Chicken Enchilada Soup

At our house, we love a good chicken enchilada soup, and a soup that's hearty and fast is even better.  This is my recipe for a very good chicken enchilada soup, and it makes a big pot of soup to feed the whole family.

You will need:
2 Tabs. oil
1 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1 4-ounce can of diced green chilies
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup red enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded chicken
1 Tabs. fresh lime juice
1/2 teas. ground cumin
1 14-ounce can black beans
1 cup corn
2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese
plus items of choice for garnish: diced avocado, diced tomato, tortilla strips, sour cream, more cheese.

In a large, heavy pot, over medium-high heat, heat oil.  Add the onions and cook until translucent, (about 5 minutes).

Add the garlic and chopped cilantro.  Cook for another 1 - 2 minutes, make sure not to burn the garlic.

Add the chicken broth.

I am using my homemade broth.  You can use canned broth, or whatever type you choose.

Add the chopped chilies.

Add the chopped tomatoes.

I am using my canned tomatoes from my garden, but you can use canned tomatoes, (about a 14 ounce can).

Add the red enchilada sauce.

I am using a canned sauce, (for convenience), it is a 10-ounce size.  You can use homemade, (I usually make enchilada sauce).

Give everything a good stir.

Add a generous amount of black pepper (about 1 tablespoon).

 Add salt also, (about 1 tablespoon).

Stir again, and taste for seasoning.  Does it need a little more?  If so, add.  But don't overdo it.  We will be adding more later.

Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, with a lid on the pot.

Add the shredded chicken.

Add the corn.


You can use fresh or frozen corn.  I am using frozen corn from our garden.  Feel free to use whatever you have.

Drain and rinse the black beans.  Add the beans.

You can even cook dry beans, remove 1 1/2 cups of the beans, rinse them off and use them for the soup.

Add the ground cumin.

Add the fresh lime juice.

Stir well.  Taste for seasoning.  Does it need any additional salt or pepper?  If so add it now.  Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the shredded cheese.   Turn off the heat.

Your soup is now ready to serve.

Ladle it up in bowls and top with your favorite topping.

This summer, we discovered crispy roasted hatch chili chips.  Now, instead of tortilla chips, (or anything else), we add these to our chicken enchilada soup and our chili.  They are a delicious addition.  Add there's no heat to them.  If you can find them in your store, give them a try.  They are Fresh Gourmet Crispy Hatch Chilies.

A few chile chips on top and the bowl of soup is ready for supper.

Oh, Boy - does that every taste good.  And on a chilly fall evening, it's just the thing.

Give this recipe a try.  I think you'll enjoy it.


Enjoy!

Hearty Minestrone Soup

Autumn means cooler temperatures, the garden starting to wind down on production, and hearty meals to warm the tummy and the soul.  A hot bowl of soup is just the thing on a cool evening.  And with just a few items from the garden, you can quickly prepare a large pot of minestrone soup to feed the whole family.  And I'll show you how to make this soup with meat, or vegetarian.

You will need:
1 large, (or 2 medium) carrots, chopped
1 1/2 cups trimmed green beans, (fresh or canned)
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/4 cup red or green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup zucchini, chopped
1 teas. dried oregano
salt and pepper
1 teas. garlic powder
2 Tabs. olive oil
6 cups chicken broth
28 ounce can tomatoes
1 14 ounce can beans, (canneillini or kidney)
1 cup elbow pasta
Parmesan cheese

In a large pot, over medium heat, add the oil.
Add the chopped onions, celery, and pepper.  Cook until the onion is softened, (about 4 or 5 minutes).

Note: If you want a meat version of minestrone, now is the time to add ground meat, (hamburger, turkey, venison, your choice).

Make sure to season with salt and pepper well, (about 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper - to taste).

Once the onion is softened, add the chopped carrots, zucchini, and oregano.  Cook for another 5 minutes, (to start the carrots cooking).

Add the green beans.

Add tomatoes, I like to break up most of my tomatoes, as I add them to the soup.

Add chicken broth.  Make sure to taste, and if needed season again with salt and pepper.

Note: If you want a vegetarian version, you can use vegetable broth.

Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Add the pasta.

 Drain and rinse the beans and add to the soup.  Stir well.

Today I only had chickpeas, so I used them, (any bean will work).

Return the heat to medium, and cook for another 10 minutes, until the pasta is done.

And you have soup.

Top with a generous portion of grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Tonight we are have minestrone soup with grilled cheese sandwiches, (on homemade rosemary and Parmesan bread).  YUMMY.

So for just a few ingredients and a little time, you can have a large pot of soup, and feed a crowd.

Enjoy !

Brown Sugar and Honey Glazed Pork Loin Roast with Vegetables

Over the years, I've learned to watch the sales cycles that our local stores run.  Usually every 4 months they cycle items,  (chicken 1st month, beef 2nd month, fish 3rd month, pork 4th month, chicken 5th month, beef 6th month, and etc.).  Last week the local store was running a special on boneless pork loin, 99 cents per pound.  I found a 8.6 pound bag, marked down from $32.59 to $8.51.  And, I had a $2 store coupon on meat purchase.  SCORE ! A total savings of $26.08.  When I opened the bag, there were 6 beautiful pork loins.  I individually wrapped and vacuumed sealed and froze them, so we can enjoy them later.  Wish I would have purchased 2 bags.

Anyway, the other night, I made a brown sugar and honey glazed pork loin roast with vegetables.  It was so good.  A nice 2 pound roast will easily feed 4, (even 6 if you add enough vegetables).  Since the vegetables were from our garden, a very inexpensive meal.  Let me show you how I did it.

You will need:
2 pound pork loin roast
4 Tabs. brown sugar
2 Tabs. honey
2 Tabs. vegetable oil
2 pounds carrots
2 pounds potatoes
2 or 3 apples
salt, pepper, garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with foil, (this is for easy clean up).

Clean and chop carrots and potatoes. 

Note:  Yes those are white carrots you see.  This year we planted multi-colored carrots, so we have orange, white, and red carrots.

Place the carrots on the baking sheet and drizzle with 1 Tablespoon of oil, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.  Mix well to coat all the vegetables.

In a small bowl, combine 1 Tablespoon of oil, brown sugar,  honey, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.  Stir together.  Glaze will be thick.

Make sure your pork roast has any excess fat removed.

Coat the roast with the brown sugar glaze.

Place the roast in the center of the vegetables.

Clean, core, and quarter the apples, and place around the roast.

Bake in the 375 degree oven for about 40 to 50 minutes, (until the internal temperature reads 150 degrees at center of roast).

Remove from oven.  Remove roast.  If the vegetables still need a few minutes, place them back in the oven.  Mine were done within the 50 minutes.

Allow the roast to rest for 5 minutes, before slicing.

Notice how nicely browned this roast is on the inside, with less than 1 hour.  And it's very moist.  And the glaze on the outside is delicious.

If you have a larger crowd to feed, you can cook a larger roast, and increase the ingredients, or just add more vegetables.  People don't mind a small amount of meat, as long as they have plenty of vegetables on their plate.

Give this recipe a try, and your family will enjoy the new way of cooking pork roast.


Enjoy !

Chicken Jalapeno Popper Casserole

The garden is starting to produce this year, and one of those items coming out of the garden is peppers.  We love jalapeno poppers at our house, especially when done outside on the grill.  But, how about if you did the ingredients in a casserole, and added chicken.  Then you have a complete main dish.  Let me show you how I do it.

You will need:
2 pounds chicken boneless, skinless chicken breast, (or tenderloins)
garlic powder
salt  and pepper
onion powder
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
jalapeno peppers
4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup crumbled crispy bacon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a rectangle casserole dish with baking spray.

First, fry the bacon and allow to drain on a paper towel.
Crumble the bacon in bite sized pieces.  Set aside, this will go on top at the end.

Wash, remove the seeds, and slice the jalapeno peppers.
You will need at least 2, and can use as many as your family likes.  If you want the casserole with a little more heat, you can leave in a few seeds.  I like my poppers on the mild side, so I remove all the seeds and the membrane, (this is what holds the seed pocket in place inside the pepper).

Lay the chicken in a casserole dish along the bottom.  Today, I happen to have tenderloins on hand, so that is what I am using.  If you are using chicken breast, you will want to slice them in half or even chunks, to make them even for better baking.  You could even use skinless, boneless thighs.

Season the chicken with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder - to taste.

Spread the softened cream cheese over the chicken.

Layer the jalapeno peppers over the casserole.

Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the top.

You can use sharp cheddar cheese, or medium cheddar cheese - your choice.  I have even made this with a Mexican blend cheese.

Bake in the 375 degree preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove from oven, add the bacon, and return for 5 more minutes.

I test the temperature of the chicken to make sure it registers 165 degrees.

Your casserole is now ready to serve.

WOW is this ever good.  You get the moist seasoned chicken, the cream cheese cools any heat from the peppers, and of course cheese and bacon together make anything better.  This casserole doesn't last long around our house.

So next shopping trip, buy a few peppers and give this casserole a try.

Enjoy !

Sweet Cherry Quick Bread

 Every couple of years sweet cherries are in abundance, and their prices go way low.  This summer their prices have been below $1 per pound.  And we have enjoyed eating them quite frequently.  I have also put several bags in the freezer for us to have during the winter months.  But sometimes, you need something new and different.  I am not a big fan of the usual breakfast items.  I love a slice of quick bread anytime of day for a fast snack.  So, with cherries in season and at a great price, I decided to make a sweet cherry quick bread.  It's very easy, and all the ingredients were already in the pantry.  Let me show you how I did it.

You will need:
1 cup of cherries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup of softened butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teas of vanilla extract
2 teas. of almond extract
2 cups flour
1/2 teas salt
1 teas baking powder
1 teas baking soda
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a bread loaf pan, (5 X 9), with baking spray.

Rinse, pit, and chop your cherries.  You will need 1 cup of chopped cherries.

If you don't have fresh cherries, you could always substitute frozen cherries that have been thawed.  But fresh will taste better.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.

Add in the eggs, vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon of almond extract, (you will use the other teaspoon for the glaze, later).  Continue mixing until smooth and everything is incorporated well.

In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Whisk together well to combine and break up any clumps.

Carefully add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.

Stir in the yogurt, until completely incorporated.

Fold in the cherries.

Spoon the batter into the greased loaf pan.  Bake in pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 50 minutes, (until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean).

 Allow the bread to cool on a baking rack for 15 minutes, then remove from pan.

Allow to cool completely.

 In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, remaining 1 teaspoon of almond extract, and milk.

Once the bread has cooled completely, pour the glaze over the bread.  Your bread is now ready to slice and serve.

I am going to put a few slivered almonds on top, so people will know there is an almond flavor in this bread.

Notice how nicely the bread has suspended the cherries throughout.  And notice how the layers are light and fluffy.

WOW - this bread is so moist, and you get that very slight tang from the yogurt, the sweetness from the cherries, and it's all tied together with the almond flavor.  This is wonderful.  And it keeps so well, without being wrapped.  Breakfast is going to be so good this week.

Get some sweet cherries, before they are all gone, and make a loaf for your family.

Enjoy !