Cheese Tortellini Soup

4 slices of bacon, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 48oz can of chicken broth

1 16 oz bag of cheese tortellini

1 10oz package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

In a large pot, cook bacon about 4 minutes on high heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft, about 4 more minutes. Stir in garlic. Next add broth and bring soup to a boil. Stir in frozen tortellini and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook 3 minutes more. Serves 6.

That's it! Fast and yummy. Serve with warm rolls.

I sometimes scoop out a few tortellini and a little spinach and mix it with canned spaghetti sauce for my picky eaters.

Spanish Rice

Heat 1/2 TBL oil in frying pan (I used a large, heavy cast iron pan)

Add:

1/4 cup chopped onion, saute

Add:

2 cups rice to frying pan and brown lightly.

Add:

1/2 TBL chili powder

2 tsp garlic salt

1 can tomato sauce

Mix

Add:

3 cups water, turn heat down, simmer until rice is done

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Since we seem to be on a roll with Chicken Tortilla Soup recipes, I thought I would contribute mine as well! (and I know....my apple bowls are horribly outdated--they are going in Saturday's yard sale!)

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1/2 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp ground cumin

2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth

1 c frozen corn kernels

3/4 c - 1 c chopped onion

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tbl lemon juice

1 c chunky salsa (I use Pace, chunky, mild)

Suggested toppings:

tortilla chips (as desired; crunched as topping)

cheese (we like a Jack n' Cheddar blend)

sour cream

avacado

In a large pot, over medium heat, saute chicken in oil for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, mix well. Add broth, corn, onion, chili powder, lemon juice and salsa. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 20 - 30 minutes.

Top as desired in individual bowls.

Just a few sidenotes:

O.k., I am all about quick and easy at my house so to make this recipe even easier, I often buy the already cooked, ready to eath Tyson Chicken that comes in I believe 6 oz. packages. I chop it up and give it a quick saute. There are a few different flavors; I buy the grilled. I cook a lot using garlic so I always have a jar of minced garlic in the frig, too.

I am fairly sensitive to the taste of sodium so I use can low sodium broth and my salt addicted husband doesn't even notice.

Also, we're big eaters and this recipe tends to be doubled at our house.

1 Hour Dinner Rolls

3 1/2 cups of hot water (but not boiling)

6 TBL active dry yeast

2/3 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup flour

Mix these ingredients together in the mixer (at least 5 quart size); let sit about 15 minutes, letting the yeast proof.

Put 3 eggs in bowl and scramble

Add to the mixing bowl, slowly, while stirring with the paddle attachment on your mixer.

Add 1 to 1 1/2 TBL salt (I use 1 TBL).

Add 7 1/2 cups of all purpose flour slowly, mixing well between additions. After about 3 cups, change paddle attachment to dough hook. Let dough pull away from sides with each addition. (When I made these yesterday, I actually needed to use about another 1 1/2 cups more flour than recipe calls for.)

The dough should form a ball around the bread hook. Once it does, let the mixer work the dough for about 5 minutes on setting 1 or 2.

Lightly flour the countertop and place the dough on the flour. Work the dough a couple of times. The texture should be like satin.

Pinch off pieces and roll into balls (use 1 oz for dinner roll size; 2 oz for hamburger bun sized rolls). Place on greased pan; let rise for about 10 minutes, until double in size size before to go into the oven.

(My dad taught me a trick he learned in the Army--pinch of desired size of dough, toss it onto the floured surface a couple of times, then work the dough in circles with just the palm of your hand, until it raises up into your palm. Don't over flour your surface. It really works!)

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes until golden brown.

After baking, brush tops with butter of spray lightly with PAM.

The Best Apple Pie ever

This is an amazing recipie for apple pie. The crust makes enough for the top and the bottom. I hope you enjoy

Double-Crust Pie

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons Crisco shortening

1 teaspoon salt

4-6 tablespoons ice cold water (or more as needed)


In a mixing bowl stir together flour and salt. Cut in shorening using a pastery blender (if you don't have one then you can use 2 knifes) until pieces are the size of peas. At this point you don't need the pastery blender anymore just a fork. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water over part of the mixture; gently toss with you fork. Push to the sid fo the bowl. repeat until all is moistened. Form about half of the dough inta a ball. On a lightly floured surface, flatten the dough with hands. Roll dough on floured surface, rolling from center to edges, forming a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Lod dough in half and carefully pick it up and lay in to a 9 inch pie plate. Be carefull not to stretch the pastry. Cut extra pastry off of the exges and add fillling. Roll out secound crust, cut the vents and carefully ick the crust up and lay it on the filling. Trim 1/2 inch beyond the edge of the pie plate; fold under the bottom crust to seal and flute the edge.


Ok now for the filling

5 peeled apples, thinly sliced (granny smith work the best)

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg


Place slice and peeled apples into a large mixing bowl. In a small mixing bowl combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour sugar mixture over apples; toss until coated. Transfer apple mixture to the pastry-lined pie plate. dot with margine if desired. Place vented second crust on top of apples. Flute edge. Sprinkle with a blit of sugar. to preven over-browning, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake at 375 degrees for a total of 50 minnutes. Remove the foil aafter 25 minutes of baking. The apples should be tender and the filling bubbly.

Monkey Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup butter (you will divide this in half)

1 package non-instant butterscotch pudding

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

24 Rhodes Rolls

(you can also add nuts)

Defrost rolls for about 30 minutes (I like them to be a little firm so they are easier to cut and handle.)

Spray a bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Heat oven to 350.

Melt 1/2 cup butter

Combine dry pudding mix, white sugar, and cinnamon.

Cut each roll in half then dip in butter and roll in dry sugar/pudding mixture. Then layer rolls in the bundt pan.

Melt the other 1/2 cup of butter

Mix 1/2 cup butter and brown sugar to make a syrup. Pour the syrup over the rolls in the pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes. I like to cover the rolls with tinfoil for the last 15 minutes so the rolls on top don't get crispy.

As soon as you remove them from the oven, loosen the rolls from the side of the pan and flip the pan onto a plate. (I like to do this over the sink just in case anything drips) YUMMY!!

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup, version 2

So I had every intention to make Kim's tortilla soup today for lunch. However, this morning was a little more rushed than I planned on and I didn't have a chance to get the chicken in the crock pot. When we got home from church, I noticed a recipe on the back of the can of refried beans that was similar to the other recipe, and thought I'd give it a try. It was simple and ready in 10 minutes. Perfect! I still want to try Kim's, though!!

Here's the back of the refried beans recipe for Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup:

4 cans (10 oz. each) Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies
4 cans (14.5 oz. each) chicken broth
1 can (30 oz.) refried beans
1 cup corn
4 cups shredded cooked chicken
tortilla strips
shredded Monterey Jack cheese
avocado, sliced
sour cream

1. Combine tomatoes and broth in large saucepan.
Stir in beans and corn.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

2. Add chicken; heat through.

3. Top with all the extras.

**Our modifications... I didn't add the chicken. And we still loved it! Next time I'll probably add more corn. We put in chunks of avocado and a little sour cream. I loved the avocado in it! It was seriously ready in 10 minutes. I'm going to have to remember this one for those nights when you think you have nothing to cook for dinner!

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

This recipe comes from Joanette Stephenson. She made this for me a couple weeks ago and it was seriously the most delicious soup. I have a fantastic Tortilla Soup recipe too, but I think this one might be the better of the two.

*Note: The portions are not exact and can be changed to accommodate your taste, and or portion amount.

3 or 4 cans Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies
4-6 (14.5 ounce cans) or 2 (32 oz. containers) Chicken Broth
1 or 2 (30 ounce can) Refried Beans
½ to 1 tspn. Onion salt
½ to 1 tspn. Garlic powder
½ to ¾ tspn. pepper
1 or 2 cans whole kernel corn
4 to 8 boneless chicken breasts
1 + ½ packages taco seasoning or desired amount
2 or 3 whole limes (sliced in half and squeeze fresh juice in soup)
small or large “Mexican fiesta” flavor Velveeta cheese
2 small or 1 large family size cream of chicken soup

Cook the chicken in crock pot, in the A.M. on low. Put 1 packet of Taco seasoning, and 1 to 2 cups water depending on how many chicken breasts.
When chicken is done, COMBINE tomatoes and chicken broth in large stock pot. Stir in beans, corn, Velveeta cheese, cream of chicken soup, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring frequently. Add chicken with liquid, fresh lime juice, and ½ packet of taco seasoning.
Spoon into bowls and add toppings.

Awesome Toppings: (desired amounts, depending on how many people you plan on serving)

1. Avocado (chopped pieces)
2. Tortilla chips or strips
3. Shredded cheese
4. Cilantro (cleaned)
5. Sour cream

* I actually made it for the first time today. I didn't add the Velveeta cheese, because I was being cheap and added Monterey Jack cheese instead. It wasn't as creamy as when Joanette made it, but it was still soooooo good!

Pan Seared Ginger Salmon

I got this recipe from Dona, otherwise known as "D-lish", who got it from the Wild Oats website. This is such a simple marinade, but it tastes so amazing! We usually cook our salmon on the barbecue.

Ingredients:

4, 6 oz. salmon fillets, skin-on
1/2 c. warm water
2 Tbsp. honey
1/2 c. soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 bunch scallions or green onions, finely diced

In a small bowl, mix warm water with the honey. Add the soy sauce, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes. Mix well. Pour marinade in a large resealable plastic bag. Place salmon fillets in the bag. Refrigerate 10 to 20 minutes. Heat a large saute or grill pan over medium hight heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil and place the salmon in the pan skin side up. Sear for 3 minutes. Turn the salmon and cook for 3 minutes longer. Remove from pan, garnish with scallions and serve immediately.

Meat Pockets/Nikuman/Hidden Burgers

Sorry we don't have a better name nailed down yet.

Dough:

1 cup water

1 egg

2 tbs. butter

3 1/2 cups four

1 tsp salt
3 tsp yeast

Combine in bread machine and use the dough cycle.

(I'm sure all you real-bread-making ladies could figure out how to do this without the machine)

Filling:

1 lb ground beef

1 med onion chopped fine
1 green pepper chopped fine

Salt, pepper, garlic, seasoning salts to taste

Shredded cheese (we like monterey jack best)

Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece out into a 6 inch circle. Place a pinch of shredded cheese and a heaping spoonful of meat filling in the center of the dough. Fold sides of circle up and around the filling. Pinch closed, and place seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Bake 20 mintues at 350 degrees.

Warning: The filling will be hot, I usually bake these in two batches, and the first half are ready to eat when the second half come out of the oven!

Note: I don't dived the dough evenly, I make a few large adult-size ones, medium kids ones, and a couple small cheese only for our family. Also, the original recipe called for finely shredded cabbbage and 1/2 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup instead of a green pepper and seasoning. It was tasty too, we just like our pepper jack version better. I bet a lot of different combinations would taste great.