Skinny Tortilla Soup

This is yummy and easy to make! Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 can (16 ounces) fat-free refried beans
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1-1/2 cups frozen corn
• 3/4 cup chunky salsa
• 3/4 cup cubed cooked chicken breast
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese, divided
• 28 tortilla chips, divided

Directions

• In a large saucepan, combine the first seven ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 1 cup cheese; cook and stir over low heat until melted. Crumble half of the tortilla chips into soup bowls. Ladle soup over chips. Top each serving with two crumbled chips; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Yield: 7 servings.

Mexican Chicken and Rice

So basic and easy yet so yummy.  My kids have loved this and it has made great leftovers. You can also use the leftovers to put in tortillas or put on top of a salad. You could also add olives or corn.

Mexican Chicken and Rice

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves cut into small chunks
1 1/2 cups mild or medium salsa
1 package (or 2 Tablespoons) taco seasoning
6 cups water
3 cups uncooked rice
2 cans black beans, drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream (optional, but we like it)

Bring chicken, salsa, taco seasoning, water, rice, and beans to a boil in a large pan; cover. Simmer at medium heat until rice has absorbed all of the water, stirring occasionally to make sure the beans don't stick to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with cheese and (optional) serve topped with a dollop of sour cream. Serves about 10.

Doug's Ham

This is a recipe I just tried from our new ward cookbook.  It is something they often serve at our Christmas Ward Dinners.  It is a different alternative to just plain ham.  And it's been fun to use the leftovers in different things like soup and sandwiches. 

Honey Mustard Ham

Buy a Cook's brand bone-in ham.  Cover the ham with water and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down to low and simmer overnight.  The next morning, dump off the water and when it's cooled down (I didn't wait very long), take out the bones and fat and shred.

Make a paste out of brown sugar and mustard.  Use about 3/4 bag of sugar and a jar of mustard for one ham.  The color should be a little more brown than yellow.  Adjust to your liking.  Make sure you have enough sauce.  You don't want it too dry.  Mix in with the ham and bake in the oven for 2-3 hours at 300 (I covered it with foil and I would only go 2 hours-the top got a little crunchy for my liking). 

I made garlic mashed potatoes and beans with almonds with this which made for a tasty meal!

Best cornbread

It's winter time so it's a great time for stews and soups. And a great accompaniment is cornbread. This one is more like corn cake, it is quite sweet. I always get a ton of compliments when I serve it or bring it to people as part of a meal.


> Cousin's corn bread (from the Essential Mormon Cookbook)
>
> 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
> 1 cup sugar
> 2 eggs
> 1 cup yellow cornmeal
> 1 1/2 cups flour
> 2 tsp. baking powder
> 1/2 tsp. salt
> 1 1/2 cups milk
>
> Cream butter, sugar and eggs. In a separate bowl blend cornmeal, flour,
> baking powder and salt. Combine creamed mixture, dry mixture and milk.
> Blend. Bake in greased 8 x 8 pan at 375 for 35 to 40 minutes.
>

Cool new food blog

Several friends have mentioned a new to me food blog: Mel's Kitchen Cafe. melskitchencafe.com.

I checked it out and printed several recipes to try: Oatmeal pancakes, southwest rice and bean salad, and sweet and sour chicken.

Easy intro to quinoa

This recipe is a great introduction to cooking with quinoa. Quinoa is a great whole grain because it has a lot of protein. This is good as a taco filler or scoop it up with some chips. Top with avacado for a great treat! I usually cook quinoa in broth instead of water, it softens it up to me and makes it a bit tastier. I never eat quinoa on its own, I prefer it mixed with other flavors as a salad or a side dish.

Quinoa with Black Beans and Cilantro

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups chopped white onions
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup quinoa,* rinsed, drained
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
11/2 cups water
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
Crumbled Cotija cheese or feta cheese (optional)
* A grain with a delicate flavor and a texture similar to that of couscous; available at natural foods stores

Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and red pepper; sauté until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in next 4 ingredients. Add water; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until quinoa is almost tender, about 14 minutes. Add beans and 1/4 cup cilantro; cook uncovered until heated through and liquid is fully absorbed, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl; sprinkle with 1/4 cup cilantro and cheese, if desired.



Bon Appétit
September 2008
by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen

Brown Sugar Meatloaf

I got this recipe from 71toes.blogspot.com and all my kids love it (well everyone but my pickiest eater).  They always ask for seconds.  I am not normally a meatloaf person but I do like this a lot!

Brown Sugar Meatloaf

1 c. brown sugar
1 c. ketchup
3 tbs. Worcestershire
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 c. milk
3/4 c. finely crushed saltine cracker crumbs
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 envelope onion soup mix
garlic for taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

Mix brown sugar, ketchup, and 2 tbs. Worcestershire sauce in a separate, small mixing bowl.

Pour half of the brown sugar and ketchup mix into the bottom of the loaf pan.

In a large mixing bowl, mix remaining ingredients and shape into a loaf. Place on top of the brown sugar/ketchup mixture

Pour the remaining brown sugar and ketchup mix on top of the loaf.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until juices are clear.