Mexi-Vegi-Chicken.... Tortilla Soup???

I wanted "Mexican" food tonight. Tacos, nachos, burritos... SOMETHING.. but I didn't want to run to the store to get ingredients. Digging through the freezer I found... vegetables. Lots of them. We're veggie eaters here. Now while I could live on a meatless veggie soup, George isn't so happy about meatless eating.. but I had chicken, too!!! No potatoes.. what to do????

Here's what I came up with:

Mexi-Vegi-Chicken Tortilla Soup


Ingredients:

• 1/2-1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 lb frozen cut broccoli
• 1/2 lb frozen mixed veggies
• 1-1 1/2 c frozen seasoning blend (I've been asked what this is :-) follow the link to see!)
• 1 T powdered chicken bouillon OR 3 c chicken broth
• 1 T ground cumin
• 1 t paprika
• 1 t chili powder
• 1 t Mrs. Dash (yes, I was just throwing things in at this point)
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1 chipotle in adobo, mashed to paste (optional- add more, less, or none to taste)
• 1 sm can of tomato paste
• 3-6 c boiling water (3 if you use broth, 6 if you use bouillon)
• 2-4 large tortillas, cut into 1" squares and lightly browned

Directions:

1. Set crock pot to hi for 6 hours or preheat a large soup pot on the stove.
2. Lightly season chicken and brown in olive oil
3. Add all ingredients (EXCEPT TORTILLAS) to pot.
4. Simmer on low for 3-4 hours or cook on high in crock pot for 6.
5. Add tortillas in the last 5-10 minute sof cooking on the stove, last 1/2-1 hour on the crock pot, or just add to bowl.

Serve with sour cream.. sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro.. YUM!! It was so good.

BUT remember.. it is SPICY from the chipotle!!! If you don;t like spicy skip it or start with 1/2 a pepper.

Yes, I am a real Southern girl. No, I do not like my greens.

Yes, I am a TRUE Southern girl. No, I do not like my greens. Sorry, Granny Maw.

I was recently discussing the benefits of greens with my husband (who has recently become a work out guru and is loving his new physique...as am I **wowzers**) The problem is that I don't like most greens. Real greens.. not just green food. Spinach, Kale, collard, mustard greens. I can toss a few baby spinach leaves in my salad, and served in foods that have flavor, I can eat it cooked. That is why this family (other than Lili, the guinea pig, who will eat any green) rarely gets greens.

If you have followed the blog, you may remember this recipe that had even my friend's children yumming on spinach. The pic however is Kaelyn LOL! I tryu to sneak it in when they aren't looking but now they all know I do it and they eat it.

So today I created a green soup. Yes, green. And it is sooooo good! I added about 5 oz of frozen spinach, which in the spinach world is quite a bit. It takes a LOT of spinach to make a pound because it wilts so much.

try this.. with or without the spinach. either way you will not be disappointed.

Mom's Diner Original - Green Soup

• 2 tbsp oil
• 3 medium carrots diced
• 1 cup frozen Seasoning Blend
  
• 2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
  
• 3 medium potatoes, washed, peeled, & diced
  
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  
• 6 oz frozen corn (1/2 12 oz bag)
• 6 oz frozen peas (1/2 12 oz bag)
• 5 oz frozen spinach (1/2 1o oz block)
• 2 cups frozen chopped broccoli or florets
  
• 1/2 tsp dry rosemary
• 1/4 tsp dry basil
  
• Salt, pepper, Tony's seasoning to taste

OPTIONAL

• 1/2 cream or 2% milk
• 4 oz fat free cream cheese (1/2 8 oz block)
  

1. Heat oil in a soup pot and saute' carrots & Seasoning Blend until tender.
2. Add chicken and saute' until opaque.
3. Add potatoes and chicken broth and simmer until potatoes begin to get tender then add frozen vegetables, herbs, & seasonings.
4. Simmer 30-45 minutes until chicken and potatoes are fully cooked through and vegetables have warmed through.
5. If you wish, put optional ingredients (cream & cream cheese) in microwave for 1-2 minutes to warm & soften. Briskly whisk together and add in just before serving (use a seive if you don;t like little bits of floating cream cheese. the fat free doens;t melt is quite as readily as original).
6. DO NOT BOIL AFTER ADDING THESE INGREDIENTS.

Serve with garlic toast or crackers (if you forget the toast like I did)
Side note: Keebler Garlic Butter Club Crackers are to DIE for!

Am I really back???

YES!! And there is so much going on! I am in the process of copying my blog to WordPress. I am not leaving Blogger, but I have a lot of friends over there and this way I can accommodate more people. Still not sure on the layout there.... it's making me nuts trying to decide LOL! Meanwhile for here I found this Lil Piggy at Yummy Lolly and thought it was too cute. So he'll be out mascot for a while.

Now.. Dinner.. That's why we're here right?

My friend Kellie from an online forum I frequent had this AWESOME Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe up at her blog the other day and I had to try it. It is simmering right now and OMG the house smells so good!!

My changes (Yes, you know I can't just make a recipe):

• Uncooked chicken sauteed with the veggies, because I had none cooked.
  
• Frozen Seasoning Blend in place of onions, because I am lazy.
  
• Flour tortillas, because I didn't have corn tortillas.
  
• Added frozen corn... it was there & sounded good LOL!

Please check her blog out she is amazing!

Until we cook again,
Anne

Creamy Chicken Garden Soup

I adapted this recipe to create our own flavor.... took out some calories and sodium (butter & salt), added some veggies (potatoes). WE LOVED THIS!! And it made enough to set aside some for soup & sammies later in the week! Hubby said he even prefers it over the "usual" tomato broth beef veggie soups you normally see.

Ingredients:

• 1 package (16 ounces) frozen pepper stir-fry vegetable mix
• 1 c frozen diced potatoes
• 1 c frozen corn
• 1 c frozen spinach
  
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced
• 2 bone-in chicken quarters, skinned
• 1/2 t minced garlic
• 2 cans (14 ounces) fat-free chicken broth
• 2 springs fresh thyme (1/2 t dry)
• 2 handfuls uncooked egg noodles
• 1 c half-and-half
• 1 c frozen green peas, thawed
• 2 T chopped parsley
• 1 t coarsely ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Place stir-fry vegetables, corn, spinach, and zucchini in bottom of crock pot slow cooker. Add chicken, garlic, broth and thyme. Cover; cook on HIGH 3 to 4 hours or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Remove chicken and set aside to cool slightly.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover; cook 20 minutes longer, or until noodles are done.
3. Meanwhile, de-bone and chop chicken. Return to crock pot slow cooker. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Mom's Diner Corn Chowder

After tons of searching I couldn't find one chowder recipe I liked so I got a list of some basic ingredients and created my own. It was absolutely amazing and looked like a bowl of confetti!

Corn chowder is a dish you can make vegitarian if you wish, see alternate instructions below if you prefer a vegetarian meal.

feel free to put little hands to work stirring, grating, and pouring on this one. Both of mu girls (11 & 3) helped with this one which made eating it that much more rewarding for all of us!

Be sure to teach any children you'll have in the kitchen what they need to know about safety before asking them to help.

• 1/2 lb bacon chopped small
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 cup seasoning blend
• 2 medium coarse shredded carrots
• 3-4 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 c 2% milk
• 2 c chicken stock
• 2lb bag frozen corn kernels
• 3 medium shredded potatoes
• 1/2 t dry parsley or 2T fresh chopped
• salt, pepper, Tony's to taste
• 1 T cornstarch + 1 T water (slurry)

Directions:

1. Render down the bacon until crispy and set aside on napkins to drain.
2. Remove bacon drippings from pan, reserving 1 T of the "grease".
3. Add butter, seasoning blend, and carrots, sauteing until vegetables are tender 5-7 minutes.
4. Add thyme sprigs, bay leaves, milk, and stock.
5. Watching carefully, bring just to a boil then turn heat down low enough to maintain a slow simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Add potatoes, parsley, and seasonings.
7. Stir in slurry and allow to simmer another 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
8. If too thick you can add water, too thin add another slurry repeating 5 minute simmer if you do so.
9. Add corn and crisped bacon then simmer another 10 minutes.
10. Serves well with garlic bread, croutons, or crackers.

For a vegitarian version skip the bacon, use 1T butter in place of the bacon renderings, and vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

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This week's Meal Plan

Halie's Broccoli Soup

This meal is more prep than cooking.

As a matter of fact you NEVER want this to come up more than a very light simmer. A boil runs the risk of separating your dairy products into a gritty mess. I cool it on medium at the beginning and on the lowest setting after adding the veggies.

I use a process I call "micro-steam" for my veggies. After chopping/dicing/etc I put them in a bowl (separately) with a few tablespoons of water and seal tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave 5-7 minutes until tender, sometimes potatoes take a little longer. The important part is that you will not be boiling the soup, so the vegetables must be cooked before adding.

You'll notice that every thing is finely chopped, diced, and processed... that is because that is the way Halie likes it :)

• 1/3 cup oil
• 1/3 c flour
• 1/2 c seasoning blend, ran through food processor
• 1 1/2 c half & half
• 4-6 cups 2% milk (depending on thick you want it)
  
• 24 oz broccoli florets thawed & finely chopped
• 2-3 cups potatoes diced small
• 2 cups shredded cheese (whatever you like)
• Seasonings to taste: salt, pepper, Tony's
  

Directions:

1. Create a light blond roux with the oil and flour.
2. Warm the cream & milk slightly then add to the roux to create your sauce base.
3. Saute seasoning blend in a small pot if you prefer, or add to broccoli in next step.
4. Micro-steam the broccoli until tender, leave water if only a tablespoon or so, and add to pot.
5. Separately micro-steam the potatoes until tender, drain any water, and add to the pot.
6. Season to taste.
   
7. Allow this to set over low heat for 30 minutes to an hour on your lowest setting so the flavors will blend.
8. If it is too thick, add a bit of water (1/4 c at a time)
9. Add cheese and stir gently until melted, this will thicken the sauce again.
10. Check again for seasonings, add if needed.
    
11. Allow to set another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure cheese is melted in and blended well.
12. Serve with grilled chicken, alongside crackers, or bacon sprinkled over the top.

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Today's Menu: EASY Minestrone

So since I won't be shopping until after dinner tonight, I am going back to the Marinara/spaghetti sauce recipes. They are quick. They are easy. And I usually have all the ingredients on hand.

Easy Italian Minestrone
from Food Network's "50 things to do with Marinara"

#8 Minestrone Soup: Boil 1 jar pasta sauce and 5 cups water. Stir in cooked small pasta, chopped mixed vegetables, canned beans and grated parmesan cheese; cook until vegetables are tender.

And since I change everything... :)

Recipe:
My Revised Easy Italian Minestrone
1/2 lb Turkey Sausage link ($1.5026/lb- 1/2 lb= 75¢)
1 jar favorite pasta sauce (approx $1.50 jar)
2 cups chicken broth ($1.50/box - 1/2 box = 75¢)
1 bag frozen Italian veggies (12 oz. = $1.50)
1 can canelli/white beans (12 oz = 68¢)
1/2lb sm. pasta- mine? Gemelli ($1.26/box- 1/2 box= 63¢)
Water
I usually get AT LEAST 1 meal and a lunch out of this.. sometimes 2-3 lunches extra to freeze.. depends on how hungry everyone is.
Total Meal $5.81
with an italian sausage splurge you only add pennies!

Start boiling a pot of water for pasta. Remember to salt when boiling, add pasta and cook until just under "al dente".. take 1-2 minutes of suggested cooking time. Drain and toss with just a drizzle of olive oil, or any light oil if you're out.

In seperate pot:
Add sauce and broth and bring to simmer.
Slice sausage into thin 1/2 moons (half the slice)
Add sausage and frozen veggies and return to simmer.
Add enough water to make a soup consistency.
When all veggies thaw/warm through, add beans to simmer.

Add pasta and simmer until tender, adding water as needed to keep soup consistency. (Sorry I've never measured the water, lol)

Try serving with saltines. Garnish with any fresh herbs -- parsley, basil, minced onion or chives.

It's the little touches.. broth, fresh herbs, olive oil on pasta... that make the dish taste authentic and like you slaved all day. AND IT TOOK ME 25 MINUTES!

Enjoy!

This is my little one demanding in on the picture action
as she chows down on her minestrone, LOL!