Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup is one of Bobby's favorites (because of the Mexican flare :) so it makes regular appearances during soup season.

1/2 lb chicken, cooked and shredded
2 cans (14 oz each) chicken broth
1 c medium salsa
1 c frozen corn
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 c Mexican rice (cooked) OR 4 corn tortillas, finely chopped
1 c shredded cheddar cheese (topping)
tortilla chips (topping)

In a large saucepan, mix together chicken, broth, salsa, corn and rice. Bring to a boil; simmer on medium-low heat for 15 min. Serve topped with cheese and crunched tortilla chips (like crackers).

This soup also freezes/reheats well.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread

In addition to pumpkin spice lattes, I love pumpkin bread (and all other sweet breads :). I tried a new recipe yesterday and it's definitely a keeper!

1/2 c butter, softened
1 c white sugar
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
3 eggs
2 c wheat flour
1 c all purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1 1/2 t baking soda
2 t ground cinnamon
3/4 t ground cloves
1 1/2 t ground nutmeg
1 15 oz can of pumpkin
cinnamon and sugar mixture for dusting

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add applesauce and eggs; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; stir into creamed mixture just until moistened. Stir in pumpkin. Pour into two greased 9 x 5 loaf pans. Sprinkle tops with cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until bread tests done.

Pumpkin Spice Lattes...

...are my vice. So in order to fuel my habit without doing too much damage to my pocketbook, I've set out on a quest to recreate this delicious treat at home. This morning's recipe was the second epic failure, but I still have hope I'll find one that works. Hopefully, for Bobby's sake :), it will be soon!

I'll keep you all (however many of you there are...) posted.

Happy Friday!

What will I feed them??

One of the many small things I think about as we are attempting to prepare ourselves to have two little African boys dropped in our laps is what I will feed them. Well, not so much what I'll feed them, but what they will like to eat.

Maybe they'll like everything because up to this point they haven't had much.

Maybe they will only want what they had when in the orphanage or foster home.

Maybe they will become attached to the first meal I serve them and want only that.

Maybe they will eat anything I put in front of them.

Maybe they won't want to eat.

There probably isn't a whole lot I can do to prepare for their reaction to the food I serve them except drop the expectations I have for them loving everything I serve and always complimenting me on what an amazing cook I am. ha :)

Bobby's hoping they like spicy food. We'll see what I can do about that!

Apple Butter

My friend Suzy gave me a garbage bag full of apples a few weeks ago so I've been busy washing, peeling, coring, slicing and dicing apples, by hand, ever since! I haven't done much besides apple crisp or apple pie in the past, so I decided to try apple butter after my lovely sister-in-law suggested it. Lucky for me, it turned out pretty well!

5 1/2 lbs apples (about 15-20 apples, depending on size)
2 c white sugar
2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t nutmeg
1/2 t salt

Peel, core and finely chop apples to nearly fill a 4 quart crock pot. Mix the sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl. Pour the mixture over the apples in the slow cooker and mix well.

Cover and cook on high 1 hour. Reduce heat to low and cook 9 to 11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown. Uncover and continue cooking on low 1 hour. Stir with a whisk to increase smoothness.

Spoon apple butter into sterile containers, cover and refrigerate or freeze.

Tostadas

This summer Bobby and I fell in love with tostadas. Don't think they're exactly "traditional," but we have certainly made this dinner a regular over the past few months because they are quick, tasty and, as a bonus, quite inexpensive :)


tostadas
1 can refried beans
cheddar cheese
2 c (ish) lettuce, shredded
1/2 red pepper, diced
2 t (ish) lemon juice

Warm the refried beans and spread a few tablespoons on each tostada. Top with cheddar cheese and broil until cheese is melted. Mix together lettuce and red pepper and add lemon juice. Top tostada with lettuce mixture and enjoy.

If you want to add a little something extra, top with my mom's guacamole. So good!


1 avocado, mashed
1 roma tomato, seeded and diced
1 clove garlic
1 t (ish) lemon juice
pepper to taste

Creamy Tomato Soup with Tortellini

It's officially soup season! And I already made one of my favorites when we had our friends Aaron and Michelle over for dinner last night. Even Michael, their 2 year old, thought it was pretty good :)

2 (28 ounce) cans crushed Italian tomatoes
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
18 fresh basil leaves, minced (or 1 ½ t dry)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 c whipping cream (or milk)
3 T butter or margarine
1 bag tortellini (9 oz)

Put 1 can of tomatoes in the blender (just enough so there are no big chunks) and then add to large saucepan along with the second can of tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add basil and sugar. Reduce heat to low; stir in cream and butter. Cook until butter is melted.

Cook tortellini as directed and add to soup.