This is one of my favorite recipes, mostly because it is one of my favorite flavor combinations; cilantro and lime. In addition to tasting great it also freezes and reheats well. Any recipe that serves my monster family for more than one meal is a big winner. It comes from Pennies On A Platter, still my favorite food blog.

My photos are craptastic. I don’t know how to use the camera. Sorry.

Baked Chicken Taquitos
Barely Adapted from Pennies on a Platter
Ingredients

3 Oz. Cream Cheese, softened

1/4 Cup Green Salsa or Green Taco Sauce

1 Tbsp. Lime Juice

1/2 Tsp. Ground Cumin

1 Tsp. Chili Powder

1/2 Tsp. Onion Powder

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

3 Tbsp. Cilantro, chopped

3 Green Onions, chopped

2 Cups Chicken, cooked and chopped

1 Cup Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded

12 Snack Size Flour Tortillas (or more)

Combine the first seven ingredients. Add in everything else, except the tortillas. It’s not a casserole silly!

Once everything is combined, put a few tablespoons of the mixture in each tortilla. Just eyeball it. This is one of those recipes that works without having to measure anything. That’s awesome because it means you don’t have to wash the measuring stuff. Yay. My husband doesn’t wash measuring cups or spoons unless they are used for liquid. It’s gross. I swear I will never forgive his mother for teaching him that. That’s why I love this recipe, I don’t have to pick up a measuring spoon that is covered in cinnamon or salt or whatever he used last. If I make this every night we’ll probably stay married forever.

As you fill the tortillas, roll them up and place them on a baking sheet, seam-side-down. Spray them lightly with cooking spray. I use one of those pump jobbies with olive oil in it. You could use Pam, but it has propane in it. Seriously, check the ingredients.

Bake them in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown. I serve them with black beans because the twinkies do not enjoy the cilantro-lime flavor combo but they love black beans. If they eat just one thing on their plate, it’s a win.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but it is fall here in Alaska. I’m sure snow is just around the corner. It makes me cry a little. Upside, cold weather means soup for dinner.

This recipe comes from my friend Shauna. She’s all sorts of fabulous. Almost 10 years ago, when Dallas and I were at Purdue she and her husband had us over and she made this soup. It was the best thing I’d ever eaten. A couple of years ago I asked her for the recipe and she graciously obliged.

I hate when people are stingy with recipes. I add them to my list of people who suck.

Shauna’s Tortellini Soup.

Ingredients

1 Pkg. Sweet Italian Sausage Links, cooked according to package directions then cooled and chopped into bite size pieces. (You could also use Hot or Mild-depending on the taste buds of your family)

4-6 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped

2 Ribs Celery, finely chopped

1/2 Onion, finely chopped

2 Carrots, finely chopped

Olive Oil

8 Oz. Mushrooms, sliced

Cavender’s Greek Seasoning (If you can’t find it Salt & Pepper works too)

2 – 32 Oz. Cartons Chicken Broth

1 Can Diced Tomatoes

1 Can Cannellini Beans (Any white bean will do)

1 Bunch Kale, cleaned and de-ribbed then coarsely chopped

Green Beans, cleaned and cut into bite size pieces (I always use frozen, thawed to room temperature)

Zucchini, cut into bite size pieces (optional)

Season to taste with: Salt (taste it, there is a lot of salt in the sausage already), Pepper, Basil, Fennel, Oregano, and Crushed Red Pepper. (The red pepper is also optional)

Frozen Cheese Tortellini, cooked according to package directions)

The first step is to chop all of your vegetables. It takes a while so pour yourself a glass (or two) of wine and chop everything first or while the sausage is cooking. I put the garlic, onion, carrot, and celery in the food processor to make it easier. Do as you wish, just don’t come crying to me when you cut yourself trying to dice all that crap up.

Saute the garlic, onion, celery, and carrot in olive oil until soft. Add the mushrooms and season with Cavender’s. Cook until they are done to your liking.

Add in the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and beans. I do not drain the beans or the tomatoes. Cook that until it is almost boiling then add the sausage and the rest of the vegetables. Season to taste.

Cook the whole concoction until the beans are tender. Taste it a few times and adjust the seasoning as needed. Shauna recommends thickening the soup with instant mashed potatoes, 1/4 Cup at a time. I don’t do this, but I like my soup broth-y.

The trick to this soup is that you do not add the tortellini to it. Instead, serve it separate and then pour the broth over it. It keeps them from getting all mushy and gross.  Serve it with freshly grated parmesan.

The recipe makes a lot of soup. I’ve frozen the leftover portion and it worked out well. Usually though, I just eat the leftovers for lunch for a week. I eat it without the tortellini because at lunch I’m to lazy to boil water.

Enjoy!