Green Chile Potato Soup

Green Chile Potato Soup

This is the perfect bowl of soup for a cold rainy night. Simply delicious. 

3 T olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 t cumin

1/4 -1/2 t salt

1/4 t black pepper

pinch of oregano

3 medium potatoes, diced

2 chicken thighs, cooked & chopped

2/3 c hatch green chilies

5 c chicken broth

Cook onion & garlic in oil over low heat for 5 minutes. Raise heat to medium, stir in cumin, salt & pepper, and stir 2-3 minutes until onions start to brown. Then add broth and chicken, bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Then add potatoes and cook for another 15 or so minutes till potatoes soften. Serve with cheese, sour cream, cilantro and avocado. 

Enjoy!

Chocolate No Bake Cookies

Chocolate No Bake Cookies

Simple and delicious little treats and no oven required. 

1/2 C butter

1 1/2 C sugar

1/2 C milk

4 T unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 t salt

1/2 C peanut butter

2 t vanilla

3 C quick cooking oats

Add first 5 ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, let boil for 1 minute.

Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth, stir in oats. 

Using a medium cookie scoop drop onto parchment paper-lined baking sheet. 

Let cool until set, about 30 minutes. Store in airtight container at room temp or refrigerate. 

Enjoy!

Vegetable Beef Soup

This soup is a comforting meal that's perfect for our family on a cold winter day and is my all-time favorite soup recipe to make. It is full of veggie goodness and taste absolutely delicious and makes enough to freeze.

1 pound ground beef

1 onion, chopped

4 stalks of celery, chopped

4 carrots, sliced

1 can green beans, drained

1 can cannelloni beans, drained

2 quarts beef broth

1 cup water

1 (14.5 oz.) can crushed tomatoes

1 can mild Rotel

1 can tomato paste

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (4 oz.) can whole green chilies, chopped 

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons oregano

1 teaspoon granulated onion

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste (I use very little salt)

4-5 russet potatoes, cubed 

1. In large soup pot brown ground beef 

2. Then add cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onions and cook 2-3 more minutes.  

3. Add garlic, celery, carrots, green beans, beans, broth, water, crushed and Rotel tomatoes, green chilies, oregano, granulated onion, salt and pepper, and tomato paste.  

4. Bring to a slight boil then simmer for 40-45 minutes or so.

5. Then add potatoes and cook till tender. 10-15 minutes. I usually leave potatoes a little firm. They will continue to cook as the soup sits to cool.

Enjoy!

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Candied Pecan 

Super simple and delicious. 

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoon water

3 cups pecans

1. Combine all ingredients and stir, except for pecans. 

2. Microwave for 1 minute. 

3. Stir in pecans. 

4. Microwave for 5 minutes (on High), stirring after each minute. 

5. Lay on parchment paper to cool. 

6. Once completely cooled store in a air tight container. 

Enjoy! 

Migas

Migas is a true Tex-Mex breakfast dish which consists of eggs, strips of fried corn tortillas and a host of colorful ingredients, such as tomatoes, jalapenos and onion or whatever else you have lying around. That is the beauty of migas. All you need is your fried tortillas, eggs, jalapenos, tomato and cheese, and the rest is up to you. Your options are endless.

Growing up I remember watching my Mom make this traditional Mexican concoction. This is probably the first egg dish that I, a professed egg-hater at the time, could actually enjoy. I have since been transformed into a discriminating egg eater. The word Migas, which is derived from the Spanish word for crumbs, describes exactly what is left behind, only crumbs.

Migas

Cooking oil, enough to fry the corn tortilla strips

2 corn tortillas , cut into strips

onion, chopped, to taste

1/2 of a jalapeno, seeded and diced

1 roma tomato, seeded and diced

3 eggs, lightly beaten

handful grated cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and fry the tortilla pieces until slightly crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the jalapeno and onion and cook for 3 minutes, then add tomato and cook for 1 minute. Set aside. Pour in the eggs and mix with a spatula, scraping up the eggs as they cook. While the eggs are still runny add the onion, jalapeno, tomato, tortilla strips, salt and pepper. Gently stir, add the cheese, toss a few times until the eggs cook and cheese melts. Serve with your favorite hot sauce.

Enjoy!

Fiesta Black Bean Soup

Don't you just love it when you can make a one pot meal? Well, I do! So it seems to me that the simple flavor of a black bean soup is just that. I love to make a large pot and have enough left over so I can have it for lunch for a couple of days. This tasty vegan soup is so quick and easy. You will have plenty of time to prepair your favorite spicy guacamole or pico de gallo and tortilla chips. Serve alongside with a pitcher of organic margaritas and have yourself a fiesta!

Fiesta Black Bean Soup

1 small onions, finely chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 cans 15 oz  black beans, drained
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
2-3 celery ribs, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes in juice
2 Cups low sodium chicken broth

Coat bottom of a large stockpot with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.

Place one can of beans in blender; add half can of tomatoes, celery, jalapeno, sautéed onion mixture, red pepper flakes and cumin. Cover and blend on high until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour mixture back into stockpot.

Stir in other half of can tomatoes, chicken broth and remaining black beans. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Ladle into bowls and garnish with queso fresco and a little cilantro.Makes about 6 servings.

Note: You can also add a potato and/or corn to this soup and it is just as wonderful.

Enjoy!

Milky Way Cake

A few of you have emailed and asked if I enjoy/like desserts. The simple truth is I LOVE desserts! But, my body/fat does not!!! So I try to limit them. Don't always succeed, but I do try. Last night I gave in     and baked one of my family's favorite cakes. It is Aunt Trisha's Milky Way Cake. It is moist, dense and chocolaty and just out right gooooood. I have been in my husband's family for 20 years now and this is the one cake that the entire family will want and fight over, hee hee!

I have made an icing to go with this cake and it is ooey gooey delicious. My husband and son are NOT fans of icing so I leave it off until I'm ready for my piece of yummy goodness.

Milky Way Cake
Aunt Trisha's

7 regular Milky Way Bars
2 stick Butter
2 1/2 cups Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups Sugar
4 whole Eggs
1 cup Buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoon Vanilla

Icing:
3 regular Milky Way Bars
1 stick butter
2 teaspoon milk
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar


Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour pan of choice. I use a pound cake pan and Aunt Trisha uses a tube or loaf pans. Melt butter and candy bars; set aside.

Beat eggs, one at a time. Add remaining ingredients and mix together. Fold in Milky Way bars and butter mixture. Bake for 1hour and ten minutes. I use a pound cake pan so it cooks quicker, so you may have to adjust accordingly. Cool completely before serving. I personally feel it needs to sit over night befor serving. It also freezes well.

This icing is absolutely delicious.
Icing: Melt candy bars and butter. Stir in milk and powdered sugar. Add additional milk if needed. Mix until smooth and spoon onto cooled cake. Trust me, the icing is worth the extra calories!

This is my piece!

Enjoy!

Funnel Cake

My son had a few friends over and asked if I would make funnel cakes. Actually he has asked for a couple of days now. So today I broke down and made them. With much supervision, by the boys, they turned out delish. This recipe is a sweet batter flavored with a touch of vanilla. The vanilla is optional, I have made them both ways and enjoy them both. (you can also add cinnamon to the batter) We love making these.

Funnel Cakes
makes about six small cakes

1 egg
1/4 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup milk, I let it pour over becauce I prefer my batter runny
2 1/2 tbsp. vanilla sugar
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder

In a small skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Test the temperature by dropping a pinch of flour into the hot oil. If it sizzles right away without smoking, it's perfect. Mix all ingredients in a bowl until smooth.

Using a funnel, drop into hot oil working from center outwards in a web pattern. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, remove from the oil when golden brown and crispy.

Sprinkle generously with powdered sugar and eat it warm. You can add just about anything for toppings, strawberries, chocolate syrup, caramel, and whipped cream. My family and I, like our funnel cake straight–powdered sugar and lots of it!

The boys loved them!



Enjoy!

Ricotta Pancakes with Strawberries

Good morning everyone!  Some of you know school was out (woo hoo!) due to the weather. So I decided to make Ricotta Pancakes with Strawberries for breakfast =).  I love the flavor combination of strawberry, lemon and ricotta it is so refreshing. YUM!

Ricotta Pancakes with Strawberries
this makes about 10-12 small pancakes

1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg, separated
1 meyer lemon, zest
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
powder sugar

Slice strawberries, put in bowl and add powder sugar (to taste) and stir well, set aside. In a bowl sift together the dry ingredients, set aside. In another bowl add the melted butter, milk, ricotta, egg yolk and lemon zest, and a squirt of lemon juice and mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until the dry ingredients are moistened. In a small bowl add the egg white and beat until soft peaks form. Gently, fold the egg whites into the batter. Heat griddle over medium heat, butter lightly. Laddle onto griddle. Cook until bubbles form on top and bottoms are golden brown turn pancakes over and cook till done. Top your pancakes with the strawberries, powder sugar, maple syrup or what ever your little heart desires!

Enjoy!

Lookin good

mmmmmm.......

Momma's Coconut Macaroons

Today is my Dad's 69th birthday.  Last night we celebrated his birthday with tostadas and coconut macaroons. I know the two really don't go together but they are my Dad's favorite. We had a great time just hanging out with my Dad. I cannot believe he is 69, WOW! Thought I would share a photo of my Dad and Frank.

So the recipe I'm introducing today is my Momma's recipe and I'm thrilled to share it with everyone.  It is easy and delish!

Momma's Macaroons

1-16 ounce bag of coconut flakes, I chop mine quite a bit
2/3 cup sugar
5 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4-5 egg whites,  I use 4
1 teaspoon almond extract

Combine coconut, sugar, salt and flour in large bowl and mix well.  Add egg whites and almond extract until well blended. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake @ 325 for 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to wire racks. Cool completely. Makes about 2 dozen when I use the medium pampered chef scoop.

Enjoy!