Chicken Tortilla Soup

This chill in the air doesn't seem to want to go away. In order to combat that chill, I will continue to make soups--and delicious soups at that.

I tend to give in to what other people say are the trends of the time. Not sure why that is, but doesn't everyone have a desire to be trendy? I mean, I bought an iPhone when it was only in it's second generation. I wear chambray shirts and big statement necklaces. I've been trying to experiment with bold lipsticks. I drink almond milk here and there. There's a good chance I'll be drinking an extra-hot triple grande skinny vanilla latte once or twice a week. Whatever, guys. I'm not embarrassed. 

I feel like, in the soup world of trendy, Chicken Tortilla Soup is up there on the "things it's cool to eat right now" list. 

Well, since it's totally in right now, I knew I had to try my hand at this soup. It has all the elements of an amazing meal...it's kind of like a taco and a soup combined. TWO OF MY FAVORITE THINGS!!

This Chicken Tortilla Soup is so delicious that leftovers didn't even last a day around the apartment. It is colorful both in the way it looks but also in taste. It has just the right amount of spicy and earthy goodness. Yellow corn adds a natural sweetness while black beans are creamy and rustic. A little bit of crunch from celery seals the deal on texture. Rich, hearty, warm, flavorful--who said 20 degree weather can't be fun?!

It's pretty simple to pull this meal together. We start with chopped sweet onions and celery, cooked in a large pot until soft and translucent.

Lean chicken breast is cut into cubes then seasoned with a Mexican blend (taco seasoning would also work). I browned the chicken right in the same pot as the vegetables, which helps get the spiciness of the Mexican blend distributed throughout the whole pot of soup. Yum!

From here, a can of rinsed black beans, 2 cans of cream of chicken soup (not condensed*), 1 can low-sodium chicken broth, and 1 can of fire-roasted tomatoes are stirred into the pot. I added about a cup of frozen corn and a couple of tablespoons of fresh chopped cilantro before bringing the pot to a boil.

The soup is then covered and simmers for about 30 minutes; this is when all the flavors are getting to know each other and blending together to make a big pot of deliciousness.

While the soup simmers, I prepared the garnishes--which, in a way, are the most important part of the soup. Three corn tortillas, sliced into strips, get baked at 375 degrees until crispy and golden brown on the edges.

These get broken into pieces, about an inch long. I definitely suggest making your chips out of the corn tortillas -- they are a little more sturdy than the flour tortillas. Plus the get crispier and have a better texture in the soup.

An avocado is cut and diced. The avocado is an amazing way to cool down the palette from the spiciness in the soup. The flavor isn't too strong, but the slight sweetness is just divine.

A little extra cilantro and freshly grated sharp white cheddar cheese wrap up this party. Because, I mean, why not?

Once the soup is ready, season with salt and pepper to taste. Add extra black pepper or Mexican seasoning if you really like a spicy bowl of soup.

Finally, it's time to eat! Line the bottom of each bowl with a few pieces of tortilla. Add a couple of generous ladle-fuls of the soup, then top with the cheese, avocado, cilantro, and more tortilla pieces. Feel free to allow each person to add more cheese or tortillas if they please.

This soup was a home run. I will definitely be keeping it in my dinner rotation for a good while. I hope you will, too!

Chicken Taco Bites

 

Have you ever met someone and you say, "Hey you want to grab some tacos?" And they respond, "nah, I don't like tacos." If this has happened to you, talk to me immediately--that person needs a serious life intervention!

Tacos are so versatile that I believe there is a taco out there for everyone.

I've shared some taco recipes before. These pulled pork tacos are basically to die for.

And then there are these blackened fish tacos that are so fresh and flavorful they will immediately whisk you away to daydreams of a tropical paradise.

Today, to keep to the theme of Superbowl Game Day Appetizers, I wanted to share these tasty nuggets of taco goodness. That is, Chicken Taco Bites.

If you are heading out to a Superbowl party and need a quick and flavorful appetizer, this is the recipe for you. These crispy little bites are packed with all the great tastes of a taco and look totally adorable to boot!

To make the taco shells, wonton wrappers are pressed into a muffin tin and baked until crispy.

Cooked chicken breasts are shredded or cut into small cubes, marinated in your favorite salsa (I had store-bought salsa fresca and it worked wonderfully!), then get a quick sear in a frying pan.

Our taco toppings are very simple -- crispy lettuce leafs, quartered cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, and shredded sharp cheddar cheese.

That's really all there is to it! Once the shells and chicken have been cooked, all we need to do is assemble the taco bites. Quick tip - keep the bottom of your shells from getting soggy by lining the bottom of the cups with some of the lettuce. Place a few pieces of chicken on top of the lettuce, then add a pieces of tomato and avocado on top. Finish off each taco with a nice sprinkling of grated cheese.

If you want to prep some things ahead of time, you can cook the taco shells and keep them well wrapped before using. Also feel free to marinate the chicken overnight for ramped up flavor. Just be sure to assemble the tacos as close to when you want to serve them as possible to avoid things getting soggy!

The spiciness of the salsa marinade adds a great kick while the cheese and avocado soothes the palette. The freshness of the lettuce and tomatoes keeps you wanting more!

Pulled Pork Tacos

The obsession I have with my Crock Pot is no secret (see slow cooker pot roast for details).

Now, I'll be honest. I don't limit my Crock Pot gushing sessions to just the internet. Oh no. In fact, anyone who will listen, I will tell them all about the great things this kitchen device can do. A couple of lucky coworkers get to hear all about my adventures with the Crock Pot. I have even, at times, left these same coworkers at happy hour to tend to a meal that had been simmering away for eight hours. WHAT ELSE WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO?!

While some hard feelings remain, I feel that there is a happy ending to this story. A few weeks ago, my friend Lidia brought me some GREAT news -- she had inherited a slow cooker from a friend. I must say, I have never been more proud. That is, until a few days later when she came to work flaunting images of pulled pork tacos she made with said slow cooker.

At this point, I knew she had a secret she wasn't telling me. I narrowed it down to one of three things:

1. She is the heir to the fortune that is Super Chef Bobby Flay's culinary empire.

2. She is Martha Stewart, trapped inside an actuary's body.

Or, most realistically,

3. She is, without a doubt, an evil genius.

First of all, let's talk tacos. Everybody LOVES tacos. They are easy, they are fun, they can feed a large crowd for a small price, they are versatile, they are delicious. What more can you ask for?

Mouth-watering goodness

Oh, of course. You could ask for pulled pork. This American barbecue delicacy is often enjoyed plopped atop a mound of homemade coleslaw or a sesame seed bun. In these forms, it is amazing. But who is to say it can't be transformed into something different?! That's my point! It CAN be made in different ways. And it IS delicious, no matter what. Try it for yourself with my Pulled Pork Tacos.

Here's what you need:

The Flavor Makers

2 to 2.5 pounds of pork (some kind of roast or butt would be best)
1/2 bottle barbecue sauce (I used Jack Daniels Honey Smokehouse, because it's amazing)
1/4 cup of water (or more, if you have more meat. You want a majority of the pork submerged in the liquid)
1 vidalia onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 packet Sazon Goya (a Spanish seasoning)
chili powder, black pepper, and salt to taste
1 head of romaine lettuce
1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
6-inch soft tortillas
Fresh cilantro to taste

Here's what you do:

First, remove as much of the meat as possible from the bone. I find this easier to do ahead of time because searching through your final meal for bones is just a hassle. The chunks can be as large or small as you like.
Add the pork, barbecue sauce, water, onion, garlic, Sazon seasoning, chili powder, salt and pepper to your trusty Crock Pot or slow cooker. Stir to combine.
Cook the pork on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
When the pork is finished cooking, use two forks to gently pull apart the pieces of pork. This should be a relatively easy process as the meat will be very tender at this point.

Heat up your tortillas for 30 seconds on each side in a dry frying pan.

Finally, build your tacos!

Here's a tip: Because the pulled pork is swimming in the cooking liquid, line your tortillas with lettuce to avoid them getting soggy. Also, allow the pork a second or two to drip dry before you pile it high on your tortilla shell. I did lettuce and cilantro on the bottom, pulled pork on top of that, and the cheese on top of that. Enjoy alongside brown rice and corn or beans.

You could also enjoy these with sour cream, tomatoes, onions, a cole slaw, or any taco topping of your choosing! Have you gotten fancy with your taco dinners recently?

Also...is it just me, or is my tortilla REALLY happy to see me? SMILE!

Awesome Appetizer Recipes in Action

This past weekend, Cory and I took it upon ourselves to throw our very own birthday party. That’s right – our birthdays are two days apart (I’m older!!) and we wanted to celebrate with as many people as possible.

We played it off as a combined “Sunday Fun-Day” and “Belated Housewarming” get together. It was a PERFECT day. The weather was sunny, not a cloud in the sky, with temperatures pushing 80 degrees. We have an outstanding porch off of our apartment, and that was really the place to be.

For me, this day was extra fun because I finally got to cook for a large group of people and share my goodies with everyone. Reviews were GREAT and I couldn’t be happier. We don’t have a grill, so I decided to pull a small selection of my favorite appetizers that I have seen made on the Food Network and give them a whirl myself.

Here are some links to the recipes. I followed them very closely, for the most part. I will share any additions, subtractions, or tips following each link.

Giada DeLaurentiis’ Meatballs a la Pizzaiola

Holy. Yum. I watched Giada make these on her show (I love the way this lady cooks!) and I knew I had to try them. This was my second go-around with the recipe, and it was just as delicious as I remember. The idea behind these meatballs is that they have all the flavors of a pizza built right inside! I decided to nix the red pepper flakes because (a) I just don’t have them and (b) as I have said many times, spicy foods aren’t my favorites. I had at least 30 meatballs from the measurements listed in this recipe, perfect for our crowd of 20+.

Alton Brown’s Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Who DOESN’T love a good “Spin Dip?” As far as I know, this is a favorite among many. This recipe is so simple it’s ridiculous. And, really, it feels so much better than putting out a jarred dip for your guests. One thing I had to compromise on here was the artichoke hearts. For the life of me I could NOT find frozen artichoke hearts. Luckily, in that sneaky aisle of canned veggies, there on the top shelf sat canned artichoke hearts. I drained these well and still boiled them to get rid of that awkward can flavor. So much else was going on in here, I doubt anyone noticed! This list of ingredients looks daunting – cream cheese, sour cream, AND mayo all in one? Look – here’s a little secret. Use the low fat or fat free versions of any two of the aforementioned carb-filled condiments. Still delicious but secretly a little more guilt-free.

Giada DeLaurentiis' Tilapia Fish Tacos with Arugula

I would definitely have to say that these nuggets of joy were probably most well received along with the Spin Dip. I wasn't sure how many of my guests liked fish, so I decided to do one batch of tilapia taco bites and one batch of chicken taco bites (using none other than the trusty Purdue Short Cuts!) I also mixed a little too much dressing in there so I decided not to do the wasabi cream. Also, to keep the wonton wrappers as crispy as possible for as long as possible, I lined the bottoms with a small piece of romaine lettuce.

Ina Garten's Cheese Straws

These were a delicious addition to the table. I didn't want to have just regular bread to try to fill out the menu, so my curiosity peaked when I saw Ina make these for one of her fabulous get togethers on her show, "Barefoot Contessa." If you like cheese, you will love these. Made from puff pastry and your favorite blend of cheeses, it's pretty hard to mess these up. The best part about them is that after you twirl them, they become a great visual for the table spread as well!

Beyond what I made, all of our friends were generous enough to bring some snacks as well! We had a veggie platter, cheese and crackers, my friend Meghan's homemade salsa (SO FRESH AND YUMMY), cookies, candy, and a precious birthday cake from Cory's sister. Check this out:

It was lemony,  fresh, and DELICIOUS!

In case you missed it ... a close up of the food table!

I loved having everyone over, and I think everyone had a great time! ALL the food went. Have you thrown a party recently? What did your menu look like?