Tortilla Soup

From Susan, a friend of Vern's family. This soup is similar to the tortilla soup you can find at Cafe Rio. :-) It is a delicious and filling soup. Yum! We eat it often. This recipe is also very easy to modify to your own tastes. For example, I like it with a little more rice. Tortilla soup is also good for leftovers for lunch the next day!

The recipe's ingredients are included in bold.

Boil and cube:

4 chicken breasts

Simmer the following in canola oil:

6 cloves crushed garlic (2-3 TB.)

1 medium onion minced

1 green bell pepper cubed

1 TB cilantro

Add chicken and saute for a few minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, place the following in a large pot:

5 cans chicken broth

2 small cans tomato sauce

2 cans black beans (drained)

1 can of corn (drained)

1 small can of diced jalapenos (optional)

1 cup uncooked rice

3 celery sticks chopped

Add the following spices to the soup:

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. cumin

Add the chicken mixture to the rest of the soup and simmer until rice is fully cooked.

Serve with grated cheese and sour cream. Makes 4 quarts.

Street Tacos

This is our new favorite. We have it anywhere from once to 5 times a week, because it is so simple and good! We have invited just about everyone we know over for this dish, and everyone loves it.

Ingredients:

meat (chicken, beef or pork)
corn tortillas
tomatoes
cilantro
lettuce
lime juice

1. Stew any kind of meat (my favorite is chicken) in the crockpot all day, or until it shreds apart easily.
Take out meat, cut or shred, and return to it's juices to keep it moist. Add taco seasoning to taste. I sometimes add other things, too, whatever you like. (garlic, diced hot peppers, onion..) But it is good with just taco seasoning, too.
2. Chop lettuce, cilantro, tomatoes all small.
3. Cook tortillas slightly in a little bit of vegetable oil. MUST use corn tortillas. (don't over cook unless you like them crispy.)
4. Serve with lime juice (DONT forget the lime juice!)

Thai Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce

This was pretty good, but I think I will still search for a different thai sauce. I just like other sauces better than peanut. I LOVED the veggie combo though. PERFECT! yum.

Sauce:
1 T cornstarch
1 C. vegetable broth
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 t. sesame oil (or veg oil)
1 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. ground red pepper

Dissolve starch in broth. Add remaining ingredients. Boil, then reduce heat. Simmer 5 minutes. (I just cooked in in the microwave!)

Veggies:
1 cup fresh broccoli
1 cup carrots, sliced thin
12 cup red bell pepper
1/2 cup sugar snap peas
1 onion, chopped (I didn't use onion)
2 cloved garlic, minced
2 T vegetable oil

Chop all veggies roughly same size. Leave them fairly big.

Stir garlic into oil in skillet. Add veggies and cook for a minute or two. Reduce heat, cover, and steam until veggies are tender, about 5 minutes (but not too tender! don't overcook)

Toss with peanut sauce to serve.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Recipe from my mom. Serve with chicken and rice.

1 can crushed pineapple
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 T soy sauce
2 T corn starch

Drain pineapple, saving the juice. Add water to reserved juice to make 3/4 cup. Stir ingredients except for pineapple together in bowl. Microwave 2-3 minutes,or until thick, stiring every minute. Add pineapple. Microwave until warm.

Jambasta

This recipe origionated from Rachel Ray, but I have changed it quite a bit to suit my own tastes. This is yummy!

1 lb sausage (ground or cut up links is fine, italian or spicy)
1 bell pepper, chopped
1/2-1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 T butter
2 T flour
1 can chicken broth
1 can diced or crushed tomatoes
thyme
milk
penne pasta (other types work fine)

start boiling pasta
Brown sausage and remove from pan, leaving the grease. Add butter (more or less depending on fat content of sausage) Cook vegetable with salt and pepper. Add flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add chicken broth. Add thyme and tomatoes. Let sauce come to a boil, then lower heat and add a splash of milk. Stir in pasta and sausage.
Options: Top with Monteray Jack Cheese; Add hot sauce
Origional recipe has both chicken and shrimp. I like it with just sausage.

Porcupine Cookies

2 cups butterscotch chips
1 cups peanut butter
3 cups marshmallows
4 cups chow mein noodles

melt chips over very low heat
remove from heat, mix in pb
add mallows and noodles. stir well
drop by spoonful on wax paper

These were once my favorite cookie. still love them though.

Easter Egg Dye

No need to buy easter egg coloring kits! this is so simple.

2 t. vinegar
2/3 cups water
few drops of food coloring

stir, dip eggs