Tortilla Soup

Ingredients
10 corn tortillas
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
8 C chicken broth
2 C diced cooked chicken(I shred a rotisserie chicken or use leftovers)
1/2 tsp cumin
1 medium bell pepper, seeded and julienned
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 medium avocado, peeled and diced
6 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, diced
3/4 C medium-spicy thick and chunky salsa
Sour cream for garnish

• Heat oven to 400.
• Spray both sides of tortillas with cooking spray. Stack and cut into 1/2'' wide strips, then cut in 1/2 cross-wise. Spread strips on an ungreased cookie sheet, sprinkle with salt, and bake 8-10 min, turning once, until crisp and brown.
• Heat oil in 4-6 quart pot. Add onion and garlic, cook until softened.
• Add broth, chicken, and cumin. Bring to a rapid oil over high heat. Add bell pepper. Reduce heat and boil gently 5 min until pepper is crisp-tender. Stir in cilantro.
• Divide tortilla strips, tomatoes, avocados, cheese and salsa among 6 bowls. Ladle soup into bowls and top with sour cream.
  

"Baked" Potato Soup

Ingredients
6 large russet potatoes, peeled, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large onion
3 (14oz.) cans chicken broth with roasted garlic(I use Swanson's)
1/4 C butter
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 C whipping cream or half-and-half
1 C sharp cheddar, shredded
3 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
Sour Cream
4 bacon slices
Additional shredded cheese

• Combine first 6 ingredients in a 5-quart slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on high 4 hours or low for 8 hours(or until potatoes are tender).
• Mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped and soup is slightly thickened; stir in cream, cheese, and chives. Top with sour cream, and sprinkle with bacon and cheddar before serving.
  

Bath Salts

For the Bath Salts we made today:

3 cups Epsom Salt
2 cups Baking Soda
1 cup Table Salt
2 tsp Liquid Glycerin
25 drops Fragrance of your choice
15-40 drops food coloring, depending on desired color

Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix in a Jar (or Huge Ziplock Baggie)

1 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. granulated sugar
1 1/2 C. semisweet chocolate chips
2 C. all−purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Mix the salt and baking soda in with the flour, then layer the ingredients into the jar. Attach a gift card with the following instructions:

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sift dry ingredients through a colander to separate the chocolate chips from other ingredients.
Beat 1 cup of unsalted butter or margarine in a medium bowl. Beat sifted ingredients into butter until blended. In a small bowl, beat 1 egg with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix beaten egg mixture into butter mixture until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop teaspoonfuls of batter, spaced well apart, onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cheddar-Herb Bread Mix

Ingredients (to produce the bag we made at Nov 1st meeting):

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp dried cilantro or parsley
1 tbsp dried rosemary
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease an 8X4X2 inch loaf pan. Place Basic Mix in a bowl. With a pastry blender, cut in 1/4 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 4 ounces white cheddar cheese, shredded. In a bowl, combine 3/4 up milk and 1 egg, slightly beaten. Add to crumb mixture all at once. Stir quickly with a fork to moisten. Spread in prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn loaf out onto wire rack; cool completely. Makes 12 servings.

Country Soup in a Jar

Ingredients:

1/2 cup barley
1/2 cup dried split peas
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
1/2 cup dry lentils
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
2 tablespoons beef bouillon granules
1/2 cup uncooked alphabet pasta
1 cup uncooked twist macaroni

Instructions:

1. In a wide mouth 1 quart jar, layer the barley, peas, rice and lentils. Then layer around the edges the onion, parsley, salt, lemon pepper, bouillon and the alphabet pasta. Fill the rest of the jar with the twist macaroni.
2. Seal and attach a gift card. The gift card should read: Add contents of jar to 3 quarts of water, 2 stalks of chopped celery, 2 sliced carrots, 1 cup of shredded cabbage (optional) and 2 cups diced tomatoes. Over medium low heat, cover and simmer about 1 hour, or until vegetables are tender.

Balsalmic Chicken

-Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
-Balsalmic Vinegar, Olive Oil
-Onion, Zuchinni, Yellow Squash

-Marinate Chickin in Balsalmic Vinegar and Olive Oil
-Pan Sear Chicken
-Once cooked, remove and keep chicken warm
-Add chopped vegetables to same skillet, season to taste with seasoned salt and seasoned pepper. Add more Balsalmic Vinegar and Olive Oil
-Serve together and can top with shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese

*Portions vary to people being served, can't mess it up
**Oven Variation: Cook chicken in preheated Oven at 350 degrees for one hour, add chopped, mixed and seasoned vegetables to pan after 20 minutes to allow vegetables to cook with chicken for 40 minutes. Chicken is more moist but less flavorable. Both are good.