Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• 2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 cup Diced Onion
• 1/4 cup Diced Green Bell Pepper
• 1/4 cup Red Bell Pepper
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 can (10 Oz. Can) Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies
• 32 ounces, fluid Low Sodium Chicken Stock
• 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 4 cups Hot Water
• 2 cans (15 Oz. Can) Black Beans, Drained
• 3 Tablespoons Cornmeal Or Masa
• 5 whole Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches
• _____
• FOR THE GARNISHES:
• Sour Cream
• Diced Avocado
• Diced Red Onion
• Salsa Or Pico De Gallo
• Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
• Cilantro

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.

Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.

Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.

Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more if needed---add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.

Ladle into bowls, then top with sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, and grated cheese, if you have it! (The garnishes really make the soup delicious.)

Recipe and picture courtesy of The Pioneer Woman (instead of the cornmeal I added crushed tortilla chips - SO GOOD!!!)

Asian Salad Dressing

2 TBS Brown sugar
2 tsp Soy
1 TBS sesame oil
1/4 Cup oil
3 TSP Rice Vinegar

Mix

Stuffed French Toast

Serves: 6 / Preparation time: 15 minutes / Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 large French baguette (16 to 20 ounces), preferably day old
1 package (8 ounces) reduced fat cream cheese
1/4 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
3 eggs
1 cup reduced fat milk
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 tablespoon butter
For serving
Pure maple syrup or favorite syrup
Confectioner's sugar
Sliced fresh strawberries or blueberries
Directions
The night before, slice the baguette into 1½- to 2-inch thick slices; you should get at least 10 to 12. Make a small slit on the bottom side of the slice to make a deep pocket for stuffing. Or you can do this when ready to cook, but it's generally best to leave out the bread.
Just before cooking, in a small bowl, mix the cream cheese, nuts, vanilla extract and maple syrup. Evenly divide the cream cheese mixture, using a spoon to stuff it in the bread pocket.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
When ready to cook, warm the oil and butter on a griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat.
Dip the stuffed baguette slices for a few seconds in the egg mixture so it coats evenly. Don't let them soak too long or they will become mushy. Transfer to the griddle and cook on each side until browned.
Remove from the griddle and place on a serving plate. Garnish with a dusting of confectioners' sugar and sliced strawberries. Serve with your favorite syrup.

White Bean Chile with Tomato Garnish

IT IS ALL ABOUT THE GARNISH FOLKS!!!!

1 lb small white navy beans (rinsed and soaked overnight) or about four cans
1-2 onion chopped
1 48 oz can of chicken broth
4 cups chicken - cooked and diced
1 large 7 oz can diced green chiles
2 tsp dried oregano leaves
4 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
4-5 (or more) garlic cloves, minced
1 cup sour cream
3 Cups monterey jack cheese, shredded

tomatoes, chopped
cilantro chopped
sweet and sour dressing

1/2 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup cider vinegar
juice from 1 lemon
1 tsp dried onion powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/3 Cup vegetable oil

In a large pot, combine beans, onions and broth.  Bring to a boil.  Turn down heat and simmer about 2 hours or until beans are tender.
Add chopped chicken with chiles and seasonings and continue simmering until the sauce is thickened about 30-40 minutes. 
Take off heat and add the sour cream and cheese.  Stir until cheese melts.
Serve with tomato garnish.

Sweet and sour dressing
In a small saucepan combine sugar and vinegar and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  In a jar combine juice and seasoning.  Add vinegar mixture and then oil.  Shake to combine.  Will keep up to a week in refrigerator.  (add only enough dressing to coat the tomatoes, add cilantro)

White Chicken Chili

1 32-ounce box chicken stock 3 cans white beans, left undrained (I use one can of black beans, one can of white beans and one can of pinto beans) 5 Cups cooked chicken (rotisserie or boiled) 1 16-ounce jar salsa 1 8-ounce block pepper jack cheese, grated 2 tsp ground cumin 2 cloves garlic minced black or white pepper to taste 1/2 cup finely crushed corn chips (optional, if you like your chili thicker) sour cream for garnish Yields 6 servings Place all ingredients except the corn chips in a crockpot. Cook on high until the cheese is melted. Chili may also be cooked on the stovetop over medium high heat until cheese is melted. When the chili is ready, add the crushed corn chips, if using, and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken. Garnish with more chips, cheese and/or sour cream and serve. Claudia Cornwall made this for us when we went to visit them - it is easy and DELICIOUS!! It has a real kick to it - I like that.

Black and White Bean Greek Salad

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4-6 servings

• Black and White Bean Greek Salad
• 1 (15-ounce) can reduced-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15-ounce) can reduced-sodium white beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 ounces reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup diced cucumber
• 1/3 cup chopped red onion
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
Dressing:
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp agave nectar
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp oregano leaves
• 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 1/2 tsp each sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

1. Combine the beans, feta, cucumber, red onion and mint in a medium salad bowl.
2. Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Pour over salad and gently toss to combine.
3. Cover and chill in refrigerator for at least an hour to let flavors combine. 

I have discovered an amazing web site  http://insidekarenskitchen.com/.  Everything I have tried is delicious and healthy.  This  recipe and the picture are from her site - DELICIOUS!!

Cream Cheese Mousse

1 1/2 Cup heavy cream, divided
4 oz cream cheese, cut into 1 inch chunks
3/4 Cup sugar, divided
1/3 Cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 tsp vanilla

In a small pan heat together 1/2 cup of cream, cream cheese, and 1/2 Cup sugar over medium heat.  Stir frequently  until the cream cheese is melted and mixture is smooth.
Put into a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.
In your mixer beat the 1 cup cream with the yogurt, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and vanilla until medium peaks form.

Fold the two mixtures together, 1/3 at a time.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
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