Chicken Tortilla Soup

This recipe is DELICIOUS! It smelled so good while simmering that I almost had to eat it before it was finished cooking. So, this recipe takes 1 hour total to cook, 10 minutes prep time, and serves 8. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup carrot, diced

1 cup celery

1 cup onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 fresh diced garlic clove

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons corn oil (I used vegetable because thats what I had)

4 (15 ounce) cans chicken broth

1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes (optional)

1 (10 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes & chilies

1 packet taco seasoning

1 (10 count) package corn tortillas (broken or cut into small pieces)

12 ounces poaches chicken meat, diced

1 cup milk

12 ounces Mexican blend cheese

corn chips broken into small pieces for garnish

Directions:

1. Saute carrots, onions, and celery in corn oil, add the garlic, salt and pepper - cook until tender.

2. Add chicken broth and bring to boil.

3. Add tomatoes, Rotel, taco seasoning and chicken.

4. Cut tortillas into small pieces and add to mixture.

5. Let boil for 20 minutes or until tortillas are thoroughly incorporated into soup stirring occasionally to keep from sticking.

6. Reduce heat and add 8 ounces cheese. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

7. Add milk and simmer for additional 10 minutes. Garnish with shredded cheese and broken tortilla chips.

If thicker soup is desired, add more diced tortillas and let incorporate into soup.

Substitutions:

- 1 cup Masa Harina for 1 10 count packages corn tortillas (gradually add flour and mix into broth)

- You can use grilled chicken fajita in lieu of poached diced chicken

Creamy Pork Tenderloin

Yesterday I decided I would have the in-laws over for dinner, desert and a couple games of marbles (the mother-in-law and I won both games).

As I was deciding what to have for dinner I remembered that I had 2 pork tenderloins in the freezer and that there was a pork recipe I was anxious to try over on Big Mamas blog. So, for dinner we had Creamy Pork Tenderloin, mashed potatoes (this would also be really good with rice) and mixed veggies - and for desert, homemade peach cobbler and vanilla ice cream. Here are the recipes for you to try for your family and friends!

List of Ingredients

1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound)
1 egg
1 tbs. water1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 tsp. pepper1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup Italian-seasoned dry bread crumbs (I buy these because PLEASE)
3 tbs. canola oil
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tbs. butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream1/4 cup chicken broth

Cut the tenderloin into about six to eight pieces. Use a mallet or hammer or whatever to flatten the pieces to about 3/4 inch thickness.

Combine egg, water, rosemary, pepper, and garlic powder i

n a small bowl. Place the bread crumbs in a separate bowl. Dip the pork into egg mixture, then into bread crumbs.

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown pork in oil for about 5 minutes on each side. Remove the pork medallions to a 13 x 9 pan.

In the same skillet, saute mushrooms in butter until tender.Add in a cup of sour cream. Stir in cream of chicken soup.The last step is to add a 1/4 cup chicken broth. Stir all the ingredients together until the sauce is smooth, then pour over the pork.

Cover the dish with foil and bake in a 325 degree oven for one hour.

SO yummy, and the pork was nice and tender, no knives needed!

(photo courtesy of Bigmamablog.com)

Now, for the peach cobbler...

Ingredients

BATTER

• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup room temperature milk
• 1 room temperature egg

FILLING

• 1 (28 ounce) can sliced peaches, drained --- I used 4 fresh peaches, but 5 would probably be better1 cup sugar

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon butmeg

Directions

Melt butter in a 9 x 13 inch pan.

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder & salt.

Stir in milk & egg.

Pour evenly over melted butter.

Combine peaches, sugar & spices and spread over batter-DO NOT STIR!

Bake 35-45 minutes at 350°F until batter comes to the top and is golden brown.

Serve warm with ice cream.

(photo courtesy of recipzaar.com)

Eggplant Parmesan

INGREDIENTS

Serves 8

• Olive oil, for baking sheets
• 3/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs (or the pre-spiced "Italian Breadcrumbs," and skip the next two ingredients)
  
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• Salt and ground pepper
• 2 large eggplants, (2 1/2 pounds total), peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
• 3 cups (more or less) Tomato Sauce
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese for topping (optional)
  

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a wide, shallow bowl, combine breadcrumbs, spices if using, and season with salt and pepper.

Peel eggplants in stripes (this is to get rid of some of the chewy skin but not all of it, as the skin helps hold the eggplant together as it is fried. If you don't mind the chewiness, just wash the eggplant). Slice into 1/2 inch think rounds.

In a large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil over medium heat. (On the oil, use olive, vegetable, what have you. If you must, use spray oil, but recognize that the lovely golden crunchy exterior come from being well-fried!)

Dip an eggplant slice in breadcrumb mixture, coating well; slide into hot oil and fry for approximately 5 mins on each side, or until breadcrumb mixture browns. As you remove each slice, place on a baking sheet.

Once you've fried all the eggplant, top each round with a dollop (or more, to your taste) of tomato sauce and some cheese. Put into the 375 degree oven. Bake until golden brown on bottom, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn slices; continue baking until browned on other side, 20 to 25 minutes more.

Serve with pasta; add extra tomato sauce if desired or just sprinkle some parmesan cheese over the top.

Blackened Chicken Pizza

Two nights ago I had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Rod Stewart concert and let me tell you that man still has it going on. He was dancing all over that stage and singing one song after another stopping only for wardrobe changes and when he sang "hot legs" he was kicking soccer balls half way across the arena. Did I mention he is almost 65 years old? It was a great concert! One of my favorite songs by Mr. Stewart is "Rhythm of my Heart" and I will just say that the rhythm oof my heart leads me to pizza and not so much "where the ocean meets the sky." Today I am giving you the recipe for Paula Deens' Blackened Chicken Pizza.

Blackened Chicken Pizza (Paula Deen)

3 teaspoons blackening seasoning, divided (found on the spices aisle)
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, pounded to 1/4 in. thickness
4 tbs. butter, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
2 tbs. all purpose flour
1/4 cup white wine
3/4 cup milk
2 tbs. chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves
8 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese.
Pizza crust

Sprinkle 2 tsp. blackening season evenly over chicken breast. In a large skillet, melt 2 tbsp. butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until done. Remove from heat, cool and cut chicken into bite sized pieces.

In a large skillet melt remaining 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in flour, cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. gradually whisk in wine and milk. Continue to whisk for 4-5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in basil and remaining 1 tsp. blackening season. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 450.

Spread cream mixture evenly over prepared, unbaked pizza crust. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Top evenly with spinach, chicken and bacon. Sprinkle another 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1 cup grated parmesan cheese over the top.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly brown.

Doesn't that look delicious?!

Layered Mexican Chicken

I thought that after the last post, which would be a splurge only dish, I should post a mexican chicken dish that you can enjoy any time. This is a Weight Watchers recipe but can be enjoyed by anyone, not just the dieting.

For those of you who are counting points however, this dish serves 12 with 6 points per serving. Prep time is 20 minutes and cooking time is 30 minutes. The dish will last up to 5 days in the fridge so it is good if you need to make something ahead of time or if you just need something to eat all week.

Layered Mexican Chicken

1 spray olive oil cooking spray

2 pound chicken breast, uncooked, boneless, skinless

30 oz canned black beans, rinsed and drained

3 cup fat free sour cream

2 cup shredded reduced fat Mont. Jack or mexican style cheese

8 oz chopped green chilies (two 4 oz cans)

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp black pepper

12 medium corn tortillas cut into 2 inch strips

1 cup salsa, mild, medium or hot

Preheat oven to 350. Coat lasagna pan with cooking spray.

Place chicken in medium saucepan and fill with enough cold water just to cover chicken. Set pan over high heat and bring to boil. reduce heat to medium and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes, drain. When chicken is cool enough to handle , cut into 1 inch pieces.

Transfer chicken to a large bowl and add beans, sour cream, 1 cup shredded cheese, chilies, cumin and pepper; mix well and set aside.

Arrange half of tortillas in bottom of prepared lasagna pan, overlapping pieces to cover surface. Top tortillas with half of chicken mixture, layer with remaining tortillas and then top with remaining chicken mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese.

Bake until filling is bubbly and cheese is melted, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing into 12 pieces, Serve with salsa on the side.

Bon appetite!

Sour Cream and Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe is DELICIOUS! I couldn't eat them fast enough but I thought that eating the whole dish by myself would be a bad idea... So I shared - but only with Brandon!

I have a few more facts to include with this recipe like prep and cook time, and serving size. So, the total time for this recipe is 45 minutes, 25 of prep and 20 minutes cooking time. This dish serves 8 people but I think that could vary depending on tortilla size and how fully you stuff them.

1 lb. chicken breast, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

8 (8 inch) flour tortillas, softened

1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack Cheese or Mexican blend cheese, divided

1.4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1 (15 ounce) can chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

1 (4 ounce) can green chilies

1. In a fry pan, cook chicken and onion together in oil over med-high heat until chicken it just done.

2. Divide cooked chicken evenly between 8 tortillas; add 1 1/2 tablespoons cheese to each tortilla.

3. Roll enchiladas and places seam side down in 9x13" baking dish that has been lightly sprayed with no stick cooking spray.

4. Melt butter in a medium saucepan; stir in flour to make a roux; stir and cook until bubbly; gradually whisk in chicken broth then bring to boiling, stirring frequently.

5. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and green chilies; pour sauce evenly over enchiladas.

6. Top with remaining 3/4 cup cheese (baking dish may be double-wrapped and frozen at this point to cook and serve later) and bake at 400 for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce near edges of baking dish is bubbly.

I hope you enjoy this dish but I must say that it should be used on a splurge only, I have the nutrition facts if you would like them just drop me an e-mail and I will send them to you. I am afraid that if I post them, no one will ever eat them and everyone should at least taste them just once!

Baked Oatmeal

With the beginning of another week I like to somewhat plan out that weeks dinners. But recently I have been thinking quite a bit about breakfast, which is odd because I normally skip breakfast and start my day with my lunch. If you are also a breakfast skipper but would like to start partaking of the morning meal, or even if you are already a breakfast eater, I suggest you try this tasty spin on oatmeal. It takes a bit of preparation so I would suggest it for a weekend breakfast and freeze it in sections, or making it the night ahead. It serves nicely after freezing so don't be afraid to freeze the left overs and trust me, unless you have a house full of guests, there will be leftovers!

Baked Oatmeal

2 cups frozen blueberries
2 tbs. fresh lemon juice, divided
1 18oz. container regular oats
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tbs. ground cinnamon
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter.

Toss 2 cups blueberries in 1 tbs. lemon juice and spread evenly in a 9×13 inch lightly greased baking dish. Combine oats, next 9 ingredients and remaining 1 tbs. lemon juice in a large bowl. Mix well. Pour mixture over blueberries.
Bake, covered, at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 more minutes or until golden brown and set.

Now, I know it looks unappetizing when mixing everything together, but trust me, it tastes much better than it looks - enjoy!

Chicken Cakes and Remoulade Sauce

This is a delicious recipe I found over at thebigmamablog.com and it is what I will be having for dinner tonight!

I will try to post pictures with each recipe showing the steps as I go along, but since I have to start cooking now I won't have time today, but I may come back and add them later. Happy Cooking!

Chicken Cakes and Remoulade Sauce

2 tbsp. butter

1/2 medium sized red bell pepper, diced

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

3 cups cooked chicken, shredded

1 cup soft bread crumbs

1 large egg, beaten

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp Creole mustard (or stoneground mustard - if you have neither I just mix a little Creole seasoning in my mustard)

1 tsp Creole seasoning

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper, green onions and garlic. Saute 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Stir together bell pepper mixture, chicken and the next 5 ingredients. Shape mixture into 6-8 patties depending on size. Fry patties 4 at a time in 2 tbsp. hot oil over medium heat - 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel and serve immediately with Remoulade Sauce.

Remoulade Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise

3 green onion sliced

2 tbsp. Creole mustard

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 - 1/2 tsp. ground red pepper

Stir ingredients together until well blended.

The cakes can be served alone with the sauce as a dipping sauce and are great the next day on buns using the sauce as a spread. Having said that, we think the second option is better so I say go straight to eating them on buns with the sauce as a spread, no other condiment is necessary.

Enjoy!