2 Recipes

I can't tell you how many times I have started a blog but not been able to finish it.  A kid starts crying and I don't make it back to the computer until I have totally forgotten what I was going to blog about and then I just end up deleting what I have.  But there are a few recipes that I want to put in here before I manage to lose them!  The first one is from a college friend who, in our house, is called Jet Li (her name is actually Li Jett, I am sure she currently has no idea she has this nickname and that her pasta is well love in this house)!  Anyhow, here it is, with no real measured proportions but maybe some day I will try and figure out how much I use...I am big into "eye-balling" it. 

-Saute a generous amount of butter and a teaspoon of minced garlic.
-Toss in mushrooms (u can use canned or fresh) and fresh spinach.
-Saute until the spinach "welts".
...-Then throw in shrimp.. garlic salt, salt, pepper to taste. (Don't cook the shrimp long, they will get rubbery)
-then pour in the jar (I don't make Alfredo from scratch) of Alfredo. I use the Bertolli kind... its the best.
-Pour the sauce on top of noodles and top with fresh diced Roma tomatoes
(U can add jalapenos to the saute pan if u want it spicer)

 That's how Li gave it to me, she also mentioned you could sub marinara sauce for Alfredo and use olive oil instead of butter which is how I have fixed it so far....my waist line can currently not afford the Alfredo but once it can I am totally trying that! 

I also recently made The Pioneer Woman's Chicken Tortilla Soup!  Here is her recipe:

• 2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1-½ teaspoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• ½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 cup Diced Onion
• ¼ cups Diced Green Bell Pepper
• ¼ cups Red Bell Pepper
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 can Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies
• 32 ounces, fluid Low Sodium Chicken Stock
• 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 4 cups Hot Water
• 2 cans Black Beans, Drained
• 3 Tablespoons Cornmeal Or Masa
• 5 whole Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches
• Garnishes:
• Sour Cream
• Diced Avocado
• Diced Red Onion
• Salsa Or Pico De Gallo
• Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
• Cilantro

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.
Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.
Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.
Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more if needed—add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.
Ladle into bowls, then top with sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, and grated cheese, if you have it! (The garnishes really make the soup delicious.)

I added extra chicken because we are big meat people and I thought I had cornmeal and did not so I skipped that!  I am also not into soggy tortillas so I skipped it, but I did have tortilla chips available in case Jonathan wanted them.

 Ok, going to post this for now and try and get around to posting more happenings and pictures later!