Taxco Miner's Soup

Submitted by Shauna Hinckley
(sort of a fast, liquid red enchilada!)


1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, slivered thinly
1 small clove garlic, minced
¼ lb. cheese, cubed or grated
Tortilla chips or 4 corn tortillas cut in strips and fried in oil or baked
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 canned green chiles, chopped (or use fresh/frozen Anaheim pepper)
1 large can (14 oz.) tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water

Optional additions:
Cooked ground beef
Sour cream
Cooked corn
Chopped scallions, olives, avocado

Yield: 4 servings (6-8 cups) Time to prepare: 30 – 45 min.

(If you are frying your own tortilla strips, cut tortillas and fry in salad oil at 350 –375 F. for 2 min and drain and hold warm on paper towels.)

Heat olive oil, sauté onion, pepper, garlic, & cumin. Add tomato sauce, broth, and water. Bring to boiling, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve in warm bowls with cheese and tortilla in bottom and soup ladled over top with desired additions or garnish. (I often chop chicken and sauté it in the first step. Yum!)

Mexican Chicken and Avocado Soup

Submitted by Shauna Hinckley


1 3-3½ lb. Chicken cut up
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 small dried red chiles, crushed
2 medium carrots, chopped
6 cups water
2 medium onions, slivered
2 cups cut green beans fresh or frozen
1 large clove garlic, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crushed cumin seed
1 large avocado
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
Lime wedges, for zest and garnish

Yield: 6 servings (12 cups) Time to prepare: 3 hrs or 40 minutes

1. 5-6 quart pan combine chicken, celery, carrots, onions, garlic, salt, cumin, oregano, chilies, water. Bring to boil slowly; cover; reduce heat, simmer until chicken is very tender and broth flavorful (2 – 2 ½ hours) (or microwave and/or sauté 4 chicken breasts, cut up and add 6 bullion cubes to make broth-15 min.)

2. Remove chicken pieces and discard skin, bones, and skim fat

3. Bring soup to boiling, add green beans, cook uncovered for 5 min. add chicken and heat through (3-5 min) add salt if needed. Add cilantro, tomatoes

4. Serve with lime wedges (squeeze in soup) and avocado slices.

Tortellini Soup

Submitted by Mandi Cooper

9 oz. 3-cheese tortellini

4 cups chicken broth

1 can diced tomatoes

1/2 pkg. chopped spinach

2 Tbsp butter

1 tsp. garlic salt


Combine chicken broth, garlic salt, and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add tortellini and cook for about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and frozen spinach. Heat thoroughly, but do not boil. Serve with Parmesan cheese on top.

Garlic Cheese Biscuits

Submitted by Laura Hintze


2 c Bisquick mix

2/3 c milk

1/2 c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded



1/4 c butter, melted

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp dried parsley



Mix together Bisquick and milk just until moistened. Fold in cheese. Drop by spoonfuls on lightly greased cookie sheet (can use a preheated pizza stone plain). Bake at 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Combine melted butter with garlic salt and parsley and brush over each biscuit. Serve immediately. *NOTE: when using a pizza stone, make sure you remove biscuits to a plate before brushing with butter - otherwise the stone will soak up the butter.

Cheddar Potato Chowder

Submitted by Laura Hintze

Ingredients

3 Tab. butter or margarine

2 med. carrots, peeled & diced

2 med. celery ribs, thinly sliced

1 sm. onion, chopped

3 Tab. flour

¼ tsp. dry mustard

¼ tsp. paprika

⅛ tsp. ground pepper

2 C. milk

2 chicken-flavor bouillon cubes

2 C. water

4 med. russet potatoes (about 1 ¾ lbs.)

1 ½ C. cheddar cheese, grated

4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled (optional)

Chives or green onion, chopped (for garnish) (optional)

Instructions

In a 3-quart pan, over medium heat, melt butter. Add carrots, celery, and onion; cook until tender, about 10 minutes, stirring often. Stir in flour, mustard, paprika, and pepper. Cook 1 minute.



Gradually add milk, bouillon, water, and potatoes. Over high heat, heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.



Remove saucepan from heat; stir in cheese, just until melted. If you like, top each serving with crumbled bacon and chopped chives.



Yield: 6 servings

Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

Submitted by Michelle Hilliar
from Taste of Home Magazine Oct.95



1 1/2 lbs. Bonless skinless chicken
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup shredded Pepper Jack Cheese
1-2 cloves minced garlic
1-16oz can cream-style corn
3 T butter
1-4oz can diced green chilies
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 large tomato chopped
1 cup hot water 
1 tsp ground cumin
2 cups half &half


Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. (or used canned chicken) Brown chicken, onion and garlic in butter. Dissolve bouillon in hot water and add to chicken with cumin. Reduce heat, cover, simmer 5 min. Add half & half, cheeses, corn and chilis. Heat and stir till cheese melts. Add tomato and serve immediately. (May use canned diced tomatoes, well drained.)

Cheesy Potato Soup

Submitted by Beth Johnston


2 cups water

2 cups potatoes, diced/cubed

1/2 cup carrots, diced

1/2 cup celery, diced

1/4 cup onion, diced (I use dried, minced)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper



1 cup cooked ham, cubed, or crumbled bacon

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese



Combine first 7 ingredients in soup pan. Bring to boil and then simmer until veggies are tender. Add ham. In seperate saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to boil and boil 2 minutes. Stir in cheese until melted. Add cheese sauce to soup (do not drain the water from the veggies).

Whole Wheat Italian Bread

Submitted by Emily Daniel
In a large bowl dissolve 2 scant tablespoons of yeast and 1/4 cup brown sugar in 2 and 1/2 cups warm water. Let it stand until foamy.

Add 3 cups whole wheat flour and beat well. (I use my electric mixer) Let it stand for at least a half hour, longer if you like

Mix one tablespoon of salt with one cup of white flour and add to mixture. Then gradually add an additional two cups of white flour..some of it may be added as you knead the bread.

Knead 5 minutes or until springy and smooth. I clean out my bowl, rinse it good with hot water and put oil in the bottom, then put the dough in, and turn it over so it is greased on top.

Let rise about an hour.

Sprinkle baking sheets with cornmeal.

Punch down the dough, and shape the loaves. This recipe will make four loaves. Let rise about 45 minutes, slash the top and brush with water.

Bake in a pre-heated oven 400 degrees and bake for 20 mintues, until loaves are brown and crisp. It helps to put a pan of water in the oven.

Audrey Dieker's (Someday-to-be-Emily-Daniel's-when-Audrey-moves) Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

Submitted by Emily Daniel


1 T Butter

1 C Pecans

1/2 C Granulated Sugar

1/8 tsp. Salt

1 bag spinach

2 ripe pears (or crisp apples -- pears are best)

1/2 C crumbled Blue Cheese



To make pecans: In a nonstick skillet using a wooden spoon (plastic will melt), over medium high heat, melt butter. Add pecans, sugar and salt. Move pecans in pan until sugar begins to dissolve. Once most of sugar is dissolved, let pecans cool on non-stick wax or parchment paper. It seems initially in this process that nothing is happening, and then the sugar dissolves all at once. At this point, it is very easy to burn the pecans, so be careful to stir constantly and remove from heat if pecans are getting too brown.



Place spinach in salad bowl. Top with pears (sliced thin), crumbled blue cheese, and pecans (slightly cooled and crumbled by hand) Dress salad lightly with vinaigrette recipe below.



Dijon Vinaigrette

6 T olive oil

3 T finely chopped onion or shallots

3 T white wine vinegar

6-10 T sugar (start with 6 and then taste. You want it to be tangy, yet sweet.)

1 T Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 t black pepper

In a blender combine all ingredients. Blend until pureed. You probably won't need all of the dressing. Dress the salad first and then taste, adding if you need more.

Perfect Winter Beef Stew

Submitted by Melissa Maxwell

1/4 cup Italian Dressing
2 lbs. beef for stew, cut into 1-inch chunks
6 slices Oscar Meyer Bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 cups sliced mushrooms (I decided these were optional and I opted to not add them.)
3 cups sliced carrots
3 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into large chunks (about 1 1/2 lb.)
1 can (14.5 oz.) stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14.5 oz.) beef broth

Place dressing and beef in large resealable plastic bag.  Refrigerate 30 minutes to marinate.

Cook bacon in large pot on medium heat 5 minutes or until crisp.  Remove pacon from pot using slotted spoon.  Drain excess bacon fat.

Add onion and mushrooms to pot; cook on medium-high heat 10 minutes or until softened.  Add marinated beef, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes with their liquid, broth and bacon to pot.

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 1 hour 15 minutes.  Uncover; continue to simmer 15 minutes or until meat is tender and sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally.  Note: the sauce doesn't thicken much, so don't wait for it to turn into gravy.  It won't happen.

Serves 8