Southwest Vegetable Soup

Slightly spicy, very yummy. Created tonight in our kitchen.

Ingredients:


~1 14.5oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
~1 roasted red pepper (you could roast your own or use a jarred one)
~1 orange pepper, chopped
~2 cups frozen corn
~1 can black beans, drained
~1 can northern beans, drained
~1 32oz. box chicken stock
~1 tbs. cumin
~1 tsp. chili powder
~salt & pepper
~2 cloves garlic, minced
~1/4 cup chopped onion
~2 tbs. olive oil
~a handful of chopped cilantro, for garnish

1. In soup pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, and orange pepper and saute until softened.
2. Add tomatoes, beans, chicken stock, cumin, chili powder, and red pepper. Increase heat to high and bring soup to almost a boil.
3. Lower heat and add corn. Add salt and pepper to taste and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Ladle into bowls and top with cilantro.

Greek Salsa Chicken

If you love a dish with big, salty, yummy Mediterranean flavors, this is for you.

From Sweet Pea's Kitchen

Ingredients:
For the salsa:
~4 oz. crumbled feta cheese
~1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
~1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
~1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
~1/4 cup lemon juice
~1/4 cup olive oil
~1 tbs. freshly chopped oregano

For the chicken:
~6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
~salt & pepper
~2 tbs. olive oil
~2 lemons, cut into wedges

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine salsa ingredients. Set aside.
3. Heat 2 tbs. olive oil in a large roasting pan over medium-high heat (I don't have a roasting pan that is stovetop safe, so I used a pot and transferred to my roasting pan when it was time for the oven).
3. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Sear chicken on both sides until golden brown; about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove from heat.
4. Squeeze lemons over chicken. Place squeezed lemons around the chicken in the roasting pan. Roast until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, about 25-35 minutes. Chicken will form a delicious brown crust on the outside. Serve with salsa.

Black Bean & Pinto Chili

Our favorite easy chili. This only takes 20-30 minutes to get on the table!

From: Is It Soup Yet?

Ingredients:
~1 lb. ground beef
~1/2 cup chopped onion
~1/4 tsp. garlic powder
~1 (15oz.) can black beans, drained
~1 (15oz.) can pinto beans, drained
~1 (28oz.) can diced tomatoes
~1 (6oz.) can tomato paste
~1 and 1/3 cups water
~1 and 1/2 tsp. salt
~1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
~1 tsp. chili powder
*I also add 1 can of white corn and 1 can of mild chili beans to this. I think it adds great flavor and a sweet crunch with the corn.

1. In a large pot, brown the ground beef with the chopped onion.
2. Stir in the remaining ingredients and cook for 15 minutes.
3. Serve topped with your choice of shredded cheese, sour cream, or scallions.

Grilled Veggie Tortillas

from Taste of Home

These are meant to be made on the grill; however, today I used a skillet for steps 1 & 2 and the oven set on broil for step 3.

Ingredients:
1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise in quarters
1 yellow summer squash, cut lengthwise into quarters
1 sweet red pepper, cut in half
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt
1 large tomato, chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. pesto
1 tbsp. minced fresh basil
1 tbsp. minced fresh oregano
4 whole wheat tortillas (I used 2 flatbreads that we already had in the pantry and they worked great)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (we used chihuahua cheese, which was very tasty)

1. Brush the zucchini, summer squash, and pepper with 1 tbsp. olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Grill veggies over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until tender. Cut into 1/2 in. cubes and place in small bowl. Stir in tomato.
2. Combine the mayonnaise, pesto, basil, and oregano and set aside. Brush both sides of the tortillas with remaining oil. Grill, uncovered, over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until puffed. (With the flatbreads, it did not take that long, so make sure you stay close by and watch them!)
3. Remove from grill. Spread sauce mixture on tortilla and top with veggies. Sprinkle with cheese. Grill, covered, for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Poor Man's Lobster Rolls

A truly light and delightful summer sandwich.  Adapted from Food Network Magazine; sauce mixture is from the magazine.

Use imitation lobster for a budget-friendly version or the real thing for a special occasion.

Ingredients:
2 packages imitation lobster, chunked
1 lemon, halved
1/2 cup mayonnaise
7 tbs. butter, melted
6 hoagie buns
1/4 cup roughly chopped celery leaves
1/4 tsp. celery salt
2 roma tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
salt
1/8 tsp. dried dill

1. Whisk mayonnaise, 4 tbs. melted butter, and the juice from the lemon in a large bowl. Add lobster meat and toss to coat. Season with salt.
2. Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium heat. Brush the outside of hoagie rolls with melted butter and toast rolls until golden, about 1 minute per side.
3. Line the split of the hoagie roll with tomato slices. Top with lobster mixture and sprinkle with celery leaves, celery salt, and dill.

New-Orleans Style Shrimp

This has become Evan and I's new favorite. It is INCREDIBLY flavorful, thanks to the homemade broth. It does take some patience and time, due to peeling and de-veining the shrimp, but I promise it's worth it.

From Food Network Magazine

Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 lbs. medium-sized shrimp in the shell (you can buy these fresh in the meat/seafood section, or frozen)
1 tbs. creole seasoning
6 tbs. unsalted butter
2 bunches scallions, chopped
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup frozen corn
2 roma tomatoes

1. Peel the shrimp and reserve the shells. Devein the shrimp and rinse in a colander. Drain and pat dry; sprinkle with creole seasoning.
2. Heat 2 tbs. butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add the shells and half of the scallions and cook until the shells turn pink, about 1-2 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce and 1 and 1/2 cups water and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Strain the shrimp broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl; discard the solids.
3. Melt the remaining 4 tbs. butter in the skillet over high heat. Add shrimp and remaining scallions until the shrimp start to turn pink, about 1 minute. Add the reserved shrimp broth and simmer until cooked through, about 3 more minutes.
4. Put the corn in a microwave-safe dish and cook on high for 2-3 minutes. Cut the tomatoes into chunks. Divide corn and tomatoes between 2 bowls. Add the shrimp and ladle in the broth.

Chicken Bruschetta Bake

Super simple. Super delicious.

From kraftfoods.com

Ingredients:
1 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes, undrained - I use an italian diced tomato, which adds tons of flavor
1 pkg. Stove Top for Chicken
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 and 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Mix tomatoes, stuffing mix, garlic, and water until stuffing mix is just moistened.
3. Layer chicken, basil, and cheese in a 9x13 baking dish.
4. Top with stuffing mixture. Bake for 30 minutes.

That's it. Seriously. Give it a try for a quick and delicious weeknight meal.