Quick Tortilla Soup

  I know it has been a while since I posted.  No I have NOT run out of recipes, quite the contrary.  I have found more.  We don't have heat in the office... so cold weather sends me flying to covers and a cup of hot something (coffee, tea, cocoa...I'm an equal opportunity drinker).  The cold also gets my mind thinking about soups, stews and chilli.  So here is a quick Tortilla Soup recipe.  Grab the soup pot and whip it up tonight.

Quick Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:
4 TB oil (split in half)
1 medium onion, minced and chopped finely
1 garlic clove, minced or chopped finely
1 bell pepper, minced or chopped finely
1 jalapeno or other spicy pepper, diced (remove seeds and veins
  to make a milder soup)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 TB tomato paste
6 cups chicken stock (low sodium)
2 1/2 -3 cups cooked chicken ( we used leftover Thanksgiving Turkey)
1 lime, juiced
8 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4 inch thin strips
Fresh Cilantro, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped (optional)
1 avocado, chopped (optional)
Grated Monterrey Jack cheese
Sour Cream

Directions:

  In a large pot, heat 2 TB oil over medium high heat. Add tortilla strips and cook until golden and crispy about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt while hot. Set aside.
  In the same large pot, heat another 2 TB oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, peppers, salt, cumin, and coriander, and cook until vegetables are soft and translucent. About 5 minutes.
  Add tomato paste and cook one minute longer.
  Add stock and bring to boil. Once it reaches boiling, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the chicken and juice from the lime and cook for 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat.
  Ladle soup into bowls and top with fresh tomatoes, avocado, grated cheese, tortilla strips, and sour cream and cilantro.

Mexican Chicken...

   Here is a quick and easy chicken skillet meal.  If you like your chicken with a little heat to it, dice up a couple of Jalapeño peppers and add to the skillet.  You can make this dish as hot or as mild as you like it.

Image by Pamela Jo

Mexican Chicken

 Ingredients:

1 chicken, cut up into pieces
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup onion, minced
2 green peppers, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup rice
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 can chicken broth

Directions:
   Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  In large skillet, brown chicken in oil.  Remove chicken and set aside.  Add onion and green pepper to hot oil, cook until tender.  Add rice, garlic, tomatoes, chicken pieces and chicken broth.  Cover skillet and cook 20 to 25 minutes or until rice is done.

Image by Pamela Jo

Chicken and Corn Tamale Loaf

    Today we are going to heat up the oven and get cookin'.  This is a chicken main dish with a Mexican Flair.  You will need your skillet and a loaf pan for this one.  This recipe takes a little time to cook, but it is well worth it.

Image by Pamela Jo

Chicken and Corn Tamale Loaf 


Ingredients:

1 medium onion, minced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
¼ cup cooking oil
1 ½ cup yellow cornmeal
1 ¾ cup hot chicken broth
1 ½ cups cooked chicken, diced
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
3 eggs, beaten
1 can cream style corn
1 Tbsp butter
green onion, chopped for garnish (optional)

Directions:
   Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
   Saute onion and garlic in oil, until tender.  Mix with cornmeal, chicken broth, chicken, tomato sauce, chili powder, salt, pepper and eggs.  Mix thoroughly.  Pour mixture into well greased 9 inch baking dish.
   Set baking dish in pan of hot water in oven.  Bake for 1 hour or until firm and brown.  Remove from oven and turn out onto serving platter.
   Heat corn with butter in a small sauce pan.  Pour over top of meat loaf.  Garnish with green onion if desired.

SamJacks...

   Wow!  Am I behind on this blog.  I just got busy on other things.  I will try to do better.  I have got so many recipes to share and we are coming into the heavy cooking season.  Nothing says cookin' like cool days and frosty nights.  So let's get started with a good breakfast.  Pull out the skillet or griddle.  Warm up the stove and let's cook. 

Image by Pamela Jo

SamJacks


Ingredients:

1 can Spam, sliced
Pancake batter, mixed and ready to cook

Directions:
   In large skillet, brown slices of Spam.  Pour pancake batter over and around browned slice.  Cook as you would regular pancakes.  Serve hot.

Salisbury Steak

  Autumn is coming and with it cooler temperatures. I don't know about you but I am more than ready.  It's time to fire up the old stove and bring out the comfort food.  Here is a very easy recipe for Salisbury steak.  This is a great go to recipe for those nippy nights.  Serve it with rice or potatoes, and the veggie of your chose.  Now that is comfort food.













Salisbury Steak

Ingredients:

1 can mushroom soup
1 lb hamburger meat
½ cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 egg, slightly beaten
¼ cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup water

Directions:
   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   Mix ¼ cup soup, meat, bread crumbs, egg, and onion. Mix thoroughly.
Shape into 6 patties.  Place in shallow baking dish.  Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Spoon off fat.
   In small bowl, mix remaining soup and water.  Pour over meat in baking dish.  Bake an additional 10 minutes.  Remove and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Meat and Potato Casserole

   Here is a casserole with under 5 ingredients.  It goes together fast and tastes great.  If you got a meat and potatoes man in the house, this is perfect. If you want you can always add your own special touch to this recipe too.  Add a vegetable or saute up some extra mushrooms.  Your imagination is the limit.

Meat and Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 can mushroom soup and 1 can water
4 medium potatoes
1 medium onion, chopped

Directions:
   Preheat oven  to 350 degrees.
   Brown beef and onions in skillet until meat is almost done.  Add soup and water.  Cook over low heat until blended.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
   Peel and slice potatoes into thin round slices.  Arrange in casserole dish, layer on layer until all potatoes are used.  Pour beef and soup mix over potatoes.  Cover and bake in preheated oven until potatoes are tender.

Make Ahead Casserole

   Fall is the time for get pot luck dinners and festivals.  If you have a busy schedule at this time of year why not try out this casserole.  You can make it ahead of time store it in the refrigerator, then pop it in the oven to cook while you get everything else together.  No trying to chop mix and find shoes and socks at the same time.  What a relief. 












Make Ahead Casserole

Ingredients:

1 package (7 oz) macaroni, don't cook
2 cups milk
1 can celery soup
1 can mushroom soup
½ lb American cheese, cubed or grated
2 cups cooked chicken, diced
½ tsp salt
1 small onion, chopped

Directions:
   Mix all ingredients in large bowl.  Cover and let stand in refrigerator overnight.  Remove 1 hour before baking.
   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   Stir well and pour into a 2 ½ quart casserole or large baking dish.  Bake 1 hour in preheated oven, or until brown and bubbly.  Remove and serve.

                       What do you mean that's the only one you can find???

Jalapeño Cornbread with Ground Meat

   If you like cornbread, you will love this.  This casserole is not only very filling, it looks great when you plate it up.  You can serve it alone or with a side order of your favorite style of beans and guacamole.  Now that is a full meal.  Cue the Mariachi band.  Dinner is on the table.

Jalapeño Cornbread with Ground Meat


Ingredients:

1 lb hamburger meat
1 package taco seasonings, or chili powder
1 large can cream style corn
1 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup milk
¼ cup bacon drippings
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
2 eggs
grated cheese
1 large onion, chopped
5 canned jalapeños, chopped

Directions:
   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   Combine corn meal, milk, eggs, salt, bacon drippings, and corn in medium bowl.  Mix well and set aside.
   Mix taco seasonings or chili powder with hamburger meat.  Brown meat in skillet and drain on paper towel.  Pour half of cornbread battter into well greased baking dish.  Add meat, sprinkle with onion and jalapeño over meat.  Sprinkle some of the cheese on rest.  Top with remaining cornbread batter.  Bake about 45 minutes in preheated oven.  Sprinkle remaining grated cheese over top after about 25 minutes of cooking time.

Notes:  If using cornbread mix leave out the baking soda.

                                   Now that is a real call to the table...

Italian Chicken Spaghetti Sauce

   This recipe takes a while to cook, but it is worth it.  You can always double the recipe and freeze half of it for dinner another night.  Serve this Italian Chicken spaghetti sauce with garlic bread and a salad.  Talk about comfort food.  What's more comfortable than pasta...













Italian Chicken Spaghetti Sauce


Ingredients:

1 chicken cut into pieces and boiled
1 large can tomatoes and 1 can water
1 can tomato sauce and 1 can water
1 cup celery, diced
1 bell pepper, chopped
½ tsp garlic powder
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp Italian seasonings
1 Tbsp mustard
salt and pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Spaghetti, cooked and drained


Directions:
   Boil chicken and set aside. 
   In large sauce pan, cook celery, bell pepper, and onion in small amount of shortening or oil until tender.  Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, garlic powder, Italian seasonings, mustard, salt and pepper. 
   Simmer sauce for 2 to 4 hours, the longer the better.  Keep adding water to keep from sticking.  About 45 minutes before serving time, take chicken off of bones.  Add to sauce along with mushroom soup.  Cook amount of spaghetti needed, and drain. 
   Put spaghetti in large bowl and pour sauce over the top and serve.

Beef Royal

   This recipe is a good one to use with the less expensive cuts of meat.  The longer cooking time gives the meat time to tenderize.  Serve this over steaming rice and you have your self a really good meal.  Good enough for Royalty or at least your friends.













Beef Royal

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs steak
dash of black pepper
flour
2 cups water
¼ tsp paprika
1 green pepper
1 package onion gravy mix
oil or shortening

Directions:
   Flour steak and brown in skillet in small amount of oil or shortening.  Remove steak and cut into small squares.  Return steak to skillet.  Mix gravy mix, water, black pepper and paprika.  Pour over steak in pan and simmer 1 ½ to 2 hours.
   Cut green pepper into strips and add to steak for the last 30 minutes of cooking time.

New England Boiled Dinner

   While we are thinking about fall, here is another good fall supper.  It also uses a lot of the vegetables that are in season now.  So head out to the garden or your nearest farmers market and cook a delicious fresh meal, with locally grown produce. 

New England Boiled Dinner

Ingredients:

3 or 4 lbs bone end cut ham
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic, can use garlic powder
½ large head cabbage, cut in 6 wedges
4 to 6 small potatoes
4 to 6 small carrots, peeled
4 to 6 small onions
¼ lb or less green beans, broken in half

Directions:
   Wash ham, cut of rind and most of fat.  Put in large pot and cover with water.  Add bay leaf and garlic.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.  If ham is precooked variety, simmer for ½ hour.
   Remove ham and cut from bone.  (Reserve bone for making split pea soup.)  Return meat to pot.  Add all vegetables except cabbage to ham and simmer ½ hour.  Add cabbage to pot the last 15 minutes of cooking time.

                                             A perfect fall day...

Chili

   Fall is just around the corner, with cooler days and even cooler nights.  I can't wait.  Friday night football games and fall festivals.  What goes really good with a little nip in the air?  Chili... Here is a quick chili you can make up in less than 30 minutes.  Serve with warm cornbread fresh from the oven.  Just the right meal for fall nights.

Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb hamburger meat
1 Tbsp shopped dry onion, or ½ fresh onion, chopped
1 can tomatoes
1 can pinto beans
2 Tbsp chili quick, rounded
dash of black pepper

Directions:


   Brown hamburger meat and onions (if using fresh onion) in skillet.  Drain excess fat from skillet.  Add remaining ingredients to skillet and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.  Keep adding enough water to keep from sticking, while cooking.

              What can I say...I'm from Texas...Part Aggie...Part Longhorn...

Franks 'n Beans Skillet Supper

   Here is a twist on Franks and Beans.  This on is made with green beans with the addition of bacon to help bring out the flavor.  This supper cooks up so easy and fast it may become your new favorite franks and beans recipe.  So bring out the skillet and lets get cooking.

Franks 'n Beans Skillet Supper

Ingredients:

2 slices bacon
6 frankfurters
½ cup onion, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
½ cup water
1 or 2 cans potatoes
1 can green beans


Directions:
   In skillet cook bacon.  Remove bacon and crumble.  Cut each frankfurter into thirds, brown in skillet with onions.  Stir in soup and water.  Drain beans and potatoes.  Cut potatoes into slices.  Add beans and potatoes to skillet and heat thoroughly.  Garnish with crumbled bacon.

Top Hat Supper

   This is a quick easy to prepare meal.  Made with Spam, yeah I said spam.  The most misunderstood and humble canned meat around.  To me Top Hat congers up a vision of Fred Astaire looking dashing in white tie and tails.  That would make this a humble eloquent meal.  Try saying that 3 times fast.












Top Hat Supper

Ingredients:

1 can cream of celery soup
¼ cup onion, chopped
¼ cup green pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp butter
½ cup milk
4 servings instant potatoes
1 can lunch meat (spam) cut in 6 slices

Directions:
    Preheat oven to 370 degrees.
   In sauce pan, melt butter and cook onions and green peppers until tender.  Stir in soup and milk.  Heat thoroughly.
   Prepare potatoes using ½ cup soup mixture in place of milk.  Place meat in baking dish, top with potatoes.  Bake 15 minutes in preheated oven.  Serve topped with hot soup sauce.

                       Wow...If I knew you liked Spam I would have made it sooner....

Skillet Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

   This is a really good recipe for cooking a roast on the stove. You need a heavy skillet with a lid for this one, possible a cast iron skillet.  This is a one dish meal, and it is easy but I wouldn't say it is quick.  But we all know good things come to those who wait, right.  Roast with potatoes and carrots is one of the ultimate comfort foods, and makes the house smell so good.   











Skillet Roast with Potatoes and Carrots


Ingredients:

2 lbs steak, cut in cubes
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
Water to cover
Potatoes, cubed
Carrots,  1 inch cubes

Directions:
   Brown steak in heavy skillet. Pour off grease.   Add soup mix and water to cover steak.  Cover skillet and bring to a simmer.  Add carrots and potatoes.  Return to simmer, and cook for about 1 ½ to 2 hours.  Add additional water as needed to keep it from going dry.

Tamale Pie

   This a quick casserole and is very good.  Beans and cornbread, what could be better.  I have made it as written with pork n beans, as well as with chili beans or Ranch style beans.  It turned out good with any of them.  Don't forget the vinegar it does make a difference in the taste.  If you use an 8 x 8 pan the cornbread will rise over the top of the casserole dish, but will not overflow.












Tamale Pie

Ingredients:

1 lb hamburger
½ cup celery, chopped
½ cup onion, chopped
2 cans pork and beans
½ cup catchup
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 tsp chili pepper
½ package (12 oz) corn muffin mix
1/3 cup milk
1 egg

Directions:
   Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
   Brown hamburger, celery, and onion in skillet.  Drain off grease.  Add beans, catchup, vinegar and chili pepper.  Heat thoroughly.  Pour into a casserole dish.  Combine muffin mix, milk, and egg.  Spread over top of baking pan.  Bake for 25 minutes in preheated oven.

Did someone say Tamale?

Ground Beef Casserole

   This casserole is the ultimate in comfort food.  Hamburger, cheese, mash potatoes in a creamy sauce.  What more can you ask for... except a cook to make it for you. 

Ground Beef Casserole


Ingredients:

1 lb hamburger meat
½ cup onion, chopped
1 package (10 oz) frozen peas, cooked
½ tsp salt
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
2 tsp prepared mustard
2 cups mashed potatoes
½ cup grated cheese


Directions:
   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  
   Brown hamburger meat and onion in skillet. Pour off grease.  Add peas, mushroom soup, celery soup, salt and mustard.  Pour into baking dish.  Arrange potatoes around edge of dish.  Sprinkle with cheese. 

   Bake 30 minutes in preheated oven. 
  
   Remove from oven and serve.



 

Lipton Meat Sauce And Lipton Chopped Beef Stroganoff

   I decided to do a Tuesday Two-fer.  Here are two quick recipes made with Lipton dried soup mix and hamburger.  Shh, don't tell the cows.  Bring out the skillet and get cooking.  Throw pasta or rice in a pot of boiling water.  Toss together a salad, and you got a quick meal that tastes great.












Lipton Meat Sauce

Ingredients:

1 lb Hamburger meat
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 can tomato sauce or puree
1 cup water

Directions:
   Brown hamburger meat in skillet. Pour off fat.  Add soup mix, water, and tomato sauce.  Simmer 15 minutes.  Serve on pasta or rice.






Lipton Chopped Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:

1 ½ lb hamburger meat
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
3 Tbsp flour
1 small can tomato puree
2 ½ cups water
½ cup sour cream

Directions:
   Brown hamburger meat in skillet. Pour off fat.  Add soup mix, flour, puree, and water.  Simmer 10 minutes.  Stir in sour cream.  Serve over egg noodles.

Alright. How told the cows?