Chicken Poblano Tortilla Soup

Chicken Poblano Tortilla Soup

(6 servings)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. Olive Oil

1½ cups Yellow Onion, chopped

1 cup Carrot, chopped

1 Poblano Pepper, diced

4 cups Chicken Broth

¾ tsp. Kosher Salt

½ tsp. Black Pepper

1 can (14.5 oz.) Diced Tomatoes

4 oz. Tortilla Chips, divided

½ cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped

12 oz. Cooked Chicken, shredded

1 large Avocado, diced

1 large Fresh Lime, cut into 6 wedges

Directions:

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add oil and when ready add onion, carrot and pepper.  Sauté these for about 8 minutes.  Next add broth, salt, black pepper and diced tomatoes.  Bring mixture to a boil.  Crush half of the tortilla chips and add to the mixture.  Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until carrots are tender (about 8 minutes).  Stir in cilantro and chicken and heat through.  Divide among 6 bowls and evenly top with the avocado and remaining tortilla chips, crushed.  Serve each with a lime wedge.

Note:               Try making your own tortilla chips.  Use 4 6-inch tortillas (corn or flour to your taste).  Cut them in 1/2 -inch strips and bake in a pre-heated 375-degree oven for about 10 minutes.  Let them cool and then crush half for in the soup and leave the rest for topping the soup.

Note:               Because the Poblano pepper varies in heat, you may want to add some crushed red pepper flakes to spice it up.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Stuffed Pepper Soup

Stuffed Pepper Soup

(8 servings)

Ingredients:

2 lb. Ground Chuck

6 cups Water

1 can (28 oz.) Tomato Sauce

1 can (28 oz.) Diced Tomatoes

2 cups Green Pepper, chopped

¼ cup Brown Sugar, packed

2 tsp. Kosher Salt

2 tsp. Beef Bouillon Granules

1 tsp. Black Pepper

2 cups Long Grain Rice, cooked

Directions:

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook ground chuck until no longer pink.  Grain.  Add the remaining ingredients except the rice and combine.  Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 30 minutes or until peppers are tender.  Now add the rice and continue another 10 minutes before serving.

Note:               Soup can be made the day before and then reheated when needed.  This actually helps bring out the flavor.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Warming New Year's Soups

As we get through the holiday season, the weather is coming into its coldest time of the year.  January and February are usually the coldest months of the year, at least in the USA.

So one start looking for some warming and comfortable foods to make and eat.  Soups are one of the dishes near the top of the list.

We have all the standard soups to eat but there are times when we look for something a little different.

I’ve got a couple for you this week.  Let’s try “Stuffed Pepper Soup” on Wednesday and then “Chicken Poblano Tortilla Soup” on Thursday.

The stuffed pepper will remind you of just that, stuffed peppers.  Which is a great comfort food.

The Poblano soup gives you a little bit of Mexico and can be adjusted for spiciness to suit your taste.

Hope you all had a great Christmas and wishing you a great new year too.

“Happy Cooking” and please share the link and the recipes with family and friends.  Thanks.

We’ll start off the new year next week with some more gluten-free recipes for those who need them.

Spicy Cranberry Dip

Spicy Cranberry Dip

(3-3½ cups)

Ingredients:

1 (12 oz.) pkg. Fresh Cranberries, halved

1-2 medium Jalapeno Peppers, seeded and diced

2 tsp. Dried Cilantro

1 cup Sugar

1 tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice

2 (8 oz.) pkg. Cream Cheese, room temperature

Crackers, Pita Chips or Fresh Cut Vegetables

Directions:

Combine all ingredients through lemon juice and refrigerate overnight.  An hour before serving, whip cranberry mixture with the softened cream cheese and put in a serving dish.  Let sit out at room temperature until serve time.

Note:               The amount of jalapeno and with or without the seeds is dependent on your desired heat level for the dish.

Note:               You could also try just spreading the cranberry mixture over the cream cheese after it’s been spread out on a platter.  You could also try it hot.  Put in a small slow cooker for a couple of hours before service.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Sweet Onion Dip

Sweet Onion Dip

(3½ cups)

Ingredients:

2 cups Mayonnaise

1 (8 oz.) pkg. Italian Style Cheese Crumbles

1 large Vidalia Onion, chopped (about 2 cups)

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the ingredients and then spread into a 1-quart baking dish.  Place in a pre-heated 375-degree oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool for 15-30 minutes and serve with crackers, bagel chips and/or fresh cut vegetables.

Note:               Kraft makes the cheese crumbles.  But you can use other cheeses.  Go with what meets your palate.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Holliday Party Dips

The end of year holidays are fast approaching.  That usually means holiday parties of one kind or another.

If you are hosting or just attending, you may need a new dish or two to supply for the festivities.  I have two slightly different or not your usual dips to offer up this week.

Wednesday’s recipe is “Sweet Onion Dip” and it only has 3 ingredients.  Then we have “Spicy Cranberry Dip” on Thursday since they are in season.

Both dips can be served with assorted crackers, pita chips, bagel chips or fresh cut vegetables such as carrots, celery, any color bell pepper and cucumbers.  And that is only a sampling of the vegetables you could use.

Keeping it short this time of year as I have plenty of other things going on to get ready for the holidays.

So “Happy Cooking” and “Happy Holidays” from the Cabana Boy Cooks.

Eggs Benedict Casserole

Eggs Benedict Casserole

(12 servings)

Ingredients:

12 oz. Canadian Bacon, chopped

6 English Muffins, split and cut into 1-inch pieces

8 large Fresh Eggs

2 cups Milk

1 tsp. Onion Powder

¼ tsp. Paprika

4 large Egg Yolks

½ cup Heavy Whipping Cream

2 tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice

1 tsp. Dijon Mustard

½ cup Unsalted Butter, melted

Directions:

Place half the Canadian bacon in a sprayed 9x13 baking dish.  Top this with the English muffins and then the remaining bacon.  In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk and onion powder.  Pour over muffin mixture, cover and refrigerate overnight.  Baked dish in a pre-heated 375-degree oven for 35 minutes covered.  Uncover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until knife comes out clean.  For the Hollandaise sauce, use a double boiler.  Whisk egg yolks, cream, lemon juice and mustard until blended.  Cook until mixture is just thick enough to coat back of a spoon, whisking constantly.  Reduce heat very low and slowly drizzle warm melted butter into mixture, whisking constantly.  Serve immediately with casserole.

Note:               If you desire, use a Hollandaise mix like Knorr instead of making it from scratch.  If you do this, forget the last 5 ingredients above.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Eggnog French Toast Bread Pudding

Eggnog French Toast Bread Pudding

(8-10 servings)

Ingredients:

9 cups Challah Bread, 1-inch cubes

Cooking Spray

3 large Fresh Eggs, lightly beaten

3 cups Eggnog

¼ cup Sugar

1 tsp. Ground Nutmeg

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

¼ tsp. Salt

Maple Syrup

Directions:

Spread cubes of bread on two baking sheets and place in a pre-heated 300-degree oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring twice.  Cool.  Using a 4 qt. oval slow cooker with a removable crock, spray the inside.  Place the bread cubes in the crock.  In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, eggnog, sugar, nutmeg and salt.  Pour this mixture over the bread cubes and press down on bread with a large spoon to moisten.  Cover crock and refrigerate for 4 hours to overnight.  Put crock into slow cooker frame and set on low for 3 hours or until a knife comes out clean.  Let set up to 30 minutes before serving with maple syrup.  Use a spoon to serve. 

Note:               You could use a slow cooker liner.  Than when done, remove it from slow cooker, cover with foil and let stand the 30 minutes.  Then slice into desired pieces before serving with the maple syrup.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Christmas Weekend Brunch

With Christmas falling on a Monday this year, you may have quests for the long weekend.  So why not make something special for a Christmas Eve brunch.  Or any other time it might be helpful.

One of the dishes this week is done in a slow cooker.  The other in a 9x13 casserole dish.  Both dishes are prepped the night before and refrigerated overnight.

They are simple to put together the before and are baking for you while you attend to other elements of the meal.  In fact, they could be both served at the same brunch.

The “Eggnog French Toast Bread Pudding” is Wednesday’s recipe.  It calls for maple syrup but you could use many other sauces over it.

Then on Thursday, give “Eggs Benedict Casserole” a chance.  Remember to use a sharp knife to slice it into your serving portions.  Keep the Hollandaise sauce warm too.

I hope this helps you as we all hurry through December and the holidays.

“Happy Cooking” until next week.  It’s the season of giving, so please give this link to family and friends.  Thanks and “Happy Holidays” to all.

Volcano Meatballs (GF)

Volcano Meatballs (GF)

(12 meatballs)

Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground Chuck

¼ cup GF Parmesan Cheese

¾ cup GF Pasta Sauce (your choice)

12 each Cheese Cubes, half inch square

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.  Form into 12 equally sized balls and place 2-inches apart on a rimmed baking sheet that has been sprayed.  Take each cheese cube and press into the center of each meatball.  Don’t push all the way through the meatball or cheese will run out of bottom.  Place in a pre-heated 400-degree oven and bake for 14-18 minutes or until done.  See note below for uses.

Note:               Serve meatballs in your favorite GF pasta sauce over GF pasta or make meatball subs adding sauce and cheese to a GF hot dog bun.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Chicken in Cream Sauce (GF)

Chicken in Cream Sauce (GF)

(4 servings)

Ingredients:

4 (4-5 oz.) Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

2 tbsp. GF Flour

1 tbsp. Oil (your choice)

¾ cup Gf Chicken Broth

4 oz. GF Cream Cheese, cubed

2 tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped

1 cup Cherry/Grape Tomatoes, halved

Directions:

Place the chicken in a large zip-lock bag with the Gf flour and shake to coat.  Set aside.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the chicken and cook 5-6 minutes or each side or until cooked through.  Remove chicken to a platter and cover to keep warm.  Leaving the pan juices in skillet, add the broth and deglaze the pan.  Now add the cream cheese, cooking 2-3 minutes until it has melted and starts to thicken using a whisk constantly.  Add chicken back and coat on both sides and heat through.  Remove chicken to the platter again and sprinkle with the basil and tomatoes.  Top everything with the sauce in the skillet and serve.

Note:               Try a couple of variations by adding 2 tbsp. of either Parmesan cheese or Dijon mustard for the last 2 minutes of simmering.  Or instead of the basil and tomato, try fresh spinach and crumbled cooked bacon.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Easy Gluten-Free Dishes

We have some gluten-free recipes this week that can be changed up to give you a variety of meal options.

They are also easy to make recipes.  So if you have young children, these would be great ones to help get them started helping in the kitchen.

As with all recipes that need to be gluten-free, be sure to double check your ingredients.  Make sure you are using all gluten-free items.  If you use “Kraft” branded products, they are gluten-free unless Kraft says they are not.  So their cream cheeses, cubed cheeses and Parmesan cheeses will work in these recipes.  That’s what they have told me when we inquired in the past.

So Wednesday’s dish of “Chicken in Cream Sauce (GF)” gives you several options in the note below the directions on the recipe.  It didn’t say it but dish works over rice of GF pasta as well.

“Volcano Meatballs (GF)” is Thursday’s recipe.  Again, besides what is mentioned in the note area, they work well on buffets and as appetizers.  It didn’t state it in the recipe, but use any flavor of cheese cubes you can buy that are GF.  Or cut your own with your favorite type of cheese.

Be sure and give these a try as they work for young and old alike.  “Happy Cooking” until next week and please share this with others.  Thanks.