Spicy Fajita Soup

Ready...set...go...It's Tuesday night!

Hey guys, welcome back to our favorite spot on Tuesday nights. I have had a glass of strawberry wine and Glee was just on so it's onto the fabulous blog. Tonight we head down the healthy path. Oh come on, no turning up nose's please! It's nice to eat healthy and give your soul and bodies a good feeling with food that's good for you. Time to center your chi and get in touch with your inner domestic healthy person. Alright, well...not that extreme but you get my drift, haha.

So last week while hanging out on my couch (which shall be tossed to the curb as soon as our new beautiful shay lounge sectional finds it's way out of Big Lots layaway and into our living room SOON!) I was catching up on cooking shows on our DVR (hey, gotta do research, haha) and came across our faithful (as Wendy Williams would say) friend in our head Sandra Lee. She was whipping up something that caught my attention in the form of a slow cooker soup. Oh and as I mentioned last week leave the alcohol in the cabinet no matter what Sandy tells you or at least until dinner is done peoples! Wanna know what this mystery soup is that hangs out in your slow cooker for 4-6 hours?


Let's get jamming:

Spicy Fajita Soup

Ingredients

* 2 medium yellow onions, sliced
* 2 green peppers, cored, seeded, and sliced into strips
* 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
* 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
* 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
* 2 tablespoons chile powder, divided
* 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
* 1 quart chicken broth
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 cups canola oil, for frying
* 12 corn tortillas, cut into eighths
* 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
* 2 scallions, sliced

Directions

In the sleeve of a slow cooker, add the onions, peppers, corn, tomatoes, garlic, 1 tablespoon chile powder, chipotle, and broth. Season with and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.

In a deep skillet over medium heat, add the canola oil and heat to 365 degrees F. Fry the tortilla pieces until brown and crispy, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on brown paper and immediately season with salt and the remaining 1 tablespoon chile powder.

Preheat the broiler.

Ladle the soup into ovenproof bowls or crocks and top each with 2 tablespoons cheese. Put the bowls on a sheet pan and put under the broiler until the cheese is brown and bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with scallions and serve.

Click to land at Foodnetwork.com for the recipe


(NOTE: We didn't do the round two recipes listed on the website since this is a one meal at a time blog)





It was a hit. Especially the chips. We made a ton and decided to use them during the week for snacking and other dinners. The only complaint I have is the cheese in the soup. I didn't care for it since it seemed to clump up and make this stringy kind of glue consistency. NOT GOOD but once I removed it I enjoyed it a great deal. It reminded me of Ma's cabbage soup, well minus having cabbage but that's another recipe for another Tuesday ;].



Tid Bits:
*Not a fan of having your mouth feel like you need to call the fire department because spicy things don't make your taste buds dance for joy? Try leaving out the chipotle pepper. We did and it was just as yummy.

*Have carnivores in your family to make happy? Try adding some ground chuck, chicken, or turkey.

*That inner Italian trying to reach out? Try some pasta with this dish. We recommend multi-grain or whole wheat pasta.




Ma's Spot:
I really enjoyed cooking tonight's dinner. It was very fun, healthy, & simple to do. I do pride myself that I am a meat lover but I'll admit that this recipe was tastey without it. Usually I try to cut corners by buying frozen peppers and onions but I'll say using fresh really made a difference on the recipe and I would encourage you to try out fresh. The chips we made I loved them because in the packaged chips they contain a lot of salt and with ours it wasn't needed since they were great tasting on their own. Monterrey Jack cheese was called for this recipe but I used a blend of mozzarella, provolone, and Parmesan. As much as I like the cheeses listed it wasn't working in the soup for me. I have to agree with my daughter and say that it didn't work. It felt like a big clump which is a big turn off.



Guys, that's it for tonight. My wine has wore off and I'm in need of my bed and my book. Aw, get some sleep and enjoy your week! We'll be back next Tuesday night for another fabulous recipe as always. What's in store for next week? It's an All-American classic and a real family pleasing meal. Wanna know? Well get your booty's back here in 7 days!




Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma

Ma's Enchilada's

Grab some tequila! It'sssss Tuesday night ladies & gents!

Sorry, I'm in a dancing bouncy mood. Lady Gaga's new single came out recently and it just makes you wanna get up with your disco shoes and dance on a local table but I digress since this isn't a blog about either Lady Gaga or disco dancing shoes. Although, I love her and I may have a cute pair of dancing shoes around here somewhere if any of you guys are looking to dance the night away?? Just a thought...

Dinah here with the latest recipe of the week. I'm always so jazzed to meet you guys here every week with our common goal, making yummy food and having our tummy's full. Ma is behind this week's recipe. It's her enchilada's and let me tell you out of all the recipes we've featured so far you MUST try this one. It honestly feeds an army and it's quite delicious.

Here's the list of what you'll need to get this feast going:

Ma's Enchilada's

5 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup water
1/2 Stick butter or margarine
1 16 ounce bag of shredded cheddar cheese
1 10.75 ounce can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 pack taco seasoning
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (chopped)
1 10 pack soft flour tortilla's
1 cup sour cream
1 10.75 ounce can of cream of celery soup


*Start by placing chicken & a 1/2 cup of water in your slow cooker on slow for 6 to 7 hours. (Salt & pepper if desired)

*Once chicken is ready remove from slow cooker and let it cool. While the chicken is cooling melt the 1/2 stick of butter or margarine in a skillet. Add the chopped onion and the 1/2 packet of taco seasoning and stir. Cook until onions are translucent then add chicken to onion mixture, stir, & then add cream of chicken soup. Continue to stir the mixture with heat set on slow for 5 minutes. One time has elapsed add your cilantro.

*Grab your tortilla's and place 2 tablespoons of chicken mixture on each tortilla. Spread out mixture into a line then add a sprinkling of cheddar cheese. Roll up and place seam down in a greased casserole dish. Continue process with remaining chicken mixture & tortilla's until none remain. Once done combine in a bowl your sour cream and cream of celery soup. Stir to combine and then place on top of your tortilla's spreading evenly. Place in a preheated 400 degree oven. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes (depending on your oven).

Before:




After:





LOVE.THIS.RECIPE.

That's all I can really say. I've never seen my hubby hoover any food down like he did tonight. He even ate the little bite I had left over. I'm not mind reader but by George I think the guy liked it.




Tid Bits:

*No slow cooker? No probs, just bake your chicken in the oven at a 350 to 400 degree temperature for about 25-35 minutes (depending on your oven). Also, using some butter spray is a good idea as well.

*Not a fan of chopping onions and having your eyes feel like bees stinging them?...yeah me too. Grab yourself some frozen chopped onions they work just as well.

*Cheddar not your idea of cheese heaven? Try some Mexican blend, it fits nicely.



Ma's Spot: This is a combination of my tastes & a little bit of Donny Osmond's wife's chicken enchilada recipe. I changed a few things to please the tastes of my family. Please keep in mind, if you're watching your calories feel free to use low fat or no fat sour cream or cheese. May I suggest Campbell's Healthy Request soups because it doesn't alter the taste too much and it's good for your waistline. If you like it a little more on the spicy side you can always add hot sauce to your chicken mixture. I encourage you play with the recipe a bit to favor it to your family's taste. This simple recipe is a wonderful treat to your taste buds.


That's it for tonight guys. Now no pouting, we'll be here next Tuesday evening with another handy dandy and tasty recipe. So cheer up chums!
What's in store for next week? Two words: SANDRA LEE. Yeah, and leave the alcohol in the cabinet for this upcoming recipe, no matter what Sandra tells you on her show.


Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma

Spicy Mexican Casserole

Hola!

Well faithful readers here we are once again it's Tuesday, our favorite day of the week. See I said it was only a hop, skip, and jump right on over to the next Tuesday and here we are! =D
This week we are getting in touch with our inner Mexican side. Gosh I wish I had a head full of fruit and shook it like a Polaroid picture all fiesta style right now...OH! sorry daydreaming a bit, haha. Anywho, tonight's dish comes from the Pillsbury website and it's a little bit of Mexico in your kitchen. What's in the details? Let's see shall we?


And away we go:

First here's the recipe from the Pillsbury website: http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/spicy-mexican-casserole/bf435235-2f7d-409b-a38e-80f3c1762e01/

INGREDIENTS
1lb chorizo or pork sausage
1 can (11 oz) Green Giant® Mexicorn® whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained
5 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions (4 medium)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar-Jack with jalapeno peppers cheese blend (6 oz)
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
Sour cream, as desired
Salsa, as desired

DIRECTIONS
* 1Heat oven to 375°F. In 10-inch skillet, cook chorizo over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until cooked through; drain. Stir in corn. Spoon into ungreased 11x7-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish.
* 2In medium bowl, beat eggs, salt and pepper. Stir in onions and cilantro. Pour evenly over meat mixture. Sprinkle with cheese.
* 3Unroll dough; place on top of cheese.
* 4Bake 23 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Cut into 6 rows by 2 rows. Top with sour cream and salsa.















While this was a hit with everyone else I was not a fan. I thought the egg was too much and the title was a bit misleading. Sometimes it's a hit and sometimes it's a miss and tonight for me it was a miss. Oh, no sad faces we knew it was bound to happen. We can't like everything. I digress though, please I encourage you to give this a try because who knows you may end up liking it like everyone else here did. I may just be the lone woman out with this Mexican dish.



Tid Bits:

*It really works well with turkey and beef. Which is what we ended up using since pork really isn't my style of meat.

*We also suggest checking on it during the 25 minute mark. When we pulled ours out of the oven it wasn't completely done in the middle so we ended up having to cook it about 5 minutes longer than the maximum time listed but that was just us, every oven is different so bake tonight's dish at the suggest temperature but keep an eye on it.

*We also used cheddar cheese instead of the cheese listed but really we believe it would work with either or maybe a nice spicy cheese.



Ma's Spot: Like all recipes unless you've had it before it's a risk making a new one. Dinah's pick was "Spicy Mexican Casserole". When I heard the name I was a little worried because I'm not into spicy food, actually that's an understatement I hate spicy foods. Turns out there is actually nothing spicy in it. Not a drop. Which is odd considering the name. Nonetheless I really enjoyed it but to give it that Mexican flavor I suggest putting salsa on top with sour cream as well. That really set it over the top and made a delicious dinner. Without the sour cream and salsa it lacks it's Mexican flair. I will be making it again as myself and my sister Jane both enjoyed it.


Our night has come to a close, hey look, I love it when we're together like this but guys it's Glee night and they're doing love songs and Puck is gonna sing.
So we're gonna have to part but as always we'll be back here next week with another trip to Mexico! Get your taste buds ready =D


Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma

White Lasagna Roll Ups

It's Tuesday....and a storm is a comin'!

Well, storm is a light word. More like blizzard and no I'm not talking about your favorite one from Dairy Queen cause if that was true holy moly I'd be outside with a bowl and spoon. Wouldn't you? Oh come on yes you would! I hear it's gonna be pretty bad so curl up with your blankets, coffee/hot chocolate, computers, and read your favorite blog. It is you're favorite blog right....? *puppy face*....thought so! Puppy face always works, haha.

Welcome to tonight's blogcast. As always I am Dinah, your blog diva extraordinaire. So what's up our sleeves for tonight? Let's get this rolling....

Yours truly is the star of tonight's meal. I made the sauce all on my own while the other portion of the meal was made by Ma. Now, don't be afraid, I'm not an all around terrible cook. I do make a mean chili and eggs are pretty swell for me as well. Not that those two things can carry you in life in your culinary area's but they're something right? Let's start off with how this came to be. I was searching through Woman's World mag which is my favorite of the printing world, besides People that is. Yes, that People with all the celebrities in it. I...well...okie, FINE I'm a celebrity gossip whore. HEY! Don't judge me. It could be worse, haha. Anywho I was trying to find something to make for dinner when I came across this recipe for pierogi lasagna. I thought, why not? When it was made for that night's dinner it wasn't the greatest. Still I felt something was there with the bland ingredients listed. I could jazz it up, cause I know jazz. So I took a few items and added my own touches and presto! we have tonight's joyful meal.

Now normally I make what is called my "White Lasagna" but tonight Ma decided to do roll ups since let's be real who doesn't love a good roll up? If you've never had it then let me give you a little summary on roll ups. It's basically lasagna rolled into the noodles rather than laid out in a pan. So needless to say if you like lasagna then you'll love roll ups.

So here's what you'll need:

White Lasagna Roll Ups

2 jars Ragu Roasted Garlic Parmesan Sauce
10 Lasagna Noodles
1 large tomato (chopped & no seeds)
1 small onion diced
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 15 ounce ricotta cheese's
1 10 ounce frozen chopped spinach
Italian seasoning to taste

Garlic Bread (optional)

Prep: Place chicken breast in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water on low for 6 hours.
Also, take spinach out of freezer and let it thaw over night. Once thawed place in clean dish towel and squeeze excess juice into sink.

In a large pot boil water and cook 10 lasagna noodles as directions on box. Once fully cooked drain pasta then run cold water over noodles until they're cool enough to handle. Remove chicken from slow cooker, cut chicken into small pieces then add those pieces into a large bowl. Add spinach, ricotta cheese, & mix well. To assemble the roll ups here's what to do: Lay 1 lasagna noodle on your table, add table spoon and a half of chicken mixture onto the noodle, spread along the noodle (start from end & roll up), place in greased pan (seam side down), and repeat with remaning noodles.




Meanwhile....

In a medium pot saute the tomato and onion for 5 minutes then add your sauce & 2nd container of ricotta cheese, stir to blend all ingredients, and bring to a boil. Once it's begun boiling turn flame down to a low heat. Simmer for 10-12 mins stiring occasionally so sticking won't occur.

Once sauce is complete remove from heat and pour over roll ups. Place pan in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes depending on oven.



This recipe is a huge hit. Who knew a girl who didn't know a spatula from a slotted spoon could come up with such a delish meal? Not bad eh?




Tid bits from us:

*I strongly recommend you use the Ragu sauce. I've tried it with other sauces and it just doesn't have the same taste.

*You could always add a sprinkling of shredded Parmesan or mozzarella cheese to the top before baking but we didn't bother since there was so much ricotta in the whole dish as is.

*In this dish because it was served with a white sauce we prefer to use olive oil during the boiling process. Whenever you're going to make a pasta dish with red sauce I'd think twice before grabbing for the olive oil simply because for some weird reason the sauce won't stick properly to the noodles.

*Watch the size of your chicken breasts. If you buy small then we would suggest making this recipe with 5 breasts instead of 4.
Also, whenever you can use frozen chicken breasts that come from a bag that you would find in your freezer section at your local grocery store.

*Although I love the white sauce the best, you can use a marinara sauce as well.

*Make sure whenever you're working with frozen spinach thaw it out and then place spinach into clean dish towel. Once in place over your sick give it a good squeeze to release all juices. You don't want that to end up in your roll ups. Otherwise you'd end up with spinach and noodle soup. Not good *shakes head no*



Ma's Spot: I love this dish. Dinah's sauce is a great topping to my roll ups. If you like salad or bread sticks to go along with it then go for it but for us these are very filling on their own.



Well peoples, we have come to the end of this weeks blog. I get sad too. Don't you cry, worry, or fret cause, we'll be back here. Same time, same channel, and everything. What's in store for next week's food liaison? Hmmm...well actually I've got nothing yet BUT fear not our foodie readers it'll be good.
We've gotta head on out and get this place tied down cause as you may have heard, THERE IS A STORM A COMIN'! Be safe guys!



Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma