Chicken Tortilla Soup

March is almost here, which means the start of Spring, but over here we are still dealing with some wintery, cold weather.  What's better to end one of those days with a nice warm bowl of soup.  I have never made Chicken Tortilla Soup, but saw thought I would give it a try.  This recipe is great if you are short on time (about 45 minutes to make) and is one of the best Chicken Tortilla soups I have tasted (my husband agrees).  The best part are the garnishes at the end....avocado, tortilla strips, cheese...perfect!  

Chicken Tortilla Soup

8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1/4 cup Red Bell Pepper
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 can (10 Oz. Can) Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies
• 32 ounces, fluid Low Sodium Chicken Stock
• 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 2 cups Hot Water
• 1 cans (15 Oz. Can) Black Beans, drained and rinsed
• FOR THE GARNISHES:
• Sour Cream
• Diced Avocado
• Diced Red Onion
• Salsa
• Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
• Cilantro
• Tortilla strips

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.
Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, and minced garlic. Stir and and cook 3-4 minutes or until pepper are tender.   Add the rest of the spice mix, stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.
Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Ladle into bowls, then top with tortilla strips, sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, salsa and grated cheese.   Enjoy!

adapted from Pioneer Woman's Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake

 

 

Chocolate is my downfall, I can't say no. So when I saw this Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake on Two Peas blog, I knew I had to make it. I just needed a reason. So what better reason than a Sunday dinner with family.  This recipe was so easy (no mixer required!), and even though I was a bit scared, came out flawlessly from the bundt pan. 

It tastes...AMAZING.  It is now my go to cake and is for sure going to be a favorite in our family.  Now find a reason to make this cake. .....like that it's a Tuesday in February!!! 

(Please excuse my cake picture...it's a bit messy...)

Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake

Yield: Serves 10

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

 

Ingredients:

For the cake:
1 cup unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
1/3 cup cocoa powder (we use Dutch processed)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup water
2 cups all-purpose Gold Medal flour, plus more for the pan
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the chocolate glaze:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons corn syrup (or agave nectar)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 10 or 12-cup Bundt pan and set aside.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa powder, salt, and water and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring, just until melted and combined. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and baking soda. Add half of the melted butter mixture and whisk until completely blended. The mixture will be thick. Add the remaining butter mixture and whisk until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until completely blended. Whisk in the sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and the vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.

4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then invert onto a rack. Let cool completely before glazing.

5. While the cake is cooling, make the chocolate glaze. Place the chopped chocolate and corn syrup (or agave) in a medium bowl and set aside. Combine the heavy cream and sugar in a small saucepan and put over medium heat. Stir until the cream is hot and the sugar is dissolved. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk until smooth.

6. Generously drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Cut into pieces and serve.

I'm a pumpkin head.

Some recipes are so good that I feel like I should post them twice.  This is one of those recipes.  I have expressed with you all my love for chocolate chip cookies before, and I of course I have expressed my love for pumpkin with you.  Put them together, and you have something that I can't even describe in words.  This has the best of both worlds; the cookie-ness of a chocolate chip cookie, yet it has the added spice of pumpkin.  These cookies have a sort of cakey texture to them, which make them irresistible.

I know we have a few more days left of Summer, but I just couldn't wait until Fall to make these.  And what better way to celebrate the end of the teacher strike then to share these with all my co-workers.  I am asked to make this year after year, and I hope you try this recipe out for yourselves.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 cups (12-ounce bag) semisweet chocolate chips

Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.

Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.

Blueberry Love...

We went blueberry picking over the weekend and I have 15 pounds of blueberries to go through.  We freeze some for the winter to make muffins or pancakes, but I wanted to make some recipes now using these fresh blueberries.  I found a few of my favorites and wanted to share them with you...enjoy, and have a great weekend!

I am making these right now....

Sweet Pea Kitchen's Brown Sugar Blueberry Cookies

Blueberry Boy Bait courtesty of Smitten Kitchen!

Baked Banana Blueberry Oatmeal from the Curvy Carrot

Two Pea's Lemon Blueberry Bars

My Blueberry Crumble Bars!

And we must end with a cocktail...

Cucumber Gin and Tonic with Blueberries

fruit salsa and baked cinnamon chips

One thing I love about summer are all the fruits.  They are all so fresh and colorful.  I thought I would share one of my new favorite recipes using these great Summer fruits with Fruit Salsa and Baked Cinnamon Chips. 

Now I have a friend who tells me that some of my "easy" Working Mom Meals are not so easy for the Mom who REALLY doesn't cook.  Well "Nn" and everyone else who is afraid of the kitchen....fear no more.  This recipe really is easy as long as you have a knife and an oven.

This is a huge hit at my house.  My husband and Jack love the sweetness of the fruit with the added sweetness of the cinnamon chips.

I hope you get to try this, and let me know what you think!  You can get the recipe and many other great recipes over at The Girl Who Ate Everything. 

Enjoy!

Summer S'more Squares

I love S'mores, (who doesn't) but don't often get to make them around a campfire like the old days.  Well welcome my Summer S'more Bites.  These are the easiest, dessert I have made I think, and perfect for those summer cookouts minus the campfire.

And this time, that is my photo.  I am trying to get back into photography skills.  Maybe with the loss of my job, will come some much needed photography time! 

Have a great week!

Summer S'more Squares
 Yields 24

Ingredients:
12 graham cracker sheets
12 large marshmallows
24 Hershey's Kisses

Directions:

Break graham cracker sheets in half.  Using a knife (or clean scissors) cut each marshmallow into 2 halves. Heat oven to Low Broil and place oven rack two levels below broiler. Align graham crackers in the center of a cookie sheet about 1/2" apart from each other (be sure they are near the center so they are directly under the broiler and cook more evenly at the same time). Top each graham cracker with a marshmallow with the cut/sticky side down. Place marshmallow topped graham crackers under broiler (turn oven light on if you have one). KEEP WATCHING!  Watch them closely as they will toast quickly, allow to toast until golden rotating pan with oven mitt as needed.  (I burnt a batch becuase I wasn't watching, so be careful!).  Once golden immediately remove from oven, place 1 Kiss in the center of each toasted marshmallow and gently press down. For best results serve warm, just like a real S'more.
*You will probably have to broil two pans, as only about 12 crackers fit on a pan.

Working Mom Meals....Greek Salad

In case you haven't noticed...Summer is coming.   This also means I will have to squeeze myself into a bathing suit and head down to the pool with Jack.  Panic mode has set in a bit and I am trying to eat a bit healthier.  


This greek salad from Annie's Eats,  will not disappoint.  It is light, healthy, super quick, and tastes amazing!  We had this for a meal along with some toasted garlic pita that I made. 
I think this is one of those salads that I will be adding to my weekly rotation of meals. 


Greek Salad (adapted from Annie's Eats)
Ingredients:
For the dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tbsp. minced fresh dill
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the salad:
Romaine lettuce
Sliced red onions
kalamata olives
sliced green pepper
Grape tomatoes, halved
Cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
Crumbled feta cheese


Directions: 
To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together  all the dressing ingredients until well combined.

To make the salad, add romaine lettuce to a salad bowl.  Drizzle with the dressing and toss well to coat.  Top as desired with red onions, black olives, tomatoes, cucumber,  green pepper, and feta cheese.  Store leftover dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and shake well before using again.


  

Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats

This is one of those recipes that is a hit anywhere, and have people begging for the recipe (and more).  The browned butter  and salt give it that extra little something that the original recipe was missing.

Try them, and I promise you won't be disappointed.  Thank you again to my all time favorite food blog The Smitten Kitchen.

Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats
Makes 16 2-inch squares or 32 1- x 2-inch small bars






4 ounces (1/4 pound or 1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for the pan
1 10-ounce bag marshmallows
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal (about half a 12-ounce box)
Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) an 8-inch square cake pan with 2-inch sides.




In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do.


As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.


Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. Quickly spread into prepared pan. 

Let cool, cut into squares and enjoy.

Working Mom Meals....Skirt Steak Salad

So I am not a food photographer...I'm okay with that.  What I can do is follow a recipe and make a pretty good meal.  That's what I did this weekend, thanks to my favorite foodie blog Smitten Kitchen.

My husband swears this tastes like something you would get at a fancy steak restaurant, and I think I agree.  The skirt steak, blue cheese, and dressing go perfectly together and the it takes no time to prepare.  


In fact, I think skirt steak is my new best friend.  


Do yourself a favor, and try this recipe.  I promise you won't be disappointed.

Skirt Steak with Arugula and Blue Cheese

Serves 4

*1 pound skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat if necessary, halved crosswise, at room temperature
*1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
*1 pint (2 cups) cherry tomatoes, halved
*1/2 cup (about 4 ounces) crumbled blue cheese
*1/2 pound baby arugula
*Vinaigrette (below)
*3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion, for garnish

Pat steak dry and season on both sides 1/2 teaspoon salt and many grinds of black pepper.

In a cast-iron skillet: Heat skillet on medium-high to high and add olive oil. When oil begins to shimmer, place steak in skillet and do not move it for 5 minutes. Turn it once, and cook for another 3 minutes for medium-rare. You may need to cook your steak halves separately, depending on the size of your pan.

On a grill: Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over hot charcoal or high heat for gas. Oil grill rack, then grill steak, covered only if using a gas grill, turning once, 4 to 6 minutes total for medium-rare.

Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest, loosely covered with foil, for five minutes. Arrange arugula on a large platter. Thinly slice steak on the diagonal, across the grain. Arrange over arugula, then toss halved cherry tomatoes and blue cheese over platter. Add vinaigrette to taste, then sprinkle with red onion. Serve with additional vinaigrette on the side.

Steakhouse Mustard Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon coarse Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/3 cup olive oil

Whisk ingredients. Season with salt and pepper and adjust ingredients to taste (usually more Dijon and vinegar for me).

 

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

I make these every year.  Sometimes I make them a few times a year.  They are the hit of my work breakfasts and a favorite with my family and friends.  The thing I don't do, is take a picture of the finished product.  Probably because I always have a hard time with the frosting, and they never look as good as Paula's. I still wanted to share the recipe.  It is amazing. The frosting pairs perfectly with the bars.  They are perfect for a cool Fall weekend.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bars (recipe courtesy of Paula Deen)

Bars:

• 4 eggs
• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 15-ounce can pumpkin
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:

• 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.
To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.