Spicy Black Bean Soup (GF)

 

Spicy Black Bean Soup (GF)

(8-12servings)

Ingredients:

as needed Cooking Spray

1 medium White Onion, finely diced

4 cloves Fresh Garlic, minced

3 cans (15 oz.) Black Beans, undrained

½ tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

1 tsp. Cumin

1 can (14.5 oz.) Chicken Broth

1 can (10.5 oz.) Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilis

1 can (11 oz.) Yellow Corn, drained

½ cup Sour Cream

Directions:

In a 1 to 2-gallon soup pot or Dutch oven, spray as needed.  Add onion and garlic over medium heat and cook about 5 minutes or until onions have softened (about 5 minutes).  Place 1 can of beans in a blender, add sautéed onion mixture, red pepper flakes and cumin.  Cover and blend on high until smooth (about 30-45 seconds).  Pour mixture back into pot.  Place the second can of beans and chicken broth in the blender.  Cover and blend on high until smooth (about 30-45 seconds).  Add back to pot.  Now add the last can of beans, tomatoes with chilies and corn to the pot.  Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes stirring occasionally.  Serve when ready and garnish with sour cream.

Notes:              You could use cooking oil instead of the stray if desired.  You could also use frozen corn.

Notes:              For the spicy part, adjust the red pepper flakes as you see fit.  The sour cream cuts the heat for those not wanting too much.  So again, adjust accordingly.

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Mexican Chicken Vegetable Soup (GF)

 

Mexican Chicken Vegetable Soup (GF)

(6-10 servings)

Ingredients:

as needed Cooking Spray

2 cups White Onion, diced

1 medium Orange Bell Pepper

1 medium Yellow Bell Pepper

1 tsp. Kosher Salt

2 tsp. Minced Garlic

2 tsp. Ground Cumin

1 tsp. Chili Powder

½ tsp. Black Pepper

3 small Fresh Zucchini, diced

1 can (15 oz.) Diced Tomatoes

1 lb. Cooked Chicken, chopped or shredded

4 cups Chicken Broth

½ cup Cilantro, chopped

½ cup Salsa Verde

½ cup Sour Cream

Directions:

Coat a 1 to 2-gallon soup pot or Dutch oven with spray.  Over medium heat, add onion, bell peppers and salt, cooking until tender-crisp (7-8 minutes).  Be sure to stir often.  Now add garlic, cumin, chili powder and black pepper, cooking about 1 minutes while you continue to stir.  Next, add zucchini, tomatoes, chicken and broth.  Increase heat to high and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer covered until zucchini is tender (5-8 minutes).  When ready to serve, stir in the cilantro and dish up.  Top with the salsa verde and sour cream.

Notes:              You can use any combination of bell peppers.  It depends on availability and price.  For the chicken, I try of use rotisserie chicken.  Costco has it in packages of white meat which makes it very convenient.

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Gluten-Free Cinco de Mayo Soups

 This week we have gluten-free Mexican soups for you to try this holiday.  These are Mexican inspired soups that you can adjust to your tastes and needs.

Starting off on Wednesday with “Mexican Chicken Vegetable Soup (GF)” as a tasty dish to try.  Then we follow up with “Spicy Black Bean Soup (GF)” for those that like it hot.

Be sure to give these a try and enjoy “Cinco de Mayo” this year.

“Happy Cooking” until next time and please help share the link.

Sheet Pan Taco Wrap

 

Sheet Pan Taco Wrap

(12 servings)

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. Olive Oil

3 medium Onions, finely chopped

½ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Black Pepper

3 lb. Ground Beef (90/10 lean)

¼ cup Cilantro, chopped

3 medium Tomatoes, chopped

2 pkt. (1 oz. ea.) Taco Seasoning

¼ cup Fresh Lime Juice

8 Flour Tortillas, burrito size

3 cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded

3 cups Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded

5 flat hard corn tostadas

as needed Sour Cream and Salsa for serving

Directions:

Warm oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add onions, salt, pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes.  Add ground beef and cook 8-10 minutes more or until no longer pink, breaking up meat as it cooks.  Next, add in cilantro, tomatoes, taco seasoning and lime juice.  Stir until combined and then remove from heat and let cool.  Using an 18x13 rimmed sheet pan, spray it.  Then start placing the flour tortillas around the pan starting at one end.  Place the tortilla so that it is half in and half out of the pan.  One each on the ends and 2 each on each side.  Make sure they overlap and cover the corners of pan.  Place the 7^th tortilla in the center of the pan to completely cover the bottom of pan with the tortillas.  Sprinkle half of each cheese over the bottom of pan covering tortillas evenly.  Using a slotted spoon, evenly distribute the meat mixture over the cheese.  Now place the corn tostadas in the corners but not touching the sides of pan.  Place the last corn tostada in the middle of the 4.  Sprinkle remaining cheese evenly over this.  Start folding the flour tortillas over the cheese starting with the first one you put in pan and go clockwise around the pan.  Finally place the last flour tortilla in the center to completely seal the top.  Take a second sheet pan and place on top of the tortillas.  Then add oven safe weights or a heavy oven safe pan on top to press the pans together. In a pre-heated 375-degree oven, place the pans with weight and bake 30 minutes.  Remove weight and top pan and continue baking another 15 minutes or until tortillas are golden and crisp.  Remove from oven and set on a wire rack for 5 minutes before cutting into 12 pieces.  Serve topping with sour cream and salsa.

Notes:              Just to let you know, the outside pieces are less messy because they have one or two edges that help hold them together.  Enjoy.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Cheesy Taco Sticks

 

Cheesy Taco Sticks

(10 sticks)

Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground Chuck

1 packet Taco Seasoning

1 tube Pizza Dough

5 Cheese Sticks (your choice on flavor)

4 tbsp. Unsalted Butter, melted

1 tsp. Garlic Powder

1 tsp. Dried Parsley

Directions:

In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook ground chuck.  Cook until browned and crumbled.  Drain fat and return skillet to stove top.  Mix in taco packet (no water) and stir until fully coated.  Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.  Spread pizza dough out until it’s flat and cut in half lengthwise.  Then make 4 cuts up and down, equally spaced, to create 10 rectangles.  Also cut the cheese sticks in half lengthwise.  Now place a tbsp. of ground chuck mixture in middle of dough spreading lengthwise.  Top with a length of cheese and roll up the dough to seal around the meat and cheese filling.  Pinch all seams carefully.  Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray.  Place the cheesy taco sticks on parchment paper.  Combine melted butter, garlic powder and parsley in a small bowl.  Brush this mixture over the tops of the cheese taco sticks.  In a pre-heated 425-degree oven, place the baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve hot with your favorite taco toppings.

Notes:              You will have plenty of taco meat leftover with this recipe.  So you could easily double the rest of the recipe and make 20 sticks.  Or freeze taco meat and use another time.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Some Easy Cinco de Mayo Recipes

 With Cinco de Mayo coming up in about 3 weeks (May 5^th), I thought it would be nice to have a couple different taco recipes.

The first taco recipe calls for using pizza dough in a tube.  That recipe on Wednesday is “Cheesy Taco Sticks” and its great finger food.

Then on Thursday, we have “Sheet Pan Taco Wrap” that makes flat, not cylinder, crunchy wrap.  Again it is good hand food.

I hope you enjoy these or one the many other Mexican food recipes on this blog.  A margarita or a shot of tequila wouldn’t be a bad thing to go with this food.  Enjoy.

Until next time, “Happy Cooking” and please help spread this blog link to others.  Thanks.

 

Lemon-Herb Crusted Cod

 

Lemon-Herbed Crusted Cod

(4 servings)

Ingredients:

4 (5-6 oz.) Cod Fillets

¼ cup Unsalted Butter, melted

1 cup Plain Bread Crumbs

1 tbsp. Italian Parsley, finely chopped

2 tsp. Fresh Lemon Zest

1 tsp. Fresh Thyme, finely chopped

1 tsp. Fresh Chives, chopped

1 clove Fresh Garlic, minced

1 cup Zucchini, sliced into coins

1 cup Yellow Squash, sliced into coins

1 cup Cremini Mushrooms, sliced

1 tbsp. Olive Oil

½ tsp. Kosher Salt

½ tsp. Black Pepper

1 cup Cherry or Grape Tomatoes

Directions:

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.  Pat fish dry with paper towels.  In a small bowl, combine melted butter, bread crumbs, parsley, lemon zest, thyme, 1 tsp. chives and garlic.  Place cod pieces on parchment paper and top each evenly with the bread crumb mixture pressing it to stick.  In a medium bowl, combine zucchini, yellow squash and mushrooms.  Toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Spread vegetable mixture in and around the cod fillets on the parchment paper.  Place pan in a pre-heated 375-degree oven for 20 minutes.  Remove pan and add tomatoes.  Place pan under a pre-heated broiler for 5 minutes or until fish is flakey and tomatoes are roasted.  Serve immediately garnishing with remaining chives.

Notes:              This recipe would work well with Haddock too.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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