SANTA FE

The food photos here are dispersed with scenes from Madrid - a 45 minute drive from Santa Fe; once a coal mining and railroad town - turned ghost town - brought back to life by a small artist community. We loved our time spent in Madrid and highly recommend a couple hours out there to check out the shops, the Railroad Museum and Mine Shaft Tavern. Also pictured - I ventured to the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum solo as none of the girls had much of a desire to see it. O'Keeffe is a legend in not only Santa Fe but the art world in general - I was glad to have spent some time immersed in her world.

Breakfast: 

Cafe Pasquales - located in the heart of downtown Santa Fe; the bright and festive dining room features Kelly green furniture and hand painted tiles. One of my favorite meals overall, I had Huevos Motulenos - two scrambled eggs, sautéed banana, feta, green peas, roasted tomato-jalapeno salsa, green chile tomatillo salsa, black beans + a corn tortilla. Such a unique and incredible dish! They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner here.

Tune Up Cafe - casual counter service café for a quick + hearty breakfast featuring a cute outdoor patio just outside of downtown. I kept it simple with Cornmeal Pancakes and maple syrup. 

Lunch: 

El Farol is hailed as Santa Fe's most historic + iconic restaurant and bar since 1835. Located in the Canyon Road neighborhood, El Farol came highly recommended and while we had a nice lunch - we had a bone to pick! Three of us ordered meals (BLT, Grilled Cheese, Cheeseburger) listed on the menu with French Fries, naturally! We received our lunches with chips and were disappointed, mainly because the waiter didn't think to mention that the restaurant was out of french fries (what?!) One of us would have legitimately changed our lunch orders. Two of us would have opted for the  salad. My El Farol Grilled Cheese with cheddar cheese, piquillo peppers, smoked paprika aioli, bacon + avocado on pan rustico was good, but I think we'd have to experience dinner here to understand the hype. 

Dinners: All of our dinners were a stones throw from the Plaza in downtown Santa Fe!

The Shed features traditional New Mexican cooking that won a James Beard award for excellence in 2003. The Sheds chili comes directly from the farm and is ground on the premises to guarantee freshness. I had the Blue Corn Bean Burrito in what they call "Christmas" style, meaning its smothered in both Roasted Green chili and Red chili. It was SPICY and sublime.

La Boca - Funny story. Via a message on Instagram I learned that 8 time James Beard Award Nominee, Chef James Campbell Caruso is a good friend of mine from high schools Uncle! He came out to greet us and chat so that was a neat connection. Serving Modern Spanish Cuisine La Boca offers contemporary tapas in a space with a lively European wine bar feel. A fanfare of plates starts with Piquillo Peppers (same idea as Shishitos but OMG the spicy ones are pure fire, I got one first bite and wow) and ending with a delectable Paella. In between - everything from my favorite tapas Patatas Bravas to a juicy Watermelon Salad to creative Cantimpalitos - grilled spanish chorizos presented on vertical sticks!

Sazon - Chef Fernando Olea hails from Mexico City and Sazon is his interpretation of contemporary and traditional Mexican dishes. The space heralds captivating pieces of artwork, stunning décor and beautiful tile. This dinner was tricky - we could only get a 5 pm reservation and as much as we tried to time it right, no one was hungry! The tasting of five moles to kick off the meal was marvelous; I truly appreciate a good mole and had never tasted so many creative interpretations. I had a very good Spoa de Amor and Timbales - a trio of mini corn, beet and spinach cakes with mandarin habanero foam, creamy sauce of chile poblano and gruyere cheese. 

Drinks: most everywhere had live music, from Jazz to cover bands. We visited Tonic (the art deco bar pictured), Evangelo's, Dragon Room Lounge and Cowgirl BBQ. 

Once again, the girls and I had the best time discovering another really cool city. Thank you, Santa Fe!

Where should we go next year?!

Creamy White Chicken Chili

It is taking the world by storm! I first spotted Jenna's recipe back in September and then The Pioneer Woman's more recently. I discussed the recipe over dinner with my friend Corinne who made a version and attested that it was definitely a must-make! Local bloggers picked up on the trend too. Bianca made it in November, Jennifer made it two weeks ago, and Alicia made it most recently! Alicia and I had a similar discussion over lunch one day, about how good it sounded and that we couldn't wait to make it. I knew it was only a matter of time.

My recipe is an adaptation/combination of Jenna's 30 minute version and Pioneer Woman's 2 hour version. Jenna's adds cubed chicken breasts (raw, added right to the pot in the beginning) where Pioneer Woman's calls for shredded chicken (cooked, added towards the end of the process.) I had breasts defrosted so I cubed them and went that route. I incorporated more of the spices plus a jalapeno that Pioneer Woman's called for, where Jenna's used fewer spices/no jalapeno. And so on and so fourth until I had I created a spicy, more soupy, but also creamy version that I'm proud to call my own. I suggest you jump on this bandwagon not because everyone else is, but because this is about the tastiest, most delightful, hearty, soul warming bowl of comfort with leftovers that go on for days. Trust me, and trust the aforementioned bloggers and friends who've made it too.

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed

1 whole medium onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 14.5 ounce cans chicken broth

2 4 ounce cans chopped green chilies

1 whole jalapeno, diced

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp white pepper

1 cup whole milk

2 tablespoons cornmeal

sour cream for garnish

shredded Monterey jack cheese for garnish

cilantro for garnish

warm tortillas for dipping

In a large pot over medium high heat add olive oil and sauté the onions and garlic for two minutes. Add the chicken and sauté for about six minutes more, or until the chicken is seared and the onion is translucent.

Add the cannellini beans, green chilies, jalapeno, chicken broth and spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Then mix the milk with the cornmeal and pour into the chili. Cook for an additional 10 minutes to thicken.

Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream and cilantro. Serve alongside warmed flour tortillas. The end result is a creamy broth with a consistency that dances a fine line between soup and stew with hearty chunks of tender white chicken and smooth cannellini beans in every spoonful. With a spice that you can embrace, it lingers long enough to clear the sinuses without overwhelming the palate. Thinly shredded Monterey Jack cheese coats the surface in melty goodness and a spoonful of sour cream adds a cool contrast. A dash of cilantro adds brightness both in color and flavor. Creamy White Chicken Chili - make some tonight!