Recipe

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In the face of sub-zero temperatures and battling a bout of illness, I opted to prepare this soup, and it turned out to be the absolute BEST decision. Crafted with a comforting chicken broth foundation and elevated by the invigorating spice of enchilada sauce, it managed to be both soothing and delightfully zesty.

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Ever since I made the first pot, I’ve been craving more. It stores well in the fridge, so I recommend you make a large pot and savor it all week long.

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Ingredients:

• Olive oil and/or 1 TB of Butter
• 1 chopped sweet onion
• 1 chopped pepper (I used red)
• 1 chopped jalapeno
• 5 cups of broth
• 2 cans/jars of enchilada sauce
• 1 can of corn (drained)
• 1 can of black beans (drained)
• 1 cup of chunky salsa
• 8 oz. of cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
• 1 TB of garlic
• 2 cups of shredded chicken
  • I used a rotisserie chicken, then boiled the bones to make the broth
  • Leave this out or serve on the side for a vegetarian option
• 1 TB cajun seasoning or whatever seasonings you want to use
• 1 t of cumin (optional)
• Splash of hot sauce (optional)

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Optional toppings:

• tortilla chips,
• sour cream,
• avocado,
• cheese,
• a drizzle of hot sauce, or
• diced jalapenos.

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Directions:

Start by sautéing the onion, peppers and garlic in a drizzle of olive oil and a pat of butter.

After 3-5 minutes, add the broth, enchilada sauce, corn, beans and salsa. Bring to a boil, then let simmer about 10-15 minutes. Add seasoning.

Add the cheeses and chicken and stir.

Serve in mugs or bowls.

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Enjoy!

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Do you love jalapeños like me?

Click here for my favorite Jalapeño popper recipe.

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I love this snack so much.  Caprese is the absolute perfect combination of flavors. The juicy tomatoes, the savory basil, the soft mozzarella cheese, and the sweet balsamic glaze. Yum!

For guests, I’ll make the cute little kebabs. When it’s just for me, I’ll eat it ‘deconstructed’ in a bowl.

It’s a quick, easy, healthy and delicious snack. What more could you ask for?

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What you need:

All the supplies can be found at Target.

• Toothpicks
• Balsamic glaze
• Cherry tomatoes
• Mozzarella bites
• Fresh basil leaves
• Olive oil, optional
• Salt and pepper, optional

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What to do:

Caprese Salad: Put the mozzarella, tomato and basil in a bowl. Drizzle the balsamic glaze on top. Add salt and pepper and olive oil if you’d like.

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Caprese Kebabs:

If you want them a little fancier for guests, make bite-sized kebabs. Take a toothpick, add one tomato, a strip of basil, and a piece of mozzarella.

Line these up on a pretty dish. Drizzle balsamic glaze on top. Salt, pepper, and olive oil are optional.

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Enjoy! 

Want more recipes?

Here’s one for my favorite protein bites.

Here’s my favorite jalapeño popper recipe.

And finally:

The world’s best Kale Salad.

Here’s one of my favorite game day snacks!

Here’s what you need:

Ingredients

(this can be doubled!)

• 6-7 jalapeños
• 1/2 cup Shredded Cheese (a little extra is always ok!)
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 3/4 t Seasoning Salt
• 1-2 pieces of bacon (When I know I’m making poppers, I make some bacon for breakfast and set aside a piece or two for later)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray or spread bacon grease on pan.

Cut the tops off the jalapeño. Slice jalapeños in half and remove all seeds. Lay jalapeños on cookie sheet.

Chop bacon into bits.

In a microwave safe bowl, add 4 oz of cream. Warm in microwave for about 15 seconds so that the cream cheese becomes soft and is easier to mix.

Add the shredded cheese, bacon bits, and seasoning salt. Mix well.

Spoon into jalapenos.

Bake for about 15 minutes.

Take them out of the oven, throw a little extra cheese on top, bake for 5 extra minutes.

Enjoy!

Hope your team wins!

Want more recipes?

Click here for a simple salsa recipe!

Click here for a yummy loaded Hummus recipe

The first time I ordered Gazpacho was almost 25 years ago. It was a cold, rainy day, and all I wanted was some warm soup. I ordered Gazpacho, not realizing that this was a COLD soup! I was living in Florida, so cold soup is a good idea most days of the year, but this was NOT one of those days. I wanted something warm. When I tasted the soup, I thought I was being pranked, or that the kitchen had messed up – why was this soup cold? I wasn’t expecting it and didn’t enjoy it.

However, now that I’m familiar with Gazpacho, I’ve grown fond of this soup. I’ve even been craving it this summer. It’s bright and refreshing, full of fresh, crunchy vegetables and perfect on a hot day – and it’s been hot here in Minnesota – about 15 degrees above normal for this time of year. The tomatoes I planted in May are finally ripening, and my neighbor brought over cucumbers from her garden. I used those two ingredients and a few more to make this delicious, refreshing Gazpacho Soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 round tomato, or two Romas – most seeds removed
• 1/2 red onion
• 2 small peppers or one regular size
• 1/2 cucumber, most seeds removed
• 1-3 slices of Jalapeño, depending on your heat preference
• 1-2 T of olive oil
• 2-3 T of vinegar – either Balsamic, Wine, Sherry or Apple Cider
• 1 tsp of Cumin
• Salt/Pepper

Put everything in a blender or food processor.

Pour into one or two bowls. Crumble up some white bread or a croissant roll and add to the bowl. Allow the bread to seep for several minutes before eating.

ENJOY!

Feel free to double or triple this recipe! You’ll be glad you did :).