Creamy Tortilla Soup

It was chilly yesterday & I was in the mood for soup. There were several candidates but this one won! It did not disappoint.  Originally this calls for chicken but I was looking for a vegetarian option. Yum.

Ingredients
1Tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion (1 medium)
1 Tbsp finely minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 jalapeno, seeded & chopped (1/4 cup) *I omitted this
1 (32oz) carton low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp of each chili powder, cumin & paprika *I was out of chili powder so used a dash of cayenne
Salt & pepper to taste
1 (15oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 1/3 cups milk
1/3 cup masa harina *I couldn't find this so used corn meal instead
1 (15oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sour cream *I omitted this

For serving: shredded cheese, sour cream (or greek yogurt), diced avocados, cilantro, lime wedges, tortilla chips

Heat canola oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add onion & jalapeno & saute 3 minutes, adding garlic during last 30 seconds of sauteeing. Add chicken broth, chili powder, cumin, paprika and season with salt & pepper to taste. Bring to a gentle boil, 15 minutes or so (this is where you'd add the chicken)

Add diced tomatoes with green chilies to pot. Then measure milk & whisk in the masa harina until well blended. Pour mixture into pot & cook, stirring frequently, until mixture boils and thickens slightly (it won't thicken much). Add black beans, pinto beans & corn. Stir in cream and sour cream and cook til heated through.



Perfect cozy meal for a cool evening!

Taco Seasoning

From Annie's Eats

Ingredients:
4 tbsp. chili powder
3 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. paprika
3 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and mix well to blend.  Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
To prepare taco meat, use 2 heaping tablespoons in place of a package of taco seasoning (cook approximately 1 lb. of beef or chicken, add 1 cup of water with the seasoning, and simmer until the liquid is almost completely gone.)

Sour Cream Enchiladas

Sour Cream Enchiladas from My Mom

1 ½ pounds hamburger, browned and drained
8 ounces sour cream
one can Cream of Mushroom Soup
 one small can green chiles
 one package flour tortillas ( approx eight 10 inch tortillas )
one package taco seasoning
1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salsa

Brown hamburger, draining off grease. Mix with taco seasoning. In a separate dish, combing sour cream, soup and green chiles. Mix ½ of sauce with seasoned hamburger. Mix 2-3 T mixture at one end of tortilla and roll up. Place in 12 X 7 baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over top of tortillas and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve with salsa. I have used a 9 X 13 pan also.

Taco Skillet Dinner

1 lb ground turkey or 1 lb vegetarian ground "beef"
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 16-oz bag frozen "southwest" style vegetables
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 16-oz jar of salsa
2 Cups coarsely crushed tortilla chips
1 C. shredded cheddar cheese

In a large skillet fry meat in oil for 6 minutes, or until brown, stirring to crumble.

Stir in frozen vegetables, black beans & salsa. Reduce heat to medium, cove & cook 6-8 minutes.

Sprinkle with tortilla chips & cheese, cover & cook 2 more minutes.

Serve. Or if you want to be really fancy, sprinkle dish with chipped cilantro & serve with corn bread & sour cream on the side.

**I can never find "southwest" style veggies, so usually just use corn; I also don't add oil to the meat...I don't think it's necessary. We add our own chips on our plate (to keep them crispy) but I do throw the cheese on at the last minute so it's nice & melty!**