Chicken Tortilla Soup + 5 Ingredient Guacamole

The perfect Sunday afternoon for me starts with a pot of soup. Sundays have become "soupdays" at our house - especially this winter. While soup simmers on the stove I can get so much done around the house - vacuum the rugs, fold some laundry, empty the dishwasher, etc. Plus, having the leftovers in the fridge makes packing lunches for the week a cinch.

I have been pretty bad about posting recipes the past few months, but this one had to get on the blog ASAP! This is not a recipe to save for the weekends, either. Not only does it taste amazing, it comes together in under and hour making it perfect to throw together for a weeknight meal. If you buy your chicken already cooked it's even faster!

When making this chicken tortilla soup - I really don't advise housework unless you feel like you just have too. Instead, throw together this five ingredient guacamole (a great soup topper) and make a pitcher of margaritas. Trust me!

Serves 4

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 large chicken breasts (cooked)

6 cups of chicken broth

2 tbs canola oil

2 green onions chopped (white and green bits)

1 small yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

Juice of 1-2 limes

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped finely

1 tbs cumin

1 tsp cayenne pepper

3/4 cup of black beans, rinsed and drained

3/4 cup roasted corn, seasoned with cayenne, cumin, and salt

salt and pepper to taste

Optional toppings: guacamole, queso fresco, tortilla strips, and fresh jalapeno slices

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed stock pot. Add onions, garlic, and peppers. Saute on medium-high heat until tender about 4 minutes. Add chicken broth, chicken, beans to the onion mixture. Season with lime juice, cilantro, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper. Allow flavors to come together while you roast the corn, reducing heat if needed.

In a cast iron skillet, add corn (either cut from the cob or frozen) and stir to ensure even seasoning. On high heat, allow the corn to brown, stirring minimally, and then add to soup. 

Allow soup to simmer on low for about 20 minutes. Taste regularly and adjust seasoning as preferred.

While soup simmers, throw together guacamole. It is delicious stirred into the soup and along side with some chips. 

5 Ingredient Guacamole

2 ripe avocados

1/2 small yellow onion, chopped

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Juice from 1 lime

Salt to taste (a little cumin and cayenne pepper are nice too!)

Add all ingredients to your food processor or blender on low until you reach desired consistency. 

Cardamon Almond Loaf Cake

Recently, I began testing out alternative flours in the kitchen. I failed, more than once, before starting to get the hang of one in particular - almond flour.

So why, almond flour? In this recipe, it's nutty flavor pairs perfectly with the cardamon. The texture is a little dense, but still fluffy and moist kind of like a pound cake. Not to mention, almond flour has a ton of health benefits. It is a good source of protein and antioxidants, and is loaded with calcium, iron, and fiber.

The almonds on top add a slight crunch, plus even more protein. Besides, almonds are such a super-food! If not already, I highly recommend adding a regular dose of almonds to your weekly snacks. They help control blood sugar and cholesterol, build muscle, and increase your metabolism.

If you can't find almond flour at your grocery, or want more information about its health benefits, definitely check out nuts.com. They have a great selection of nuts and alternative flours! Click here for a link to their almonds page!

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cardamom
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups almond flour

Preparation

Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°. Grease a 9x5x3” loaf pan.

Whisk baking powder, cardamom, salt, and flours in a medium bowl; set aside. 

Whisk milk and sour cream in a small bowl; set aside.

Using a stand mixer on high speed, beat sugar and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down sides and bottom of bowl with a spatula, then add vanilla and almond extracts.

Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream mixture; beat just until combined.

Scrape batter into prepared pan, smooth top, and sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Bake cake, rotating halfway through, until golden brown, about 55–65 minutes. (You might try tenting with foil if browning too quickly.)

Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan 15 minutes. Gently remove cake from pan and transfer to rack; let cool.

Enjoy warm with a drizzle of honey and some fresh fruit!

Green Ginger Smoothie

Talk about the breakfast of champions! This little ol' recipe came with my Vitamix (Merry Christmas to me!!) and I have literally had some version of this smoothie every morning since.

I am totally one of those cannot-survive-without-breakfast people. Without it, I go the entire day feeling like I imagine a wilted flower might. This smoothie offers amazing fulness all the way until lunch (well... at least 11:00). Plus, it's quite nutritious because obviously... it's green.

Enjoy!

1 cup of water

2 teaspoons of honey

2 cups of frozen peach slices

1 teaspoon of peeled, grated, ginger

2 large handfuls of spinach

Add ingredients, in order listed, to your blender. Blend on low, then slowly increase to high.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

 

The Pioneer Woman never lies. Her recipes are always spot on, and quite frankly I think she's funny as hell. When I am looking for something new to take to a potluck or for any event, I gravitate towards her blog. It's like my safety blanket. 

As I was making her Spinach Artichoke Dip for the first time three or four years ago, I knew it was going to be a show stopper based simply on its ingredient list. The only people I've come across who don't just love this dip are allergic to artichokes (that's what they've said, anyway) and couldn't even try one tiny chip full. Sad, I know.

Furthermore, and in full disclosure, I follow this recipe methodically. I have yet to try any adaptations, although I keep thinking corn would add a fun texture and that bacon could bring this whole thing to another level. Some day, maybe I'll get around to all these ideas, but until then just enjoy The Best Spinach Artichoke Dip Ever. [Click for a link to the original recipe.]

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons Butter
4 Tablespoons Garlic, Minced
1 bag Spinach
Salt And Pepper, to taste
2 cans Artichoke Hearts, Rinsed And Drained
3 Tablespoons Butter (additional)
3 Tablespoons Flour
1-1/2 cup Whole Milk (more If Needed)
1 package (8 Ounce) Softened Cream Cheese
1/2 cup Crumbled Feta
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan
3/4 cups Grated Pepper Jack Cheese
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne
Extra Grated Pepper Jack
Pita Wedges, Tortilla Chips, or Crackers

Preparation Instructions

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for a couple of minutes. Crank up the heat a bit and throw in the spinach. Stir around and cook for a couple of minutes until the spinach wilts. Remove the spinach from the skillet and put it in a small strainer. Squeeze the excess juice back into the skillet. Set the spinach aside. 

Throw in the artichokes and cook over medium high heat for several minutes, until liquid is cooked off and artichokes start to get a little color. Remove the artichokes. 

In the same skillet or a different pot, melt 3 additional tablespoons of butter and whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour until it makes a paste. Cook over medium-low heat for a minute or two, then pour in milk. Stir and cook until slightly thickened; splash in more milk if needed. 

Add cream cheese, feta, Parmesan, pepper jack, and cayenne and stir until cheese are melted and sauce is smooth. Chop artichokes and spinach and add to the sauce. Stir to combine. 

Pour into buttered baking dish. Top with extra grated pepper jack and bake at 375 for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. 

Serve with pita wedges, chips, or crackers!

Ham | Beans | Cornbread

Living with only two people (plus a cat and a dog), means there are always plenty of leftovers in the refrigerator. Sadly, none of us, except maybe the dog, are really all that into leftovers. So when the holiday's come around and I feel the urge to cook giant turkeys and bake entire hams I have to get creative when the - literally - pounds of meat we have leftover. 

Growing up, ham, beans, and cornbread was one of my favorite ways mom disguised the leftover hams from Christmas and Easter. To carry on the tradition (and in honor of her birthday today!) I present to you the most delicious beans with ham on earth. 

Ingredients

1 lb of white beans - cannellini or great northern

2 1/2 quarts of water

3-4 lbs of ham hocks or shanks

2 teaspoons (or more) of Italian seasoning

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2-3 ribs of celery, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

salt and pepper to taste

fresh parsely

Preparation Instructions 

Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the beans and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and add your beans. Allow beans to soak overnight (or for at least 8 hours). 

Make your ham broth by putting the shanks or hocks into a large pot and covering them 2 1/2 quarts of water. Add the Italian seasoning and heat on high until the water comes to a simmer. Lower the heat, maintaining a simmer, and partially cover for about an hour. 

About 10 minutes before the ham broth is complete, heat olive oil in a small pan and saute the onion and garlic on medium heat. At this point, you may want to go ahead and pull your ham off the bone (discard the bone) and shred your ham in the pot.

Once the onion, garlic, and ham is ready add all the vegetables as well as your soaked beans to your pot.  Cook for another 40 minutes to an hour, uncovered, until the vegetables are soft. Add salt and pepper to taste and more water if needed. Serve with chopped fresh parsley, and of course, cornbread.

Three Easy Bark Recipes for any Celebration!

I have never met a short cut I didn't like, and for any celebration homemade bark feels like the ultimate short cut. Not only is bark the perfect excuse to eat straight chocolate. You can make these three different varieties in under 2 hours (including the hour they set up in the fridge while you take a shower/check instagram/walk your dog/whatever).

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bark with Toffee

1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups peanut butter chips
1 teaspoon shortening
1/2 cup Skor toffee bits 

First, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Then, in a microwave safe bowl, melt the milk chocolate chips on medium heat for about 1 minute, check the chocolate by stirring it, if not melted you can turn on again for 30 seconds. Continue to check and stir again until chocolate is smooth.

In a second microwave safe bowl combine the shortening and peanut butter chips and microwave on medium heat for 1 minute, check the peanut butter chips by stirring it, if not melted you can turn on again for 30 seconds. Repeat as necessary, until smooth.

Spoon the chocolate and peanut butter alternately in lines on your cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Continue until all the melted chocolate and peanut butter is on the sheet. To create a marbled effect, pull a butter knife through the mixture.

Sprinkle the skor toffee bits on top, and place the cookie sheet in the fridge for about an hour to set up. Once bark is hard, remove from the fridge and break into pieces.

Recipe adapted from the Cravings of a Lunatic Blog

Dark Chocolate and Coffee Bark with Sea Salt Roasted Almonds

300 grams of dark chocolate

2 tbsp strong, dark coffee
1/2 cup roasted almonds, roughly chopped

Sea salt to taste

Line a baking sheet with silver foil.

Place almonds on baking sheet, sprinkle with sea salt, then roast at 400 for 20 minutes, or until fragrant and darker in color. Roughly chop once cool or room temperature.

Finely chop the chocolate and melt it in a double boiler. I used a bowl placed on a pot of boiling water to do this. When the chocolate is nearly all  melted, add the coffee and stir well. Then mix in about 1/4 cup of the nuts.

Pour the chocolate and nut mixture on to the silver foil lined baking sheet (I used the same one used for the almonds). Spread it into a layer of about 1/2 cm thickness. Add the remaining almonds on top. Then allow mixture to harden in the refrigerator for about an hour.  

Once hard, break it into small pieces and store in an airtight container.

Recipe adapted from the blog, Love Food Eat. 

Chocolate Cake Batter Bark with Sprinkles 

8-10 ounces high quality dark chocolat

12-14 ounces high quality white chocolate

3 teaspoons yellow cake mix

sprinkles of your choice

Melt dark chocolate either in the microwave or a double boiler. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour chocolate on. You can smooth it with a spatula to the thickness you desire. Stick in the freeze for 20 minutes.

Melt while chocolate. Whisk in cake mix slowly, stirring well until no lumps remain. Let it set for 3 full minutes (or at least until it slightly thickens). Remove baking sheet with chocolate from the freezer and immediately pour white chocolate on top. Sprinkle on sprinkles. Place in the refrigerator for about an hour to harden. Once hard, break into small pieces.

Recipe adapted from the blog, How Sweet It Is.

Browned Butter Bourbon Banana Bread

 

My grandmother makes the best bread on earth. Everything from her sourdough to her zucchini bread-they have always been my favorite thing she makes.

 

Last weekend, however, I decided to venture out and try a new banana nut bread recipe. Something about the caramelized diced bananas and bourbon in this recipe caught my eye. Although the flavor was wonderful and it was cinch to make, I find it hard saying any bread is better than my grandma's. 

 

Since I believed there is a place for both the fun new recipes as well as those tried and true, I have included here my grandmother's famously delicious banana nut bread recipe in addition to my new browned butter bourbon banana bread recipe from Food 52. Hopefully you enjoy baking (and eating!) these breads as much as I do!

 

Browned Butter Bourbon Banana Bread

2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons butter
3 very ripe bananas
2 large eggs
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon, brown sugar, divided
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon bourbon
1/2 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup toasted, chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease only the bottom of a standard size loaf pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.

Melt butter over medium heat in a small, heavy-bottomed pot. Cook until it begins to brown, but not burn; it will smell nutty and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.

Peel and dice one banana. Mash the remaining two bananas in a small bowl; set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar in a small skillet over medium heat until it begins to melt and turn golden. Add diced banana pieces and sauté until well coated and caramelized. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Beat eggs on medium speed in a stand mixer. Add the remaining brown sugar and beat until foamy and combined. Add the mashed bananas, cooled browned butter, vanilla, and bourbon; beat until mixed well. Scrape down sides of bowl again with rubber spatula.

On low speed, pour in 1/3 of the flour mixture. Increase mixer speed to medium and mix until just blended. Pour in 1/3 of buttermilk and beat until just blended. Repeat this process with remaining flour and buttermilk. Fold in pecans and caramelized banana pieces. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

My Grandmother's Banana Bread

Note: She would always suggest doubling the recipe and freezing half for later.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 medium bananas (dull yellow and flecked)

1 stick of butter

1 cup sugar

2 egggs

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

 

Sift flour, soda, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside. Mash bananas and whip until light. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar, then beat in eggs one at a time. Stir dry ingredients, bananas, and nuts into the creamed mixture. Turn into a greased loaf pan and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.