Look What I Found

I haven't been posting anything for a year, but that doesn't mean I haven't been trying lots of dishes from other blogs. Here are a few weeknight meals that have become favorites in our house.

Spinach Chicken and Pasta Salad with Teriyaki Vinaigrette

Spaghetti with Artichoke Hearts and Tomatoes

Red Chile Chicken and Rice with Beans

Buffalo Wing Pizza Roll Up

Spinach Chicken and Pasta Salad with Teriyaki Viniagrette

This recipe makes a ton. It's a perfect one dish meal if you want to bring someone dinner. You can bring half to their family and save half for yours.

I guess I should point out that my family consists of a husband who is never home for dinner and two children who won't eat anything I make. So your family may eat a little more than mine :) I'd say it serves 6-8 adults.

Spaghetti with Artichoke Hearts and Tomatoes

I love that Pioneer Woman. What's great about this recipe is that besides the cream, I've always got these ingredients in my pantry.

Red Chile Chicken and Rice with Beans

I think this recipe is best served with a scoop of salsa and a dollop of sour cream.

Buffalo Wing Pizza Roll Up

Abram found this recipe online and requested it for his birthday. I'm a sucker for buffalo wing sauce so I was all over this. I had a little trouble getting the inside of the rolls cooked through, so I recommend making it as a calzone instead of a roll up. Last time I made them I just picked up some ready made dough from Trader Joe's and it was super easy.

Tortilla Soup

Hello? Anybody there? The last time I posted was the weekend I found out I was pregnant with Leo. He's now three months old, so let's get this party started again, shall we? And more importantly, let's get that stupid sandwich off my homepage. It's good, but it sure isn't pretty, is it?

How's this instead?

The tortilla soup recipe I use comes from The Common Grill Cookbook. It is packed with flavor and tastes unbelievably fresh and healthy. I think the cheese topping is KEY to full enjoyment. The lemon zest just gives it that little extra something.

Ingredients

1 1/2 T olive oil

1 small red onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 lb. carrotes, diced

2 ribs celery, diced

1/2 large red pepper, diced

1/2 large yellow pepper, diced

1 Poblano chili pepper, diced

1 t fresh oregano

1 t cumin

1 T kosher salt

1/4 t black pepper

1/4 t red pepper flakes

1 28 oz. can Italian plum tomatoes, chopped

5 cups Chicken Stock

1 lb. chicken, cooked and diced

6 6" corn tortillas, cut in thin strips,

fried for garnish

Cheese Topping, for garnish

Cheese Topping

1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1/2 T cilantro, chopped

1/2 T lemon zest

Instructions

Heat olive oil in soup pot. Add red onion and cook until translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in carrots and celery and cook until carrots are soft, approximately 6-8 minutes. Thoroughly mix in peppers, oregano, cumin, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Stir in tomates and Chicken Stock and cook for 30 minutes.

Add chicken and cook for 30 more minutes.

To serve, ladle soup into bowl and top with fried corn tortilla strips and cheese mixture.

Cheese Topping

In small bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well.

Corn Tortilla strips (I just buy them at the store. You can find them in the produce section)

Cut corn tortillas into thin strips. Heat 1 T olive oil in saute pan. Saute tortilla strips until crispy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from pan and place on paper towel until ready to serve.

It's Stupid How Good This Sandwich Is

I promised my little brother I would use his words to title this post.  He even suggested that instead of a guest chef, I feature him as a guest eater so he could tell everyone just how good it is.  If that isn't a glowing recommendation, I don't know what is. 

I drew my inspiration from The Pioneer Woman's Second Favorite Sandwich.  Fry up four or five pieces of bacon.  Leave some of the bacon grease in the pan.  Season a couple of chicken breasts with lemon pepper and then cook them until done in the frying pan.  Let them cool and then thinly slice them. 

Get out your panini press (or a pan over the stove top and something heavy to put on top of the sandwich).  Brush one side of two slices of sourdough bread with olive oil.  Spread honeycup mustard on the first slice.  On top of that put as much chicken, bacon, avacado, tomato, and cheddar cheese as you like.  Cook it up on the panini press until the cheese is melted and voila: heaven.