Tortilla Soup

Really good tortilla soup. Mom said it was better than Cafe Rio's. I don't know about that, because I love Cafe Rio soup, but this was very good nonetheless. I cut the extra tortillas into strips and fried them instead of using chips, and I also used Monterey Jack cheese instead of Cheddar. It makes a ton.

Mexican Chicken Soup
2006, Barefoot Contessa at Home, All Rights Reserved

Ingredients
4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 1/2 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional
6 (6-inch) fresh white corn tortillas
Directions
For serving: sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, 1 tablespoon salt (depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock), 1 teaspoon pepper, and the cilantro, if using. Cut the tortillas in 1/2, then cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste. Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and broken tortilla chips.

Ridiculously Good Pizza

We look forward to arugula season in our house because that means good pizzas. We tried this for the first time and it is easily one of our top 3 favorite pizzas. Don't be scared by the pears on the pizza. Everything together is awesome.

Pear and Prosciutto Pizza

Pit peppery arugula against a base of creamy, sweet caramelized onions. Also appearing: prudent amounts of salty prosciutto, cheese, and walnuts.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 wedges)
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups vertically sliced Oso Sweet or other sweet onion
1 (12-ounce) prebaked pizza crust (such as Mama Mary's)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded provolone cheese
1 medium pear, thinly sliced
2 ounces prosciutto, cut into thin strips
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted
1 1/2 cups baby arugula leaves
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; cover and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover and cook 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently.

3. Place pizza crust on a baking sheet. Top evenly with onion mixture; sprinkle with cheese. Top evenly with pear and prosciutto. Sprinkle with pepper. Bake at 450° for 12 minutes or until cheese melts. Sprinkle with nuts. Place arugula in a medium bowl. Drizzle vinegar over greens; toss gently to coat. Top pizza evenly with arugula mixture. Cut pizza into 8 wedges.

Nutritional Information
Calories:
446
Fat:
18.8g (sat 4.9g,mono 5.1g,poly 7.3g)
Protein:
16.6g
Carbohydrate:
55.5g
Fiber:
3.8g
Cholesterol:
17mg
Iron:
3.6mg
Sodium:
664mg
Calcium:
221mg
Jackie Mills, Cooking Light, MARCH 2010

Mother's Day Salmon

I know some of you do not care for salmon, but this was amazingly good. We made it for mom for Mother's Day and I was pretty impressed by the recipe. Make the cream the day before to make it easier. Totally worth it.

Almond-Crusted Salmon with Leek and Lemon Cream
Bon Appétit | April 2002

Yield: Makes 6 servings

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
2 medium leeks, halved, thinly sliced (white and pale green parts only)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup sliced almonds, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup all purpose flour
6 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets
1 large egg, beaten to blend
2 tablespoons olive oil

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leeks; sauté 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook until leeks are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to medium; add lemon juice and stir until liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Mix in cream. Simmer until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer mixture to blender. Blend until smooth. Strain sauce into same saucepan, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Mix almonds, parsley, lemon peel, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper on plate. Place flour on another plate. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Dredge salmon in flour, shaking off excess. Lightly brush 1 side of salmon with beaten egg. Press brushed side of salmon into almond mixture, pressing lightly to adhere. Arrange salmon, nut side up, on baking sheet.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in each of 2 heavy large skillets over medium heat. Add half of salmon to each skillet, almond-coated side down, and cook until crust is brown, about 5 minutes. Turn salmon over. Sauté until salmon is cooked through and opaque in center, about 5 minutes. Transfer salmon to plates.

Reheat sauce, stirring over medium heat. Spoon around salmon and serve.