HOW did I get away with never posting my tortilla soup recipe?!? I'm punished. Now, as my penance, here it is. :)
Jennifer's super easy tortilla soup!
You'll need:
about 3 cups of broth (chicken or veggie)
2 cups of frozen corn
1 small can of ro-tel, drained
2 large fresh tomatoes, diced
OPTIONAL 1-2 jalepenos, minced (***WEAR GLOVES TO CUT JALEPENOS unless you want your hands, face and other sensitive areas to burn!!!***)
1 bell pepper, any color, diced
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 yellow onion, diced
salt, pepper, and cumin to taste
about 1 1/2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro, snipped into little pieces
the juice of 1 lime
OPTIONAL 2 cups cooked chicken (here's my fave cheater move on this: I buy a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store and pull the meat off it! Pre-seasoned and delish. ^_^)
tortilla chips
sour cream
shredded cheese
Here's how:
put everything but the cilantro, lime and chicken in a large pot. If it's not looking like it's enough broth, go ahead and add more. Cook on medium heat about 20 minutes until the onions and peppers are nice and soft. I like my soup a little zesty, so quite a bit of cumin goes into mine. I also like cayenne powder. When all the veggie are looking and feeling awesome, I add the cilantro, lime and chicken. I let it all bubble together for about 5 minutes to mingle all the flavors together.
Ladle it into bowls, add about a handful of chips (I like to crumble them up) and let it cool off a smidge, then garnish and serve. I like to garnish mine with sour cream and cheese. :) YUM YUM!
October 22, 2009
October 13, 2009
I'm having a blog-cation, I think.
It's been a busy month, oof!
I started a part-time job at Iron Starr. I work somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 hours a week, in addition to my 5 days a week at the salon. My sagging personal economy is starting to look up, finally.
The fashion show at the salon is finally over! WHEW! We get a while to recover, then it's back to the grindstone for next year. I'll link some pics soon.
With all the running around like a chicken with my head cut off and spending as much free time as possible with Z, I've not been cooking as much... *sad face* I plan to remedy this soon.
Thursday, the very funny Twinprov heads out on the open highway to The New Orleans Improv Festival. I plan on making them some tasty baked goods to help fuel their very long car trip, including some tasty pumpkin muffins. Recipe will be up tomorrow. :)
Be good.
<3 Jen
I started a part-time job at Iron Starr. I work somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 hours a week, in addition to my 5 days a week at the salon. My sagging personal economy is starting to look up, finally.
The fashion show at the salon is finally over! WHEW! We get a while to recover, then it's back to the grindstone for next year. I'll link some pics soon.
With all the running around like a chicken with my head cut off and spending as much free time as possible with Z, I've not been cooking as much... *sad face* I plan to remedy this soon.
Thursday, the very funny Twinprov heads out on the open highway to The New Orleans Improv Festival. I plan on making them some tasty baked goods to help fuel their very long car trip, including some tasty pumpkin muffins. Recipe will be up tomorrow. :)
Be good.
<3 Jen
October 6, 2009
September 20, 2009
Adventures in icing
Tonight, my lovely parents made a soda can chicken. Very tasty and moist! To accompany it, Z and I made some awesome loaded mashed potatoes and cupcakes with raspberry icing. Here's the goods:
LOADED MASHED POTATOES:
(feeds 4-6 people)
6 medium-sized red potatoes, washed and cubed (I imagine Yukon Gold would be good too)
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1-1.5 cups plain yogurt, unsweetened
6 pieces of bacon, crunchy and crumbled
3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
3 green onions, diced
heaping tablespoon of Dijon mustard (Trust that it will work, sounds crazy, but it adds a tangy flavor)
heaping tablespoon of minced garlic
salt and pepper, to taste
Boil potatoes until soft. Drain off the water, then mash potatoes using a hand mixer. Add yogurt and butter, mix until combined. Add remaining ingredients, mix well.
Record in your log books that today was the first time I've ever gone back for seconds on mashed potatoes. EVER. They were flavorful and interesting to eat. My main complaint on most other mashed potatoes is that they are blah and starchy and dry. Totally not so with these. :)
CUPCAKES:
(Fairy Cakes recipe from "How to be a Domestic Goddess" by Nigella Lawson)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
7 Tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-3 Tablespoons milk
Directions :
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a 12 cup muffin tin with baking paper cups.
Put all the ingredients except for the milk into a food processor and blend until smooth.
Pulse while adding the milk down the funnel to make for a soft consistency. (I use the full 3 Tablespoons)
It doesn't seem like enough batter, but it will all work out, scrape every bit from the bowl and try to fill each cup equally.
Bake for 15-20 or until they are golden on top. It's best to start checking them at 12 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack, but remove from the tin as soon as possible.
RASPBERRY FROSTING:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
2 heaping tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon raspberry extract
Cream butter and jam together. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in raspberry extract. More milk makes a thinner, more glaze-like frosting, and less makes it thicker.
When cakes are cool, frost with the yum-tastic frosting. I sprinkled mine with pink sugar right before serving. MMMMM. The simplicity of the cake and the sweet tanginess of the frosting waltz together happily in your mouth. :D
It's getting colder outside, and that's exciting! More decadent and rich things coming soon...
Eat well!
~*~Jen
LOADED MASHED POTATOES:
(feeds 4-6 people)
6 medium-sized red potatoes, washed and cubed (I imagine Yukon Gold would be good too)
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1-1.5 cups plain yogurt, unsweetened
6 pieces of bacon, crunchy and crumbled
3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
3 green onions, diced
heaping tablespoon of Dijon mustard (Trust that it will work, sounds crazy, but it adds a tangy flavor)
heaping tablespoon of minced garlic
salt and pepper, to taste
Boil potatoes until soft. Drain off the water, then mash potatoes using a hand mixer. Add yogurt and butter, mix until combined. Add remaining ingredients, mix well.
Record in your log books that today was the first time I've ever gone back for seconds on mashed potatoes. EVER. They were flavorful and interesting to eat. My main complaint on most other mashed potatoes is that they are blah and starchy and dry. Totally not so with these. :)
CUPCAKES:
(Fairy Cakes recipe from "How to be a Domestic Goddess" by Nigella Lawson)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
7 Tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-3 Tablespoons milk
Directions :
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a 12 cup muffin tin with baking paper cups.
Put all the ingredients except for the milk into a food processor and blend until smooth.
Pulse while adding the milk down the funnel to make for a soft consistency. (I use the full 3 Tablespoons)
It doesn't seem like enough batter, but it will all work out, scrape every bit from the bowl and try to fill each cup equally.
Bake for 15-20 or until they are golden on top. It's best to start checking them at 12 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack, but remove from the tin as soon as possible.
RASPBERRY FROSTING:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
2 heaping tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon raspberry extract
Cream butter and jam together. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in raspberry extract. More milk makes a thinner, more glaze-like frosting, and less makes it thicker.
When cakes are cool, frost with the yum-tastic frosting. I sprinkled mine with pink sugar right before serving. MMMMM. The simplicity of the cake and the sweet tanginess of the frosting waltz together happily in your mouth. :D
It's getting colder outside, and that's exciting! More decadent and rich things coming soon...
Eat well!
~*~Jen
September 13, 2009
Happy birthday, baby brother!
It's Patrick's birthday! He is *gulp* 22 this year. He asked for a chocolate cake with chocolate icing, so I made this nom-tastic cake:
Perfectly chocolate cake:
Ingredients:
* 2 cups sugar
* 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
* 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 eggs
* 1 cup milk
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 cup boiling water
* "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING(recipe follows)
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.
"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.
Oh murder. He'd better hope he gets here before I eat it all, it smells amazing. Bwahahahahahaha! Oh, crumb. I'm next... 25!!! *double gulp*
Perfectly chocolate cake:
Ingredients:
* 2 cups sugar
* 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
* 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 eggs
* 1 cup milk
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 cup boiling water
* "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING(recipe follows)
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.
"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.
Oh murder. He'd better hope he gets here before I eat it all, it smells amazing. Bwahahahahahaha! Oh, crumb. I'm next... 25!!! *double gulp*
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