Taste of the CHAT.  

        What started as a chili cook-off has now turned into a culinary demonstration exposing some of the talents of our group.  Each year we crown the “Best Overall Dish” along with some other serious and not-so-serious honors.  This year Ellen Donovan’s  Chicken Wing Soup took top prize.   Pat (our president) is the annual winner of the “least likely to make it to a cookbook”  award.   The “Taste” is a fun event for participants and the judges.  It’s  great food and trash talking is encouraged.  Stay tuned for the for the date of the 2010 “Taste of the CHAT”  coming this late winter / early spring.  Only $5 to enter your dish or $5 to become a judge.  Please consider joining the fun this year.

2009 winning recipe --- courtesy of Ellen Donovan

CHICKEN WING SOUP

1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoon light butter
Rounded half cup of flour
¾ cup fat free half and half
1 can (49 ounce) chicken broth
6 ounces light Velveetta (2%), cubed
¼ cup Frank’s Hot Sauce
12 ounces raw boneless skinless chickenBreast, cut into finely diced pieces (about3 medium breast halves)
Crumbled blue cheese for garnish (optional)

Sauté the vegetables and garlic in light butter over medium- low heat for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour; cook a minute or two longer. Add milk, bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue to cook for a few minutes to allow flour to cook thoroughly.
Transfer mixture to a large pot, add broth and hot sauce. Bring to a boil then turn heat down to simmer. Cook for 30 minutes to 2 hours, to reduce and thicken mixture. Add raw chicken and Velveeta , cook for 15 to 30 minutes stirring frequently until the chicken is cooked and the cheese is melted. Serve topped with blue cheese Makes 8 servings.