Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

Ingredients

3 Cloves Of Garlic Minced

4 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 10 3/4 oz Cans of Condensed Tomato Soup
2 Tbs. Tomato Paste

1 28oz Can Diced Tomatoes
3 cups Half-and-half
2 cups Chicken Stock

1/3 C. Dried Onions or 1 Onion chopped
1 Tbs. Dried Parsley

1 Tbs. Dried Basil

2 tsp. Dried Oregano
2 Cubes Chicken Bouillon
1/2 tsp Pepper

Salt to Taste
1 9 Oz Package Of Cheese Filled Tortellini
1/2 C. (+ more) Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Directions

In a big pot, Saute Garlic and onions in olive oil.  Add the Tomato Soup, Diced Tomatoes, half and half, chicken stock, dried herbs, chicken bouillon, pepper, and Parmesan cheese.  Let simmer for 45 minutes. Taste to see if it needs more salt.  If it does, add it 1/4tsp. at a time.

Add the cheese Tortellini, and let simmer for 45 minutes.  Serve with Parmesan Cheese sprinkled on top, and some yummy garlic bread.  Enjoy!

In a Pinch Fajitas

I haven't been to the grocery store in a couple weeks, so as you can imagine we were getting pretty low on supplies.  When I asked my husband what he wanted for dinner (I was praying he'd say takeout), he said Fajitas. Of course he said Fajitas, because the only 2 ingredients I had for them were chicken and tortillas.  Me being me, I started to search the pantry, and decided that I could make this work.  After a little creativity, this is what we ended up with, and they were DELICIOUS!

Ingredients

3-4 Chicken Breasts

3 Tbs. Olive Oil
Chicken Seasoning
Salt and Pepper
1 C. Italian Dressing
1 can Refried Beans
1 can Kidney Beans
2/3 C. Sour Cream
1 C. Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 Avocado (optional)
1 packet Taco Seasoning
Soft Flour Tortillas (or whatever you want)

 Directions
Pre-Heat oven to 350
In a cast iron skillet (or a skillet that can go in the oven) heat the olive oil over medium heat until it is rippling, and just steaming.  While the olive oil is heating up, sprinkle your chicken breasts with the chicken seasoning on both sides and the salt and pepper. 

When the olive oil is hot, place your chicken breasts in the skillet and cook on both sides for 3 minutes. You want each side to be a little blackened.

While the chicken is cooking on each side, mix your taco seasoning and Italian dressing together.  Once your chicken has cooked on each side, turn off the heat, and pour the Italian dressing mixture into the skillet and coat the chicken.  Place a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the skillet, and place in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until cooked completely through.

While the chicken is baking, drain and rinse the kidney beans.  Place the refried beans, kidney beans, and cheese, into a microwave safe bowl, and heat in the microwave for about 5 minutes.  Take out and stir every 2 minutes.  When the refried beans and cheese are all melted and hot, stir in the sour cream until everything is smooth and creamy.

By this time the chicken should be almost done baking.  Slice your avocado into strips and place to the side.  Take your chicken out of the oven, and place each breast on a plate with the aluminum foil over it.  Let the chicken rest for 7-10 minutes.  Then slice into strips.

Heat your tortillas up until they're just warm, in the microwave, for about 30 seconds.  Then to assemble, take your tortilla and lay it flat on a plate.  Spread some of the refried bean mixture on top of it, then the sliced chicken, and then the avocado on top of that.  Then just roll up and eat. 

Your chicken has so much flavor that you're not going to need any taco sauce or extra cheese, and it is soooo moist and delicious!  I know this whole recipe sounds a little crazy, but one bite and you're going to be sold!  My husband said that this was one of his top favorite recipes of mine, so I think it'll stay in my "go to" file for sure!  Enjoy!

Baked Green Tomatoes

Since it's almost tomato season, I wanted to share one of my favorite recipes with all of you.  I promise, once you try green, they will become a summer staple.

Ingredients
1/2 C. Flour
2 Eggs, Beaten
5 C. Cornflakes
S & P
1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
2 Lbs. Firm Green Tomatoes, Cut Thick
Lemon Wedges and Ranch Dressing for serving

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Place Wire racks in a cookie sheet.
Place flour, eggs, and cornflakes into 3 separate, shallow bowls.  Season each with S & P
Stir Cayenne into to Flour.
Coat each tomato slice 1. Egg 2. Flour 3. Cornflakes (press lightly to adhere.)
Place on the rack in layers and place in oven.
Bake for 15 minutes or until each tomato is crisp and golden brown. Rotating the slices half way through baking.
Serve with Ranch and Spritz lemon onto each slice. Enjoy!

Tex Mex Sloppy Joes

I like to mix up the regular sloppy joe on occasion because it's such a versatile food.  I love working with ground beef because you can add basically anything and it's going to be delicious.  This is one of my favorite sloppy joe recipes that I grew up with so I wanted to share it with all of you!

 

Ingredients

1 lb. Ground Beef

1 small onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 C. Ketchup

1 can (4oz) chopped green chilies

1/2 C. Beef Broth

1/4 C. Chili Sauce

1/2 tsp. Chili Powder

1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin

Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Pepper

6 Hamburger Buns

Sharp Cheddar Cheese Slices

Directions

In a saute pan, brown the ground beef.  Remove the beef and in the drippings cook the onion and garlic until they are soft.  Drain the rest of the grease.  Add the beef back to the pan and add the remaining ingredients.  Once everything is well combined, turn the heat to low and let simmer for 30-35 minutes.

Turn the broiler onto low and butter your buns.  Place on a cookie sheet and cover one side of each bun with a slice of cheddar cheese.  Place under the broiler and crisp up to your liking.  Remove and add your meat to the bun.  Enjoy!!

Crock Pot Chicken and Veggies

This was a quick meal that threw together by opening my freezer and fridge and looking to see what I had to made.  The result was delicious and turned out great, so my husband deemed it blog worthy.

Credit-My Retro Kitchen

 Ingredients

3 Bonless, Skinless, Chicken Breasts cut into strips (frozen or thawed)

4 Large Carrots, peeled, and chopped into chunks

Small Can of Peas, Drained

a few button Mushrooms, chopped

5 Yukon Gold Potatoes, scrubbed, and cut in chunks

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup

1 can Cream of Chicken soup

1 can full of water

2 Tbs. Dried Parsley

2 Tbs. Dried Oregano

2 Tbs. Dried Basil

1 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Pepper

1/3 C. Dried Minced Onions

1 tsp. Minced Garlic

1/3 C. white Rice

Directions

Spray your crock pot with non stick cooking spray. Layer chicken strips in bottom.

In a bowl combine soups and water and whisk together. Whisk in garlic and onions, set aside.

Over the chicken sprinkle all your seasonings. Layer on the vegetables. The dump your soup mixture on top.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, stirring occasionally. 2 hours before it's done add in 1/4C. white rice and just stir into the mix. Recover and let sit for remaining 2 hours. Serve in a bowl with some crusty bread. Enjoy!

Flower Sugar Cookies with Sour Cream Icing

These are the cookies I grew up with my entire life.  My mom would make these once a month for us.  She loved them plain, and I loved them with icing.  I'm finding on pinterest the recipe is being called "Swig Sugar Cookies".  I've never heard of Swigs, but my Mom grew up in the area where Swigs is, so maybe she got it from them.  I have no idea.  All I know is that this recipe is my personal favorite sugar cookie recipe that I have on my blog.  Seriously, they are amazing!!

Credit-Vintage Revival

Ingredients

1 C. Butter, room temp.

3/4 C. Vegetable Oil

1 1/4 C. Granulated Sugar

3/4 C. Powdered Sugar

2 Tbs. Water

2 Eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Cream of Tartar

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

5 1/2 C. All Purpose Flour

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Credit-Vintage Revivals

Cream together butter, oil, sugar, and vanilla.  Add the eggs.  Mix in the dry ingredients on low, and add the water.  Add the butter and mix on medium until everything is combined.

Grease your cookie sheet, and get a plate that has 1/4 C. of Sugar dumped on top. Then roll your cookies into golf ball size balls.  Place on the cookie sheet, and then grab a glass cup.  Using the bottom of your glass firmly press into the sugar/salt mixture on your plate.  Using the bottom of the glass press on the top of the cookie until it flattens to about 1/2in and resembles a flower because the sides will break apart.  Do this with every cookie re-dipping your glass into the sugar and salt each time.

Bake for 8 minutes or until the bottom of your cookies are just lightly browned.  Serve plain or with sour cream icing.  (The Swig cookies you serve cold, I've never tried it but I bet it would be amazing!)

Sour Cream Icing

Ingredients

1/2 C. Butter, room temp.

1 2lb Bag Powdered Sugar (yes entire bag)

1 tsp. Salt

1/4 C. Whole Milk

Food Coloring of your choice

Directions

Mix all ingredients together adding the milk slowly until you get to the consistency you want.  Spread onto cooled cookies or cold cookies.  Enjoy!!

Creamy Mac and Cheese with Bacon

I love to experiment with comfort foods, and mac and cheese is one of the ultimate comfort foods in America.  Tonight's dinner experiment turned out great and that's why you are all going to get it on the blog.  It's Mac and Cheese with Turkey Bacon (that's my little "healthy" tip). That being said, nothing about this recipe is healthy, but it's 100% delicious!!

 Ingredients

2 Tbs. Butter

1 pkg. Elbow Pasta, cooked according to package directions

2 Tbs. Flour

1/2 C. Half and Half

1 lb. Turkey Bacon, cooked

3 1/2 C. Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded

16 oz. Full Fat Sour Cream

Pepper

Directions

Grill up your bacon, let cool, and cut into pieces. (I cook mine in the wok because I like to use to bacon fat but that's optional.) Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a wok combine your butter and flour, whisk to make your roux. Then when your butter is completely melted, add your half and half, then your cheddar and stir until melted. Add a sprinkle of pepper. Add the sour cream and turn on low, stirring occasionally (you just want everything combined).

Cook your pasta according to package instructions. Drain, (but reserve 1/4 C. pasta water) and dump pasta with the pasta water, into your cheese mixture. Add the chopped up bacon, and stir until everything is well combined.

Pour your mixture into a 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle with some sharp cheddar cheese.  Place in the oven for 15 minutes or until the top is just lightly brown and crusty.  Take out and let sit for 10 min. before serving.  Enjoy!!