Quickie Pepper Soup

Every now and then, I want to make a serving or two of soup without any hassle.  I don't feel like making a big batch and having to store it, or sometimes, I find myself with random leftovers, and see if I can whip up something quick and healthy for lunch, or dinner if I find myself in a subsidized single parenting situation.

Right before we moved, Kyle was away on a business trip.  I found myself in the odd situation of not having anything in the fridge (since we were cleaning the fridge out before our big move abroad).  I foraged through the fridge and came across some chopped peppers from a salad I'd had a day or two before and a frozen cup of pasta sauce, as well as a frozen cup of chicken broth in the freezer. It's amazing what you can come up with when you only have a few paltry leftovers in the fridge and you're sick to death of take-out!

This pepper soup is awesome and literally takes five minutes. 

Quickie Pepper Soup

You'll need:

• 1/2 cup pasta sauce
• 1/2 cup broth (chicken, veggie or beef will do)
• 1/2 red pepper (or a whole one, whatever you have in your fridge!- you can mix other flavored peppers in as well if you want)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Heat a medium saucepan to medium-high heat.  Drizzle a bit of olive oil (no more than 1tsp) into the pan.
• Roughly chop the pepper.  Toss it in the pan.
• Cook for 1 minute.
• Pour in the broth and pasta sauce.
• Heat the pan to high.  Bring the pan to a boil.
• Lower the heat to medium-high heat.
• Cook for 3 minutes. 
• Blend with a immersion blender or a blender until liquid.
• Serve!

**Since I was the only one eating this, I added a bit of hot sauce and sriracha!  Make it however spicy or mild you like!

Enchiladas!

Enchiladas are one of my most favorite things ever.  I know this may seem strange, but they're a comfort food in our house.  Maybe it's because when we first had Laela, our good friend Corinne brought over this huge pan of the most awesome enchiladas ever.  She's such an amazing friend, and while this isn't her recipe, this reminds me very much of what she made, and the happy time that came with it, so you definitely have to give it a try.  And hey, if you like it, make it for a friend who just had a baby.  This reheats pretty well, and I know it will rock their socks as much as it rocked mine!

Chicken Enchiladas

You'll need:

• 1-2 chicken breasts, shredded or chopped
• (1)  16oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
• (4) whole wheat tortillas
• 1/2 onion
• 1/4 red pepper
• 1/4 green pepper
• 1/4 yellow pepper
• 1 cup milk (I used non-fat)
• 2Tb butter
• 2Tb flour
• 1 cup broth
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper
• Hot sauce
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions:

For the filling:

• Place a large skillet on medium heat.
• Drizzle a little bit of oil to coat the bottom of the pan (cooking spray is fine too.)
• Chop the onion and peppers.  Add them to the hot pan.
• Stir occasionally.
• Once the onions begin to look clear, stir in the black beans, 1tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, cayenne, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper to the veggies. 
• Add the shredded chicken to the pan.  Stir in with the other ingredients.
• Lower the heat to warm, or the lowest setting until ready to assemble.

For the cheese sauce:

• Heat a medium saucepan to high heat. 
• Place 1Tb butter with 1Tb flour in the pan.  Whisk into a paste.
• Whisk in 1 cup milk and 1 tsp hot sauce.
• When the mixture begins to thicken, add 1/4 cup cheese.
• If you like it spicy, you can chop a jalapeno or pickled jalapeno and add it to the cheese sauce.
• Salt and pepper to taste.  Add more hot sauce if you'd like.
• *I added a dash of paprika, garlic, and onion powder for extra flavor, but that's not required.

For the chicken sauce:

• Heat a medium saucepan to high heat.
• Place 1Tb butter with 1Tb flour in the pan. Whisk into a paste.
• Whisk in 1 cup chicken broth and 1 tsp hot sauce.
• Whisk in 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, salt and pepper.
• Whisk until a thick sauce is formed.

Assembly:

• Microwave each tortilla for 15 seconds.
• In an 8x8 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray, place the tortilla in the pan. 
• Fill the tortilla, leaving 1-2 inches on each side of the tortilla.
• Gently wrap the sides of the tortilla around the filling.
• Place the next tortilla next to that one, holding up the sides so that only the filled part of the tortilla is touching the previous enchilada.  Fill, wrap, and repeat until all 4 enchiladas are formed.
• Top with the chicken sauce. 
• Top with the cheese sauce.
• Top with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until the sauces are good and bubbly, and the cheese is well melted.
• Serve and enjoy!

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Chocolate Chip Cookies After a Long Break

I can't believe it's been almost two months since I've posted!  The truth is, sometimes life gets in the way of posting.  I think of things I want to share (like my favorite tomato soup recipe), and then Laela wants to finger paint, or Kyle actually has a few hours to spend with us, so the recipe and posting gets pushed to the back of my mind, and my family takes precedence.

So where to begin...well, Kyle worked 16 hours shifts, 7 days a week for about a month.  My mother-in-law and her husband came to visit for a week.  Then Kyle went to Shanghai and Laela and I hitailed it to Siesta Key for some sun and fun on the beach for a week.  Now we're awaiting Kyle's return from Shanghai after an entire day of delayed flights.

Delayed flights are not the easiest thing to explain to a two year old.  Thankfully, Laela's is easily made happy by finger painting, making play dough, dressing up, playing hairdresser, and playing with her princesses and princess castle. 

While we were on vacation, we met a really nice couple named Patty and Christopher from Kentucky.  They told me how they always played with their kids, and did their best to be present in every moment, because they knew that one day, their little ones would be grown ups, and they'd miss that time.  I think sometimes, it's very easy to get caught up in the day to day, and forget to really put some time in with the people that we love.  Life goes by too quickly.  I find that Gretchen Ruben says it best:  "the days are long, but the years are short."

While parenthood is a lifelong job, children aren't "yours" forever, so I intend to continue to do my best to really enjoy every moment that I have with my little girl.

Today, while we wait (and hope) to find out when Kyle will be home, we're going to make some chocolate chip cookies, pepper soup, and some of Kyle and Laela's very favorite anniversary chicken with macaroni and cheese and broccoli.  A very dear friend of mine once told me that the memory of licking the spoon while baking with his mom is one of his favorite memories.  I hope that Laela remembers baking and cooking with me as fondly as that.

So you might be wondering...what chocolate chip cookie recipe do I use?  Tollhouse!  This really is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe in the whole wide world.  I usually use twice the amount of chocolate chips.  Remember two things:  1.  Cookies are still baking for a few minutes when you take them out of the oven.  2.  If you can smell the cookies, they are probably done baking.

Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels (I use two packages)
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:


PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

PAN COOKIE VARIATION: Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.

SLICE AND BAKE COOKIE VARIATION:

PREPARE dough as above. Divide in half; wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Shape each half into 15-inch log; wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.* Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

* May be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week or in freezer for up to 8 weeks.

FOR HIGH ALTITUDE BAKING (5,200 feet): Increase flour to 2 1/2 cups. Add 2 teaspoons water with flour and reduce both granulated sugar and brown sugar to 2/3 cup each. Bake drop cookies for 8 to 10 minutes and pan cookie for 17 to 19 minutes.


**If you want the cookies to stay chewy, put them in an air tight container while still slightly warm.

Enjoy!!