Southwestern Chicken Soup

Southwestern Chicken Soup                                                          Printable Recipe

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
1 T olive oil
1-1/2 t cumin
1/8 t dried red pepper (cayenne) (more as you like)
3/4 t minced garlic
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 green pepper, diced (1c)
1/2 medium onion, diced (1c)
2 ears corn or 8 oz bag frozen corn or 1 can corn, drained
28 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
8 oz can tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Great Northern (white) beans, drained and rinsed
tortilla strips/chips **(or white corn tortillas and canola oil, see directions below)
sour cream
shredded Cheddar, Mexi-blend cheese, or Chihuahua Cheese
avocado

Mix half of the spices and oil together and add chicken to coat. Set aside for grilling.

Dice green pepper and onion and add along with the other 1/2 of the oil and seasonings to a large pot.

Cook until soft, 10-15 minutes.

Microwave corn for 5-6 minutes or boil. Add to grill with chicken to get char marks. (Means more flavor!)

Grill chicken.

Chop chicken into chunks and remove corn kernels from cob.

Rinse beans in colander. If you don't the brown beans will make your soup dirty looking.

Add everything to the pot...chicken, corn, tomatoes, beans, etc. Simmer for 25 minutes

**For tortilla strips

Cut tortillas into strips and fry in small amount of canola oil until crispy. Drain.

Dish it up anyway you like it with the cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream, and/or avocado!

Pin it:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746082498065/

Green Bean Tater Tot Casserole

No cream of "stuff" soup for this dish.  Make your own mushroom gravy, it's really easy!

Green Bean Tater Tot Casserole                                                         Printable Recipe

2 Tablespoons butter
8 ounces sliced/cleaned mushrooms
few dashes of salt
2 Tablespoons flour (or gluten free all purpose flour)
2 cups chicken or beef broth (preferably homemade) or milk
Dash or two of dried thyme

1 pound ground beef
1 can green beans
tater tots or tater rounds (check your ingredients for wheat!)

Make mushroom gravy with first 6 ingredients.

Brown hamburger, drain if needed.

Mix in green beans and mushroom gravy.

Pour into glass baking dish. This one was 2.2 qt rectangular (more surface area for tots!)

Add tater tots or rounds

You can bake according to tot directions (mine was 450 degrees for 25 mins) or bake at 350 for 30 minutes and then broil. My husband chose the latter of the two this time.

Pasta e Fagioli

Pasta e Fagioli

1 pound ground beef
3/4 - 1 cup diced onion
3/4 - 1 cup diced carrots
3/4 - 1 cup diced celery
2 - 14.5 ounce cans petite diced tomatoes (or a 28 oz can)
1 - 15 ounce can red kidney beans (with liquid)
1 - 15 ounce can great northern beans (with liquid)
1 - 15 ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 can water (use tomato sauce can)
1 - 12 ounce can V-8 juice
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup elbow macaroni (3 oz)
shredded Parmesan or Mexican-Blend cheese


Brown ground beef in large saucepan and drain off most of fat. If your hamburger is as lean as mine you won't need to drain it.
Meanwhile, dice vegetables. I used my Pampered Chef Food Chopper.

Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to hamburger. Saute for 10 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients except for pasta. Simmer for 45 minutes - 1 hour or until veggies are tender.
Meanwhile cook pasta. When soup has finished cooking, add pasta to the soup. Serve with shredded cheese or grated Parmesan on top.

TO FREEZE....cool and place in freezer bag or vaccuum seal bag. When you are ready to use just thaw and reheat!
** To make gluten-free, use rice noodles. I used Tinkyada PastaJoy Brown Rice Penne I picked it up at Wal-Mart.