Chicken and Lime Soup

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil 
• 1 medium yellow onion 
• 2 stalks celery 
• 1 medium jalapeno 
• 4 cloves garlic 
• ¾ lb. chicken breast 
• 6 cups chicken broth* 
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes w/chiles 
• 1 tsp oregano 
• ½ Tbsp cumin 
• 1 medium lime 
• ½ bunch cilantro 
• 1 medium avocado 

Instructions

1. Dice the onion, celery, and jalapeno (scrape the seeds out of the jalapeno before dicing). Mince the garlic. Cook the onion, celery, jalapeno, and garlic in olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until tender.
2. Add the chicken breast, chicken broth, canned tomatoes with chiles, oregano, and cumin to the pot. Bring the whole pot up to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat to low, place a lid on top, and let simmer for one hour.
3. After simmering for an hour with a lid on, carefully remove the chicken breast from the pot and use two forks to shred the meat. Return the meat to the pot. Squeeze the juice of one lime into the soup. Get as much juice as possible from the lime by using a spoon to scrape the inside of the lime.
4. Rinse the cilantro and then roughly chop the leaves. Add to the pot, give it a quick stir, and serve. Dice the avocado and add a few chunks to each bowl.

http://www.budgetbytes.com/2012/10/chicken-lime-soup/

Baked Southwestern Eggrolls

Photo via nutritiouseats.com

Yield: 21 eggrolls

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can corn
• 1 can (15 OUNCES) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne red pepper
• 1 package (21) egg roll wrappers (tortillas are also good)
• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
• 2 tomatoes, chopped

**1 egg beaten for sealing egg roll (can substitute water)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, combine everything but the egg roll wrappers. Place ~1/4 cup mixture in the center of one egg roll wrapper. Fold bottom corner over filling. Fold sides toward center over filling and continue to roll tightly to seal (see directions on egg roll wrapper). Using your finger, moisten remaining corner with egg. Repeat.
2. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush tops of egg rolls lightly with olive oil. Bake at 425 degrees F for 10-15 minutes until lightly brown. Turn them halfway through baking.
3. Serve warm with salsa, guacamole and/or sour cream.

 Recipe based off of this one

Monster Cookies

2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 c. white sugar
1 1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
2 lg. eggs
1 T. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
2 t. Kosher salt
1 1/2 c. oats
1/2 c. M&M's, or more
1/2 c. chopped pecans, or more
1 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. peanut butter chips, or more
2 1/4 c. Rice Krispies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cream butter with sugars until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well.  Add: flour, b.soda, b.pow., and salt. Beat. Add remaining ingredients except Krispies. Mix. Add R. Krispies and mix gently, just to combine. Bake 12 - 15 min, until golden brown.  - Tricia

Cucumber Sandwiches

1 medium cucumber
1/2 c. apple cider vinegar
1 c. water
8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. onion salt
dash Worcestershire
1 loaf sliced white bread

Score cucumber lengthwise with fork (for fanciness) and slice thin.  Combine vinegar and water, add cucumber slices, let stand at room temp. for at least 30 min. Combine cream cheese, mayo, garlic, onion and Worcestershire.  Cut the crust off of the bread. Spread the bread slices with the cream cheese mixture, top half of them with the cucumbers (four per slice of bread).  Put the tops on the sandwiches and slice into quarters.                                      - Tricia

Devonshire Cream

8 oz. marscapone
2 c. heavy whipping cream
2 t. vanilla
4 T. sugar
2 limes, zested

Whip all together until thickened and serve with fruit or as a dessert topping.    - Tricia

BBQ Chicken & Pineapple Quesadillas

Photo and recipe via Closet Cooking.

Ingredients

• 1 (10 inch) tortilla
• 1/4 cup cheddar, shredded
• 1/4 cup jack, shredded
• 1/4 cup chicken, cooked, shredded or cut into small pieces and warm
• 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
• 1/4 cup pineapple, sliced and optionally grilled
• 1 jalapeno, sliced
• cilantro to taste

Directions

1. Heat a pan over medium heat.
2. Place the tortilla in the pan, sprinkle half of the cheese over half of the tortilla, followed by the chicken, BBQ sauce, pineapple, jalapeno, cilantro and the remaining cheese.
3. Fold the tortilla in half covering the filling and cook until the quesadilla is golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted, about 2-4 minutes per side.

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 cups milk

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes and jalapenos

1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup bell pepper, diced

1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce

2 chicken breasts

1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, then stir in 3 tablespoons of flour.  Continue to stir until smooth then remove from the heat and add 1/2 cup (each) of chicken broth and milk until smooth.  Put the pan back on the heat and bring it to a boil until it thickened.  Whisked mixture with a can of enchilada sauce, adding the additional 1 1/2 cups of milk and set it aside

In the slow cooker,  add 1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed), 1 can of diced tomatoes and jalapenos, 10 ounces of frozen corn and 1/2 cup (each) of chopped onion and bell pepper. Then add two chicken breasts on top of the mixture and pour the set aside sauce over everything.

Set the slow cooker on high and let it cook for 4 hours. Once cooked, remove the chicken and shred it with two forks.  Put the chicken back into the slow cooker and mix it together. Top with 1 cup of Monterrey Jack cheese.   

Recipe found here.