Tortilla Soup

There is a restaurant called Marcellino's in Apple Valley, and they have the best tortilla soup I've ever tasted. This is as close as I've come to making tortilla soup anywhere near as good. It's great as a vegetarian soup, but you can also use chicken broth and add in some cooked chicken. Also, I love using the frozen pepper strips in the frozen vegetable aisle instead of chopping bell peppers.

Tortilla Soup

3 Tb vegetable oil, divided
6 corn tortillas, cut into very thin strips
1 med onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 green bell peppers, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 14-15 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
~2 tsp cumin
6 C vegetable or chicken broth
Juice of 1 lime
Jack and/or cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Heat 2 Tb of oil in a stockpot over med-high heat.
2. Add corn torilla strips and fry until crispy and golden brown.
3. Remove and drain on paper towels.
4. Add remaining 1 Tb oil and saute onion, garlic, peppers, carrots, and celery until onion is soft, ~6 minutes.
5. Add diced tomatoes plus their liquid and reduce heat to medium. Cook 5 minutes.
6. Add cumin and broth. Heat to boiling, then simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
7. Add lime juice.
8. Serve with shredded cheese and crispy tortilla strips.

BBQ Boneless Pork Loin

We like to get boneless porl loin when it goes on sale for $1.99/lb or buy-one-get-one-free. The seasonings are great, and later in the week we often like to simmer the leftover pork with BBQ sauce to make BBQ pork sandwiches.

BBQ Boneless Pork Loin

1 boneless pork loin
Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and Lawry's seasoned salt

1. Cover pork loin with generous amounts of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and seasoned salt on all sides.
2. Barbeque, turning frequently, until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. (Ours usually takes an hour or less, depending on the thickness). Watch carefully so as not to overcook.
3. Let the meat rest for about 15 minutes before slicing.

Red Beans and Rice

Here is the vegetarian version of this recipe. It's great with any kind of rice, but using one of those saffron rice packets along with regular rice is especially good! We also like serving corn muffins on the side.

Red Beans and Rice

3 16 oz cans kidney beans
2 C water
1/4 C fresh parsley or cilantro
1/2 C butter
3 cubes vegetable bouillon (beef is also good if you don't need a strictly vegetarian dish)
1 large onion, diced
~4 cloves garlic, crushed (more is good if you like garlic)
1 Tb dry mustard
cayenne pepper to taste

1. Combine all ingredients. Simmer over medium heat, stirring every 15 minutes, until beans are creamy.
2. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Serve with rice.

Chicken or Turkey Pot Pie

This is our favorite pot pie recipe so far. I've made Pot Pie Wellington by using puff pastry sheets as the crust instead of traditional pie dough, and that's very tasty also.

Chicken/Turkey Pot Pie

1 recipe for a double pie crust (or 2 pre-made pie crusts)
4 Tb butter, divided
1 small onion, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, diced
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 Tb dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
2 C chicken broth
1 1/2 C cooked, cubed chicken or turkey
3 Tb flour
1/2 C milk

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Roll out bottom pie crust in a deep pie dish and set aside.
2. Melt 2 Tb butter in a large skillet over med heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until the carrots are tender.
3. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until they are tender but still firm.
4. In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 2 Tb butter over med-low heat. Stir in the flour and cook about 1 minute until it bubbles. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. Cook until slightly thickened. Stir in chicken or turkey.
5. Stir chicken/turkey mixture into vegetable mixture. Cook over med heat until thickened.
6. Cool slightly, then pour into bottom unbaked pie shell. Roll out the top pie crust and place on top of filling. Flute and seal the edges and make 4 slits in the top to let out steam.
7. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees.
8. Continue baking at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Focaccia Bread (bread maker)

This is a tasty flat bread that is excellent dipped in olive oil and balsalmic vinegar.

Focaccia Bread

1 C warm water
1/4 milk
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar
3 Tb olive oil
1/4 C parmesan cheese
1 Tb dried Italian herbs (an Italian herb mix, or half dried basil and half oregano is good)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
4 C bread flour
2 tsp yeast
Additional olive oil for spreading on dough.
Additional parmesan cheese, coarse salt, or minced garlic for sprinkling.

1. Put wet ingredients in breadmaker first, followed by dry ingredients. Set to dough cycle.
2. When cycle is complete, remove dough and divide into 2 equal pieces.
3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
4. Grease 2 baking sheets with oil (2 pizza pans work well, or cookie sheets).
5. Pat dough onto baking sheets in desired shape until it is ~3/4-1" thick.
6. Poke fingers halfway into dough to make indentations all over.
7. Spread top of dough with a little additional olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese or coarse salt or garlic.
8. Bake at 450 degrees for about 10 minutes, until golden brown.

Roast Chicken

This comes out tender, juicy, and flavorful for us, and is easy to prepare.

Roast chicken

1 whole roasting chicken, giblets removed, rinsed and patted dry
1 lemon
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 Tb olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 C chicken broth

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Place chicken breast-side up in a roasting pan, on a roasting rack if possible.
3. Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice into a bowl.
4. Mix lemon juice with olive oil.
5. Sprinkle inside of chicken cavity liberally with salt and pepper.
6. Stuff the rosemary sprigs and the 2 lemon halves into the cavity.
7. Rub the olive oil-lemon juice mixture over the entire top surface of the chicken.
8. Sprinkle salt and pepper liberally over the chicken.
9. Cook chicken in oven until internal temperature (measured at thickest part of thigh) is 180 degrees F. I set the timer for 30 minute intervals and turn the pan around to ensure even browing. (My chickens usually take around 1.5-2 hrs to cook).
10. When chicken is done, remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Broccoli, Potato, and Cheese Quiche

This is the only way I can get the boys to eat large quantities of broccoli and potatoes easily :).

Broccoli, Potato, and Cheese Quiche

1 pie crust (Pillsbury, refrigerated pre-made crusts that you unroll are great!)
3 potatoes, diced into 1" cubes (we leave the peel on if they're red potatoes)
About 1/2 C broccoli, lightly cooked and chopped up
3 eggs, beaten
1 Tb melted butter
1/4 C grated sharp cheddar, Romano, or Parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
About 1/4 tsp each of black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder (to taste)

1. Boil enough salted water to cover potatoes by a few inches. Add potatoes when water boils. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. While potatoes are cooking, prepare pie crust (unless yours is pre-made).
3. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add melted butter, cheese, seasonings, and mix well.
4. Drain and rinse potatoes lightly with cold water, then drain again and add to egg mixture.
5. Add broccoli (also rinse with cold water if broccoli is still very hot from cooking).
6. Mix it all well, and pour into pie shell.
7. Distribute mixture as evenly as possible in pie shell (it will puff up as it cooks).
8. Bake on top rack of oven for about 20-35 minutes, or until knife inserted into center comes out clean.
9. Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Rosemary Lemon Pepper Chicken

One of my easiest, fastest, and tastiest chicken recipes. It's excellent cut up over a salad, or sliced cold and put onto a sandwich.

Rosemary Lemon Pepper Chicken

4 Tb olive oil, divided
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 Tb lemon pepper, divided
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary, divided

1. Heat 2 Tb oil in a skillet over med-high heat.
2. Place chicken breasts in skillet and drizzle with 1 Tb of olive oil. Sprinkle with half of the lemon pepper and rosemary.
3. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Turn chicken breasts over and drizzle with remaining oil on top. Sprinkle remaining seasonings on top and replace cover.
5. Reduce heat to medium and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink.

Recipes!

Since I spend so much time dealing with recipes and meal planning for our family, I thought it might be nice to post some of our favorites here in case someone else might be able to enjoy them!