Tex Mex Soup

PREPARE 4 chicken breasts, boiled with 1/2 t salt, 1/2 t pepper, 1 t garlic powder, 2 T parsley, and 5 cubes chicken bullion (or one rotisserie chicken) (Alternatively, you could marinate chicken breasts in similar seasonings and grill or fry in a skillet with some oil.) SHREDDED.

In soup pot, combine:
1 jar chunky salsa (24 oz)
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cans chili beans (in sauce)
3 T chili powder
8 oz. sour cream
corn
Low Sodium Chicken Broth
Add shredded chicken

Cook through and serve with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

Banana Horchata Pancakes

I stumbled upon this recipe on accident when I started making banana pancakes and then discovered we had run out of milk. But we had horchata! And they turned out truly delicious!

1 cup flour (or use Red Mill gluten-free, 1-to-1 baking flour for a gluten-free variety)
1 egg
3 t baking powder
2-3 T sugar
1/4 t salt
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
approximately 1/2 cup horchata (enough to make a smooth, silky batter)
1 small-medium banana, chopped (a great use for a banana that is starting to turn brown)
Maple syrup (optional)

Mix all ingredients until you have a smooth, loose batter. Pour into rounds on a hot griddle. (About 250-300 degrees.) Flip when the centers bubble and the edges start to brown slightly. Wha-la! Delicious banana horchata pancakes! They go great with syrup, too!

Gourmet Guacamole

Ingredients: (measurements are approximate)
4 avocados, diced
4 Roma tomatoes, diced
4 T cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup red onion, chopped
2 T lime juice
salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together. Allow to sit for 15-20 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

Tip: Retain one of the avocado seeds and push it into the top of the finished guacamole. It will help keep the avocado from turning brown. (Do not eat the seed.)

Mexican Pot Pie

Cornbread base:
2 boxes corn bread mix
2 eggs
2/3 milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Filling:
2 lbs ground beef sirloin
2 packages taco seasoning
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 small can tomato sauce
1 regular can diced tomatoes
1 small can green chilies
1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Mix all ingredients for the cornbread base. Spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish with nonstick spray and pour cornbread mix in the bottom.

Brown beef sirloin with taco seasoning. Add all the rest of the ingredients except the cheddar cheese. Pour the beef mixture on top of cornbread base. Top with cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until cornbread is done and filling is hot and bubbly.

Serve with sour cream.

Easy, Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

1-2 lbs cooked chicken, diced or shredded

We had this the other night and Aaron liked it so much he said it needed to go on the regular rotation--so there you go.

1 1/2 cups cheddar or monterey jack cheese

flour tortillas

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup salsa

1 cup sour cream

2 t chili powder

1-2 tomatoes, diced

2 stalks green onion, diced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix in a bowl the cream of chicken soup, salsa, sour cream and chili powder. Set aside. Mix together the chicken, cheese and 1 cup of the soup mixture. Fill tortillas with about 1/3 cup chicken mixture and roll up. Place seam side down in baking dish. Pour remaining soup mixture over the top. Cover with tin foil and bake for 40 minutes. Top with tomatoes and green onion before serving. Goes well with Mexican Corn.

Mexican Corn

1-2 cans of whole kernel corn
1-2 T pimientos or diced red bell pepper
1 stalk chopped scallions, optional
¼ t cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 T butter

Mix ingredients and fry briefly in an iron skillet until heated through.

By S. E. Thomas