Mexican Chicken Soup

From Barefoot Contessa via a friend who served this at a playgroup.


Ingredients

4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on

Good olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)

1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)

2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)

4 large cloves garlic, chopped

2 1/2 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade

1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed

2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander seed

1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional

6 (6-inch) fresh white corn tortillas

Directions

For serving: sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.


Place the chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat. Cover and set aside.


Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, 1 tablespoon salt (depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock), 1 teaspoon pepper, and the cilantro, if using. Cut the tortillas in 1/2, then cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste. Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and broken tortilla chips.


Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/mexican-chicken-soup-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Veggie Brown Rice Wraps

Adapted from Taste of Home big cookbook.

Cook brown rice.
Cook kidney beans.

Then saute:  1 pepper (any color), 1 container of mushrooms, 1 c. frozen corn, some cumin and pepper.

Serve all above with shredded cheese and salsa.

Chili

Pressure-cook ~3 cups of kidney beans for 25 minutes (so they'll still be crunchy, not all cooked).

Throw into large crockpot:

2 cups bulgur
1 bottle of dark beer
1 lb ground turkey
2 chopped onions
can of green chilis
3-4 carrots
1 T. oregano
2 T. ground coriander
1 T. cumin
some garlic powder
half of a cinnamon stick
lots of chili powder

When the beans are done, drain and add them too.

Cook on high for about two hours, then add 2 tomatoes, crushed, plus a 12 oz can of tomato sauce, and more chili powder.  Cook for another 3-4 hours on low.

At end of cooking, add a dash of red wine vinegar.

Basic Frittata

Saute whatever vegetables you like, add spices and frozen veggies or whatever.  Do this in the big skillet.

For example, I used onions, pepper, black beans, and corn, and spiced with cumin, pepper, and thyme.

Then add 8 eggs whisked together with a little rice milk (maybe 1/4 c.).  Cook without sitrring until partially cooked.  Then put it under the broiler until it is done and starts to brown.  Can add fresh tomatoes or whatever over top and put it back in long enough to warm up.  /and/or add cheese.

Chicken Quinoa Lentil Pilaf

*Cook 3/4 c. lentils and 3/4 c. quinoa (rinsed) in 1 c. chicken broth and 1 c. water.

*Saute 2 carrots, 2 green onions, and 3 stalks celery in a little olive oil.  Add some lemon pepper, thyme, kale, and sunflower seeds, and a can of chicken.  (Kyle says more spices!)

*Mix the two together.

Baked Non-Cheese Eggplant Parmesan

From the Uncheese Cookbook

1/2 c. water
3 T. nutritional yeast flakes
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. tahini
2 T. quick oats
1 T. arrowroot or cornstarch
1 t. onion granules
1/4 t. salt

Blend these until smooth and set aside.  Then slice an eggplant, unpeeled, into 1/2 inch rounds and place on a dry baking sheet.  Broil under preheated broiler about 5 inches from the heat source for 5 minutes.  Turn them over and broil until fork tender, maybe 2 minutes longer.  Remove eggplant and transfer to lightly greased baking dish.

Top it with 2 fresh ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced, and the "cheese" topping.  Sprinkle with fake Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup (recipe here  Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown and bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.

Eggplant Parmagiano Stew (non-cheese)

From the Uncheese Cookbook

8 c. water
16 oz. tomato paste
1 T. garlic granules
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium eggplant, unpeeled and chopped
2 c. kale, finely chopped (optional)

Combine in large soup pot.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer over medium until eggplant is tender but still firm (~15 minutes).

Place 2 c. of this plus 1 can of Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained, 1/2 c. nutritional yeast flakes, 2 t. oregano, 3/4 t. salt, and pepper into blender and process until smooth.  Add back into soup pot, then add another can of beans and 2 fresh tomatoes, chopped.  Simmer until tomatoes are slightly softened and soup is heated through.

Can add 1 c. of cooked rice or pasta at end (or uncooked at beginning? for a thicker soup.

Spinach Lasagna

From the Dairy Free cookbook

1 16 oz. box lasagna noodles
4 c. spaghetti sauce
3 egg whites
2 boxes thawed frozen spinach
3 T. chopped parsley
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. oregano
2 c. bread crumbs

Prepare lasagna noodles if needed.  Beat egg whites until frothy, then combine with spinach, parsley, garlic powder, and oregano.  Layer a 9 x 13 pan:  noodles, sauce, spinach mixture, bread crumbs, repeat.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, uncovered.

Sunday Brunch Casserole (Egg Bake)

From Taste of Home's big cookbook

1/2 lb. crispy bacon
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
12 eggs
1 c. milk
16 oz. frozen hash browns (thawed)
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/4 t. dillweed

Saute onion and green pepper in bacon grease or a little oil.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs and milk.  Stir in hashbrownsm, cheese, salt, pepper, dillweed, onion mixture, and crumbled bacon.

Transfer to greased 9x13 inch baking dish.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until knife comes clean.

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry

*1-2 chicken breasts, chopped and fried up in olive oil.
*Add 2 T. each honey and soy sauce.
*1 red pepper, 2 green onions, and some raw cashews (or roasted, if can't find raw).
*Dash of lime juice, a little cilantro.
*Serve with rice.

Legume & Tomato Curry

*Saute 2 small onions with 2 cloves garlic.
*Add curry spices to taste (garam masala, turmeric, coriander, etc.)
*Add a large can of diced tomatoes plus 1-2 cans chickpeas (or some cooked chickpeas).  Bring to a boil.  Also add about 1/2 c. lentils and some potatoes. 
*Simmer until the lentils are tender (about 40 minutes).
*Add some spinach and cook until wilted.
*Serve with rice or in a tortilla.

Baked Ravioli and Spinach

15 oz. frozen cheese or cheese and broccoli ravioli, 6 oz. spinach, and 24 oz. marinara in a 2 qt. casserole dish at 400 degrees for 45 minutes, top with mozzarella cheese.

Chicken Curry Casserole

*1.5 c. cooked brown rice
*Roughly 8 oz. of frozen broccoli and 1/2 package of mushrooms
*1.5 c. cooked chicken, chopped bite-size or shredded

Combine above.  Then mix together:

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. whole yogurt
3/8 c. milk
1.5 t. lemon juice
1 t. curry powder

Mix with above ingredients in greased casserole dish.  Top with more broccoli and mushrooms.

Bake at 350 degrees, covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered for ~15 minutes.

Roasted Asparagus Lasagna

*Chop 2 lb. of asparagus into 1 inch pieces.
*Roast asparagus and 1 package of sliced mushrooms (8 oz.) with 1 T. oil in a 450 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.
*Mix together 3 T. flour with 2 T. olive oil, 1/4 t. salt, 1/8 t. pepper and a dash of cloves.  Add 1/2 c. milk, bring to a boil, and stir until thickened.  May need to add a little additional milk or water.
*Saute a sliced red onion with some garlic and then add to the asparagus mixture.
*Mix the sauce and asparagus mixture all together.
*Layer the lasagna in a casserole dish:  4 rice lasagna noodles (the kind that don't need to be precooked), half of the mixture, then some mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, repeat all layers.
*Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes covered, then 10-15 minutes uncovered.

Tuna Casserole

Adapted from the big Taste of Home cookbook.

*Cook about 4 cups of egg noodles according to package directions.

*Combine noodles with 2 cans of tuna (6 oz. cans), 2 zucchinis, chopped, 1/2. c. whole yogurt, 1/2 c. fat-free yogurt, 1 chopped celery rib, 2 green onions, 2 tsp. prepared mustard, lots of thyme, a dash of salt, about a cup of mozzarella cheese, 2 Roma tomatoes, and half a package of mushrooms. 

*Put in a 3 qt. casserole dish, top with rest of mushrooms and maybe a little more cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered until warmed throughout (at least 40 minutes total, longer if refrigerated first).

Calzones

Make pizza crust (recipe here:  http://mcconnellfamfood.blogspot.com/2011/11/pizza-crust.html)

One crust will make 3 calzones.  Stop before pre-baking step.

Divide crust in 3 pieces and fill each with cooked sausage (spiced with whatever), mozzarella cheese, frozen broccoli, mushrooms, and onions.

Cook at 425 degrees for 30 minutes or so.

Favorite Pizza

Find crust recipe here:  http://mcconnellfamfood.blogspot.com/2011/11/pizza-crust.html

When making crust, add garlic, oregano, and basil to dough.

Top with:

*Tomato paste, mixed with garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and allspice.
*Ground turkey, cooked with spinach, two chopped green onions, cumin, chili powder, and tumeric.
*Mushrooms.
*Mozzarella cheese.
*Kyle likes carrots on his portion.

Bake 12-15 minutes.

Sausage, Mushroom, and Swiss pizza

See crust instructions here:  http://mcconnellfamfood.blogspot.com/2011/11/pizza-crust.html

Top with:

*Swiss cheese.
*Italian sausage, cooked with onions, spinach, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and thyme, drained.
*Mushrooms.
*Over the top, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese.

Pizza Crust

Makes 1 crust.

*Dissolve 1 T. yeastie beasties in 1.5 c. warm water with 1 t. sugar.
*Add 1T. olive oil, 1 t. salt, 2 c. ww flour, and 1.5 c. white flour.
*Knead, adding more white flour as needed.
*Rise until doubled, punch down, shape into desired shape (circle or rectangle depending on pan you're baking the pizza in) and place on cornmeal-dusted baking sheet or pizza stone.
*Pre-bake for 15 minutes, top and bake another 12-15 minutes.