Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed chicken broth
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup whole corn kernels, cooked
1 cup white hominy
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
crushed tortilla chips
sliced avocado
shredded Monterey Jack cheese
chopped green onions

In a medium stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic in oil until soft. Stir in chili powder, oregano, tomatoes, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
Stir in corn, hominy, chiles, beans, cilantro, and chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Ladle soup into individual serving bowls, and top with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese, and chopped green onion.

Pepperoni Pizza Salad

Pepperoni Pizza Salad

10 plum tomatoes, diced

3 medium green peppers, cut into 1" pieces

2 cups (8 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese

1 pkg. (3-1/2 oz.) sliced pepperoni

1 can (2-1/4 oz.) sliced ripe olives, drained

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup tomato juice

1/4 cup red wine vinegar or cider vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil OR vegetable oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

3/4 cup seasoned salad croutons

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, green peppers, cheese,

pepperoni, olives and onion.

In a small bowl, combine the tomato juice, vinegar, oil, garlic,

basil and pepper; mix well.

Pour over tomato mixture and toss to coat.

Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Just before serving,

sprinkle with croutons.

Yield: 12 to 14 servings.

Italian Tossed Salad

Italian Tossed Salad
Simple & Delicious
May/June 2009 issue
Page: 31

“I like to serve this salad with Italian food or with grilled steak or chicken and a baked potato. It's such a colorful, appetizing to-look-at salad.” Rita Addicks - Weimar, TX

SERVINGS: 6
CATEGORY: Lower Fat
METHOD:
TIME: Prep/Total Time: 10 min.

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh cauliflowerets
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
4 cups shredded lettuce

Directions:
In a large salad bowl, combine the cauliflower, tomatoes, celery, onion and green pepper. Add the salad dressing; toss to coat. Cover and chill until serving.

Just before serving, add lettuce and toss to coat. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts
One serving:1 cup
Calories: 100, Fat:
8 g, Saturated Fat:1 g, Cholesterol:0 mg, Sodium:368 mg, Carbohydrate:7 g, Fiber:2 g, Protein:2 g
Diabetic Exchange:
1 vegetable, 1 fat.

Quick & Easy Chicken, Broccoli & Brown Rice

Recipe courtesy of Campbell’s Soups

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 can (10 3/4 oz) Campbell’s Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups uncooked instant brown rice

2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli flowerets

Heat oil in 10” skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and cook until well browned on both sides.  Remove chicken from skillet.

Stir soup, water, paprika and black pepper in skillet.  Heat to a boil.

Stir rice and broccoli in skillet.  Reduce heat to low.  Return chicken to skillet.  Sprinkle additional paprika and black pepper over chicken.  Cover and cook 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and rice is tender.

Stephanie’s Italian Pasta Salad

From a recipe card I picked up at Fresh & Easy

1/2 bottle Fresh & Easy Italian Dressing

fresh baby spinach

sliced black olives

1 cup Fresh & Easy Colby Jack cheese

1 cup grape tomatoes

1 package Fresh & Easy fussili pasta, cooked

Prepare pasta, chill completely.  In a large bowl, mix olives, tomatoes, cheese and pasta.  Drizzle dressing in as you continue to stir the ingredients. 

Can be served in several large leaves of red leaf lettuce.

Stuart Anderson’s Black Angus Cucumber Dressing

Stuart Anderson's Black Angus Cucumber Dressing

Makes: 2 cups

1 cup packed cucumber, grated
1/4 cup yellow onion, grated
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 dash Tabasco sauce
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch white pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Mix all ingredients together in a mixer on low speed for 10 minutes.
Pour into a container, cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Garden Orzo Salad with Herb Dressing

Garden Orzo Salad with Herb Dressing

For the herb dressing:
2 lemons, zested and juiced
2 oranges, zested and juiced
1 cup cider vinegar
2 cups fresh parsley leaves
2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the salad:
4 cups orzo
Salt, for water
5 ears corn, kernels removed
5 stalks celery, diced
1 cucumber, seeded and diced
2 pints cherry tomatoes
For the herb dressing:

In a food processor add lemon zest and juice, orange zest and juice, cider vinegar, parsley, basil. Turn on the processor and slowly add the olive oil until the mixture is blended together. Process until smooth and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.

Cook orzo in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To a large mixing bowl add the raw corn kernels, diced celery, seeded and diced cucumber and whole cherry tomatoes.

Once orzo is cooked, drain and rinse under cold water; drain well. Add cooled orzo to bowl and toss. Add dressing to salad and toss again. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve.

The Cheesecake Factory Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes

The Cheesecake Factory Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes

Salsa Verde
2 tomatillos, chopped (remove papery thin)
1 4-ounce can mild green chilies
1 green onion
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1 1/4 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Southwestern Sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon water
3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
dash salt
dash garlic powder

Tomato Salsa
1 medium tomato
1 tablespoon minced Spanish onion
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
1/4 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 small fresh jalapeno, minced
dash salt
dash ground black pepper

Cakes
1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup corn masa (corn flour)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Garnish
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 avocado, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Prepare salsa verde by combining all ingredients (tomatillos,
green chilies, green onion, cilantro, sugar, cumin, salt, and pepper)
in a food processor on high speed. Cover and chill.

Prepare tomato salsa by combining all ingredients (diced tomato,
onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno, salt, and pepper) in a small
bowl. Cover and chill.

Prepare southwestern sauce by combining all ingredients
(mayonnaise, vinegar, water, sugar, chili powder, paprika, cayenne,
onion powder, salt, and garlic powder) in a small bowl. Cover and
chill.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare the tamale cakes by chopping 1 cup of the frozen corn in a
food processor until it's coarsely pureed. Combine pureed corn with
softened butter, sugar, and salt. Blend well with electric mixer
until smooth.

Add masa and flour and blend well. Mix in the remaining 1/2 cup of
frozen corn kernels by hand.

Measure 1/2 cup portions of the mixture and form it into 3-inch
wide patties with your hands. arrange the patties on a baking sheet
and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cakes are browned on the
bottom. Carefully flip all cakes with a spatula and bake for an
additional 5 to 7 minutes or until other side is browned.

While the cakes are baking, spoon a portion of the salsa verde
onto a plate or platter (you may want to heat up your plate in the
oven for a bit to help warm the sauce). You'll need to use enough
salsa verde to coat the entire plate -- it should be about 1/4-inch
deep. Arrange the tamale cakes side-by-side on the salsa verde. Spoon a dollop of sour cream onto each tamale cake. Drizzle the
southwestern sauce over the cakes in a criss-cross patter (use a
squirt bottle if you've got one -- see "Tidbits"). Spoon some tomato
salsa over the cakes, followed by the chopped avocado. Finish off the
plate by sprinkling the coarsely chopped cilantro leaves over the
top.

Serves 4

Corn 'N' Chicken Bake

Corn 'n' Chicken Bake

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/2 pounds total)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 package (8 ounces) corn bread stuffing mix
1 can (8-3/4 ounces) whole-kernel corn, drained
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup (see Options)
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a 9" x 13" baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.

Place the chicken breast halves in a single layer in the baking
dish; season with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the stuffing mix, corn, water, and melted
butter; mix well and spoon over the chicken.

In the same bowl, combine the soup, milk, and parsley; mix well.
Pour over the stuffing mixture then cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 35 minutes then uncover and bake for 8 to 10 more
minutes, or until no pink remains in the chicken and the stuffing is
golden.

Tomato Rice Soup

Time for dinner: Make your own tomato soup

By J.M. Hirsch
Associated Press

Updated: 01/15/2009 02:30:08 PM CST

A magnificent tomato and rice soup must strike a delicate balance between rich creaminess (provided by, yes, cream) and tangy savoriness (you guessed it, the tomatoes).

Let's start with the latter. Since soups like this are best during winter, a time when most of the nation is at the mercy of lousy tomatoes, this recipe uses canned tomatoes.

To intensify the flavors, the tomatoes are pressed to extract as much juice as possible, then tossed with chopped onion, olive oil and herbs, then broiled until just lightly caramelized. A little heat goes a long way in developing flavor. This mixture then is pureed with the extracted juice and spiked with a bit of balsamic vinegar.

For the cream, fat-free half-and-half was the winner. Really. The taste is exceptional, as is the creamy mouth-feel. To make this soup even healthier, you could substitute brown rice for the white, but that will take longer to cook.

CREAMY TOMATO AND RICE SOUP

Makes 6 servings.

1 cup long-grain white rice

1 1/2 cups water

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes

1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped

6 cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

1 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 cup fat-free half-and-half

To cook rice: In small saucepan, combine rice and water. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce to simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until done. Remove from heat. Let stand for 10 minutes.

To prepare tomatoes: Meanwhile, heat oven to broil. Drain diced tomatoes by pouring them into mesh strainer set over medium bowl. Using silicone spatula, press tomatoes to extract as much juice as possible. Set juice aside. Transfer diced tomatoes to rimmed baking sheet. Add onion, garlic, basil and olive oil. Strip leaves from rosemary sprigs. Add to tomatoes and onions. Toss to coat well. Season with salt and pepper. Broil tomato mixture on center rack for 4 minutes. Gently stir. Broil for 4 minutes or until onions and tomatoes begin to brown.

To puree tomatoes: Transfer mixture to a blender. Add reserved tomato juice. Puree until smooth.

To finish soup: When rice is ready, add tomato mixture from blender. Set over medium heat. Add tomato sauce, chicken broth and balsamic vinegar. Heat until warmed through. Stir in half-and-half.

Fiesta Vegetable Soup

Fiesta Vegetable Soup

Serves 4

1 (10-ounce) bag frozen Fiesta vegetable blend, thawed

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (24-ounce) jar black bean and corn salsa (medium-heat)

2 (14-ounce) cans reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

(Optional side: Tortilla chips)

1. Combine Fiesta blend vegetables, beans and salsa in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in broth.

2. Bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.

Comments

Taste: 4; prep: 5. Prepare in 20 minutes. Extremely simple. Sprinkle crushed chips on top.

Nutrition

240 calories, 38 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 2 g fat, 12 g protein, 1,300 mg sodium.

Source: Cook on a budget without cutting flavor by Joanie Fuson, Indystar.com

Tomato Basil Skewers

Tomato Basil Skewers

Skewering mozzarella balls and cherry tomatoes makes them easy to nosh at a party

Makes 16 pieces

16 small fresh mozzarella balls

16 fresh basil leaves

16 cherry tomatoes

Thread mozzarella, basil and tomatoes on small skewers. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Information Per piece:

46 calories

3 g fat (2 g sat, 0 g mono)

8 mg cholesterol

1 g carbohydrate

3 g protein

0 g fiber

217 mg sodium

34 mg potassium

Mexican Zucchini Oven Fries

 

Mexican Zucchini Oven Fries

2 medium zucchini cut into 1/4-inch square 3-inch long sticks -- like fries
Vegetable cooking spray
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon grill seasoning
1 cup chili sauce or mild taco sauce

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Arrange zucchini on nonstick cookie sheet. Spray zucchini with cooking spray. Combine spices and sprinkle over the zucchini fries. Place in very hot oven and cook 15 to 18 minutes. Serve hot. Top with spoonfuls of chili sauce or taco sauce.

Serves 4

Chicken and Corn Chowder with Thyme

Chicken and Corn Chowder with Thyme

"What could be more comforting than a bowl of corn chowder or a bowl of chicken soup? A bowl of Chicken And Corn Chowder With Thyme, it will cure what ails you."

PREP TIME 10 Min

COOK TIME 35 Min

READY IN 45 Min

• 6 slices bacon, diced
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 2 large potatoes, diced
• 4 cups frozen corn kernels
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into cubes
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 2 cups half-and-half
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste

1. In a large pot, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from the pan, and set aside. Drain all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan.
2. Saute the onions in the bacon fat. Add broth and the potato to the pot. Cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add corn, chicken, and thyme. Cover. Simmer until the chicken is cooked and the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
4. Stir half and half into the soup, and simmer for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls, and sprinkle with the bacon and scallions. Serve.

Chili Cheese Tomatoes

Amy's Note: I don't care for canned green chilies and would probably substitute a chopped serrano or something similar.

Chili Cheese Tomatoes

1 cup sour cream
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 T. flour
2 T. chopped green onions
2 T. chopped green chilies
3 tomatoes, peeled (drop in boiling water for 1 minute and slice thick)
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Combine sour cream, salt, pepper, flour, onions, and chiles. Place tomato slices on a cookie sheet. Cover them with sour cream mixture and then cheese. Broil 4" from heat for 4 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serves 4