cans white kidney beans

1. Make the white sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour until a paste forms.
2. Slowly stir in the hot milk and stir until a thick sauce forms. Bring to a boil.
3. Lower the heat and simmer for 2 more minutes.
   
4. In a separate pot, heat the canola oil. Add in the chicken, chili, cumin, onion and pepper and cook until chicken is cooked through.
5. Stir in the white sauce, 3/4 cup water, corn, and kidney beans. Bring to a boil.
6. Reduce the heat and cook 5 minutes.