MFIH Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

This recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup is from an hgtv magazine - I have no I idea why tortilla is in the title, the only place they are used in this recipe is as a garnish, there's no tortillas in the soup. Hmmm...I renamed it 'Mexican Chicken Soup' just for the family meal this week, call it whatever you want hahaha. I got good feedback from everyone but no review from Georgie this time (boo).

I changed the recipe a little bit because of my gluten-free people, it calls for cheddar cheese soup but I couldn't find a GF version so I made a roux using GF all-purpose flour, butter, and milk (basically I made milk gravy). Then stirred in 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese - I didn't think it was cheesy enough after I added it to the soup so once it was done cooking in the crock pot I added 1/2 jarred queso cheese dip. Also I couldn't find tomatoes with green chilies so I just added a small can of mild chilies along with the diced tomatoes. 

I really thought I took pictures but I can't find them 🤷‍♀️ Here's the photo that accompanied the recipe:

Here's the original recipe:

• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" pieces
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans chicken broth
• 1 (10.75 oz) can cheddar cheese soup
• 2 cups chopped carrots
• 8 oz. frozen corn
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 t. ground cumin
• 1/2 T. chili powder
• handful of chopped cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste

garnishes:

• shredded cheese (Monterey Jack or a Mexican blend)
• sliced avocado
• tortilla chips

1. Combine all the ingredients except the garnishes in a slow cooker

2. Cook on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours, or on LOW for about 8 hours.

3. Ladle into bowls and top each with garnishes.   

1.14.25: TT grocery list

1.14.24: 🔥 week 2 

1.14.23: sweet tea swagger

1.14.22: t-shirt rag quilt

1.14.21: dog crochet basket 

1.14.20: TT: cleaning your mattress

1.14.19: bath salt cakes

1.14.18: west coast chili

1.14.17: Janis's chicken soup

1.14.16: fringe and chain necklace

Tip-sy Tuesday: meal prep with GF issues

Quick tip if anyone is preparing meals at the same time that are for gluten and non-gluten people - I have been trying to be so careful and mindful to not cross-contaminate the dishes and have been following the habit of making all the gluten-free dishes first, and then continuing on to make the dishes that contain gluten. It's too easy to stir pots with the same spoon and I don't want to make the mistake of forgetting which pot is gluten free and accidentally stick my spoon in it. 

For example I made chicken spaghetti (recipe to follow) for this weeks MFIH meal (My Family Is Hungry), one batch using gluten-free spaghetti and one batch with regular spaghetti - well they look the same and I'm very forgetful so I boiled the GF noodles first and made the GF sauce; then put it in a baking glass dish, labeled and wrapped it up. Then I boiled the regular noodles and made the sauce following the regular directions. Getting gluten free in a gluten dish is no big deal, but getting gluten in a gluten-free dish is a no-no!

If I wasn't making 1/2 of the meals gluten-free I would just double all the ingredients and split them in half accordingly; but since we have 2 gluten-free family members I need to make sure that one batch is kept completely GF, you can't even use the same pans or utensils unless you make the GF one first. 

1.13.25: unsubscribe from emails

1.13.24: words

1.13.23: vegetable parmigiana 

1.13.22: chicken parmigiana stuffed mushrooms

1.13.21: lemon honey dijon chicken

1.13.20 - crocheted messy bun hat

1.13.19 - 🔥week 2

1.13.18 - lentil gravy

1.13.17 - bath bombs

1.13.16 - cover a side table

Tiny Train Scene

I got Dave a teeny-tiny train set for Christmas and decided he needed a 'scene' for it - the track is just a small oval and the train going around and around in a circle was kinda boring haha. 

So I covered a board with paper and then gathered things from around the house to create a landscape for his train to drive thru. There's driftwood stacked up with a tiny billygoat standing on top; a lake with floating people and a moss covered cave for a 'monster' fish; a cornfield with tiny farm animals; a cardboard tube tunnel I covered with wood-looking paper; a windmill; and naturally a dinosaur in the trees behind a fence looking in. Super silly but so fun to put together! Most of the supplies were things I had on hand - small pebbles, 'trees' I just clipped pieces off artificial plants, sheet moss, fence and dinosaur - I bought the mini farm animals and people, the cattails and cornstalks. 

1.12.25: 🔥 week 2

1.12.24: 2-toned candy melt curls

1.12.23: coconut pecan filling

1.12.22: chocolate caramel tart

1.12.21: TT: fennel

1.12.20 - 🔥week 2

1.12.19 - sour cream chicken enchiladas

1.12.18 - sweet dill pickles

1.12.17 - what to purge list

1.12.16 - closet organizing

1/10 ~ Words

1.10.25: photography station 

1.10.24: creamed new potatoes and peas 

1.10.23: tip-sy tuesday: clear light fix

1.10.22: car air freshener 

1.10.21: 🔥 week 2

1.10.20 - sweet and sour cabbage

1.10.19 - watching for happy moments

1.10.18 - savory monkey bread

1.10.17 - kitchen tip, date your spices 

1.10.16 - bean and vegetable soup

The Two-One-Two Cocktail

I haven't made this drink yet but it's on the list to try - it sounds great to me (I love grapefruit juice, have never mixed with tequila and aperol tho!).  I'll update this post after I've made one and hopefully remember to take a picture :) 

 found here at serious eats

1.9.25: tiramisu cake

1.9.24: tt abv vs proof

1.9.23: clear marble notecards

1.9.22: 🔥 week 2

1.9.21: pub soup

1.9.20: TBT: pear salad

1.9.19: tuna noodle casserole 

1.9.18: how to make a wedge-shaped paper box

1.9.17: I organized my garage craft room

1.9.16: bloody mary (and a 2019 update)

Christmas Tree Bubble Bread

LeDonna made this last month and then I made it twice after that - once as written and another one gluten free using frozen gf pastry dough. I get that you probably aren't going to make a Christmas tree now that it's January haha, but I'm sharing this so it's on the blog for 11 months from now! Also you could make this bubble bread in other shapes, it's not only a fun idea for Christmas - a heart for Valentines day or a bunny for Easter? Maybe just change up the red tomatoes and green spinach that add to the "Christmas-y theme".

Here's the ingredients and directions to make a tree shape, you'll have to adapt it for other shapes. 

• 6 mozzarella cheese sticks (string cheese)
• 5 sharp cheddar cheese sticks
• 5 pepper jack cheese sticks
• 2 containers of refrigerated Pillsbury Grands Homestyle Buttermilk Biscuits (8 count each for a total of 16 biscuits)
• 2 T. butter
• 1/2 t. garlic powder
• 1/3 cup diced cherry tomatoes (cut each tomato into 4 pieces)
• 1/3 cup finely diced baby spinach (tip - use kitchen scissors to make this part easy)
• 1/4 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese or grated parmesan, plus additional for serving (optional)
• pretzel sticks for the tree base (or extra bread balls)
• dips of choice for serving: marinara sauce, ranch dressing, or spinach dip

1. Preheat oven to 350'

2. Cut each cheese stick into 4 pieces, making 64 pieces

3. Remove the biscuits from their containers and split them in half, making 32 circles of dough

4. Flatten the dough circles

5. Place two pieces of the same kind of cheese in the middle of each piece of dough

6. Pinch the dough together and roll the dough in your hands to make perfect circles

7. Place parchment paper on baking sheet(s)

8. For one large tree use the large baking sheet and start with 7 cheese filled dough balls for the bottom of the tree. For two small trees, use 5 cheese filled dough balls for the bottom of the Christmas tree

9. Working upwards, place 1 less dough ball in each layer until you get to the top of the tree (and add dough balls to the bottom for the trunk if not using pretzel sticks)

10. Microwave the butter until fully melted

11. Stir in the garlic powder

12. Using a basting brush, cover the Christmas tree(s) with the melted garlic butter

13. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella or grated parmesan over the uncooked tree

14. Top with spinach and tomatoes

15. Bake for 30 minutes or until the dough is golden and the center of the tree is fully cooked. For a larger tree this could be around 34 minutes

16. Gently slide the cooked tree onto a large cutting board or serving dish

17. Sprinkle more mozzarella or parmesan around the tree (optional)

18. Place a handful of pretzel sticks under the tree to create the tree trunk

19. Serve warm with dips of choice.

1.8.25: bean burritos 

1.8.24: three cheese potato gratin

1.8.23: 🔥 week 2

1.8.22: candy bouquet

1.8.21: creamy tortellini with sausage and veggies

1.8.20: steak gorgonzola alfredo

1.8.19: mini trees

1.8.18: crocheted clutch

1.8.17: chicken enchilada suizas

1.8.16: dog on a diet

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

I was making my standard pumpkin bread the other day and remembered that I had a bag of fresh cranberries leftover in the fridge. I decided to add them to the bread batter to see what would happen and fortunately it turned out great! I added 1 cup whole cranberries and 1 cup chopped cranberries, the results are delicious and made the bread even more perfect for neighbor Christmas gifts - this will be a go-to addition around the holidays in the future. 

Here's the pumpkin bread recipe I have been making for years and years:

I have been making this exact pumpkin bread recipe since I was a kid, I still use the recipe card that I wrote it out on from when I was young - judging by the handwriting I'd say I was 10ish!  Simple quick bread, makes 3 loaves which is nice if you want a big batch recipe (I kept one and gave away two; or wrap the extras tightly in a layer of plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and seal in a gallon size freezer bag). The only thing I do differently from the recipe is to bake for about 10 minutes less, add a little more spice*, and sometimes I top with natural coarse sugar before baking.

3 cups white sugar (plus extra for topping if desired)
1 cup oil (my recipe is so old it calls for "salad oil")
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon *
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups pumpkin
2/3 cup water
3 1/2 cups flour

coarse sugar for topping, optional 

Mix all in a big bowl until blended. Divide into 3 greased bread pans. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if you want. Bake 350' for approx. 50 minutes until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out pretty clean.

I gave some to Janis and Patty; Patty called me the next morning and said hers was gone and she loved it, and to "never change the recipe". I didn't tell her that I've been making this for 40 years and am not going to change it now hahaha!!

*I've been upping the spice amounts - 2 1/2 t. cinnamon, 2 1/2 t. nutmeg, 1/2 t. ground ginger; and white granulated sugar on top is also good, it makes the top crackly. 

1.7.25: TT prepping brussels sprouts 

1.7.24: 🔥 week 1

1.7.23: poke brownies

1.7.22: cauliflower pizza

1.7.21: no bake cookie bars by Brooke 

1.7.20: Tip-sy Tuesday: wrapping paper filler

1.7.19: the short-lived segment of Man-day Monday

1.7.18: breakfast egg muffins

1.7.17: grocery store bouquet

1.7.17: fruitcake squares (don't be afraid, they're good!)

Tip-sy Tuesday: slicing tomatoes

Super quick easy tip today - I do this all the time and while cutting my cherry tomatoes in half this morning I had the thought that I should share this with you in case you occasionally struggle with slicing tomatoes. I poke the tip of my paring knife into the tomato and then put the knife in the slit and slice - quite often when trying to slice or half a tomato the knife won't cut, poking the knife tip in gives slicing it a head start. 

1.6.25: chicken stir fry

1.6.24: January 6th

1.6.23: pumpkin bars

1.6.22: alligator pear salad

1.6.21: povitica (apple cinnamon bread)

1.6.20: crocheted cowl

1.6.19: 🔥week 1

1.6.18: Hawaiian inspired jewelry set

1.6.17: spicy crumb coated broccoli

1.6.16: washi tape lampshade

Yule Log Fail

 I thought it'd be fun to make something different for Christmas dessert that I've never made before - a  'Bûche de Noël' or Yule Log (essentially a chocolate roll, like a pumpkin roll - chocolate cake rolled up around a whipped cream filling. I followed the recipe I saw at delish, there was a video and everything and honestly it didn't seem that hard. I was wrong.

This is how it's supposed to look:

I will say for the record that this tasted really good - I just couldn't serve it in its intended log shape. So I chopped it up and we had 'deconstructed yule log' or 'yule log trifle' hahaha. 

This is real life 😂:

The filling is very thick and held its shape which was great. The cake didn't crack until after I rolled it around the filling and then the whole thing just fell apart. I turned it over and frosted the underside, and then cubed it up into chunks and layered them in a clear trifle bowl - I forgot to take a picture but you can picture what cake and cream chunks looks like right? hahahah.  Tasted good but the presentation was
a fail - I guess I could have still served slices 'whole' and messy but I do not like to serve ugly food LOL.

Sigh. Oh well. 

recipe found here at delish 

1.5.25: 🔥 week 1

1.5.24: January 5th

1.5.23: three cheese chicken or pork chops

1.5.22: gym equipment (funny)

1.5.21: TT proofing dough 

1.5.20: 🔥week 1

1.5.19: unstuffed chicken cordon bleu

1.5.18: Brooke made a hanging ribbon hoop thing

1.5.17: t.p. holder

1.5.16: freezing meals tip

1/3 ~ Words

1.3.25: thru the years

1.3.24: January 3rd

1.3.23: everything bagel seasoning

1.3.22: hemp dog necklace re-run

1.3.21: black-eyed pea jambalaya re-run

1.3.20: ornament storage

1.3.19: removing wax from candleholders

1.3.18: chocolate birthday cake for Noah

1.3.17: monthly bill log

1.3.16: black-eyed pea jambalaya