Taco Soup

I got this idea from clstar on my cooking site I didnt have the ingredients, so i took the general idea and went with it. I will post my recipe, and the orginal. It was really good though. Great for a chilly day!
My version:
1/2lb Beef Stew meat
2 cans no salt added diced tomatos
4 Cups pinto, kidney, Black beans (i had some dried beans, it was about 1 cup of each i put in pot to soak)
4T chili powder
2tsp sumin
2tsp corriander
1tsp oregano
1/2tsp cayenne pepper
1/2tsp onion powder
1/2tsp garlic powder
2 1/2C frozen corn
1C water
15 oz crushed concentrated tomatos
Put everything in crockpot on low til meat is tender (6-8 hrs)

Orginal Recipe
Taco Soup
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef (we sometimes use ground turkey)
2 packs taco seasoning
1 pack ranch dressing mix
1 can black beans
1 can dark kidney beans
1 can light kidney beans
1 can whole kernel white corn
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes (you can use another can of Rotel if you want a little more heat)cheese, sour cream, green onions and tortilla chips for garnish
Directions:
-In a large pot, add all of the canned ingredients (don't drain them).-Add one pack of taco seasoning and the ranch dressing mix. Set pot over medium-low heat. -Meanwhile, brown the ground beef (or turkey) and follow the directions on the taco seasoning pack.-Once the meat is browned and seasoning added, place the meat in the pot. Add a little water if you want to thin it out some. Don't worry, it won't take away from any of the flavor.-Bring to a boil and the reduce to medium-low.-Let simmer for thirty minutes or longer (or until you can't handle the delicious aroma coming from your kitchen and finally have to break down and eat some).-Serve with cheese, sour cream, green onions and tortilla chips (we love the blue corn ones).-Enjoy!

DinnerDivas Mexican Lasagna

One of the Dinner Divas Recipe this month was Rachel Ray's Mexican Lasagna, I didn't have all the right ingredients so I made my own recipe as i went. I used Chicken Breasts rather than Ground Chicken, and i put the tomatoes, beans, corn, and chicken in the crockpot with Seasonings to cook for the day so i would have shredded chicken to put into my lasagna in the evening when i was ready to make it.
Here is the orginal recipe.


Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds ground chicken breast, available in the packaged meats case (i used 2 chicken breasts)
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 red onion, chopped (forgot to put it in)
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained (used 2 1/2Cups, kidney, black, and pinto beans, left over from soup)
1 cup medium heat taco sauce or 1 (14-oz) can stewed or fire roasted tomatoes (no salt added diced tomatos)
1 cup frozen corn kernels
Salt (omitted)
8 (8 inch) spinach flour tortillas, available on dairy aisle of market (plain tortillas)
2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or shredded pepper jack (colby jack)
2 scallions, finely chopped (omitted)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - twice around the pan. Add chicken and season with chili powder, cumin, and red onion. Brown the meat, 5 minutes. Add taco sauce or stewed or fire roasted tomatoes. Add black beans and corn. Heat the mixture through, 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt, to your taste.
(I put all that in the crockpot to cook for the day, using the whole breasts rather than ground chicken)

Coat a shallow baking dish (I used pie pan, then i didnt have to cut the tortillas) with remaining extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 tablespoon oil. Cut the tortillas in half or quarters to make them easy to layer with. Build lasagna in layers of meat and beans, then tortillas, then cheese.
Repeat: meat, tortilla, cheese again. Bake lasagna 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly. Top with the scallions and serve.

FN crackling Fish Tacos, with Chipotle Tater Sauce

I just recieved the new Food Network magazine and I saw this recipe and it looked really good, Brad is always talking about fish tacos so i thought i would give them a try. To my surprise they were really good. A bit spicey but GOOD! Ingrid Crackling Fish Tacos with Chipotle Tater Sauce from Food Network Magazine

Ingredients
For the tartar sauce:
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 to 2 chipotles in adobo sauce seeds removed, finely chopped (i only used 1 and it was spicey)
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 scallion, white and light green parts only, finely chopped (omitted i didnt have any)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Salt (omitted)

For the tacos:
2 pounds skinless red snapper fillets (or other firm, flaky
white fish) (I used tilapia, and Grouper)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt (omitted)
teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups vegetable oil, for frying
8 8-inch flour tortillas
1 cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise, seeded and
sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups arugula leaves (just used regular iceburg lettece, all we had)
1 cup fresh cilantro (omitted)
Zest of 2 oranges (didnt have any oranges)
Lime wedges, for serving

Directions
Combine all the tartar sauce ingredients in a small bowl, using salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Rinse the fish under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 1-inch pieces and put in a bowl with the Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt and pepper. Turn the fish to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Place the flour in a shallow dish and toss the fish pieces in it, a few at a time, until evenly coated. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. (To see if it's hot enough, place a small piece of bread in the oil; it should sizzle immediately.) Carefully add a few pieces of fish at a time, shaking off excess flour before placing them in the oil. Fry until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tortilla and warm for 10 to 20 seconds on each side. Place on a plate and cover with a kitchen towel; repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Spread a dollop of the chipotle tartar sauce on a warmed tortilla. Add a few pieces of cucumber and top with 3 or 4 pieces of fish, a few arugula and cilantro leaves and a little orange zest. Serve with lime wedges and more tartar sauce on the side.

The Chewy, Alton Browns Chocolate Chip Cookies

I went on the hunt on the cooking board to find a delish Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe to Send to a friend for helping me with my computer. This is the one i got Req's for, So i tried it they were pretty good. These are from Food Network, Alton Brown's The Chewy

Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (i used Dark chocolate)

Hardware:
Ice cream scooper (#20 disher, to be exact)
Parchment paper
Baking sheets
Mixer

Directions
Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container

I chilled the dough for about 30-45 minutes

Frozen strawberry Yogurt

I recieved an Ice Cream Maker from Brad for my birthday. This was my first choice to make

2-16oz pkgs Frozen Strawberries slightly thawed (or different fruit of choice)
2 -2lb containers Plain Yogurt (i used dannon light n fit)
1 1/2C Sugar
1 1/2C half n half (i used FF half n half)

Mash berries, combine remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until chilled. Mix well Pour into canister, Run ice cream maker.

My ice cream is frozen solid. I have learned if you cut too much fat out it will freeze solid like that. so when i am able to get some out of the container it is really good.

Baja Deluxe Burgers

I clipped this recipe out of the Newspaper. They were really good. I used ground turkey rather than the premade patties and marinaded the meat in the sauce over night, when i added an egg to the meat it got too runny and made it hard to form patties and keep them from falling thru the grill, but they still tasted good.

1C Lawry's Baja Chipolte Marinade
1/4C ketchup (I used no salt added ketchup)
2 Med portobella mushrooms, clean and stems removed
2 Med green and or yellow bell peppers quartered
6 hamburger patties
6 slices pepper jack or monterey jack cheese
6 hamburger buns

1. Combine 1/2 C lawry's baja chipotle marinade and ketchip. Pour remaining 1/2C marinade over mushrooms and peppers. Marinade in refrigerator 15 minutes.

2. Remove vegetables from marinade discarding marinade. Grill or broil Vegetables and burgers, turning once and brushing burgers with ketchup mixture until vegetables are tender and burgers are almost desired doneness.

3. remove vegetables from grill. Slice Top burgers with cheese cook until cheese melted.

4. Top buns with burgers and vegetables. Serve it desired with lettece, tomato and onion.

BBQ chicken Sammiches

I put some chicken breasts in the crockpot with BBQ sauce on moving day, then it was ready when we were ready to eat in the evening after a day of moving. Saved from having to order out! worked perfect.

2 chicken breasts

1/2 bottle BBQ of choice

1/2C water (unless chicken breasts are going in Frozen, then don't add water)

Cook on low for the day.

We had some good ol boxed mac n cheese with ours.

breakfast tacos

quick breakfast idea
I think i got the idea out of one of my cooking magazines but i cant find the recipe now.

4 scrambled eggs, with some Mrs. Dash seasoning. Cook and top part of eggs on tortilla shell. Top with some shredded cheese, and salsa.

black bean n pumpkin chili

I found this recipe in the Taste Of Home Oct/Nov 08 Magazine it was really good. A big sweet, i think that is because I used pumpkin pie instead if pure pumpkin. But it was still good.


1 med onion, chopped
1 med sweet yellow pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3T Olive Oil
3C chicken broth (low sodium vegetable broth)
2Cans black bean rinsed and drained (dried beans)
2 1/2C cubed cooked turkey (1/2lb ground turkey)
1Can solid pack pumpkin pure pumpkin, not pie mix
1Can diced tomatos UNdrained (no salt added)
3tsp dried parsley
2tsp Chili powder
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/2tsp cumin
1/2 tsp Salt (omitted)

In lrg skillet saute the onion, yellow pepper and garlic in oil until tender. Transfer to a 5 qt slow cooker, stir in remaining ingredients.
cover and cook on low for 4-5hrs or until heated thru.
10 Servings (2 1/2qts)

192 calories, 5g fat, 28mg cholesterol, 658mg sodium, 23g carbs, 7g fiber, 16g protien, Diabetic exchanges 2 very lean meat, 1-1/2 Starch, 1/2 fat