It's about time I cooked again...

I could watch the Food Network all day.  Sometimes, I do! But for some reason, I'm not inspired by many of the things they are cooking. Maybe it's my picky eating tendency, but a lot of the recipes they show are just are not appealing to me. They may look nice, but that's not what I want to eat!

That said, if there's one Food Network chef I can rely on to make something I want to eat, it's definitely Giada De Laurentiis. Maybe the title of one of her shows, Everyday Italian, shows some of our shared interests, but the food Giada makes almost always looks and sounds delicious to me. Not to mention that she, herself, is also easy on the eyes! The last episode I saw she cooked a white bean and chicken chili and for dessert a lemoncello granita, both of which were practically making me drool.

So my desire to make this recipe coincided perfectly with my new effort to have meals in mind before I go grocery shopping.  Pretty logical, right? Well, this is a novel idea for me. So I went to the grocery store this morning and got everything I needed for Giada's White Bean and Chicken Chili and a side of rosemary and garlic roasted potatoes.  The chili was exactly what I was looking for. Even though it's a little healthier than regular chili, it still packs that warmth and heartiness you expect from chili.  The potatoes were a great addition for a truly hearty, comforting meal. Don't forget the bread to soak up the chili!  Recipes after the jump.

White Bean & Chicken Chili
slightly adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pounds ground chicken
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon fennel seeds
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 15-ounce can cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 pound-ish spinach
3/4 cup corn
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh flat-leaf parsley to garnish 

Instructions
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the ground chicken, 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, fennel seeds, oregano, and chili powder. Cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through. Stir the flour into the chicken mixture until combined. Add the beans, spinach, corn, and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 55-60 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by about half and the chili has thickened. Add the red pepper flakes, and simmer for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley to serve.

Rosemary & Garlic Roasted Potatoes
Ingredients
3 or 4 Russet Potatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 table spoon fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons olive oil (about)

Instructions
Wash and rinse potatoes until clean.  Cut potatoes into bite-size wedges.  Toss potatoes with garlic, rosemary, and olive oil. You can ease the oil in gradually as to not over oil the potatoes.  I've found that a little bit goes much farther than I expect!  Roast potatoes in an oven set to 400 degrees F about 20 minutes or until tender.