Tortilla Soup

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Funds: $25

This recipe is compliments of my sister, Rachael. We served this when 4 friends came over and still had plenty left for the next couple of days. We served it with a romaine lettuce salad with black beans and cilantro ranch dressing (literally cilantro and ranch dressing food processed).

You'll Need:
2 large cans whole peeled tomatoes
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro
2 1/2 cartons chicken broth (approx 40 0z.)
5-7 chicken breasts (raw), cut into strips
4 cloves minced garlic
1 tbs cumin
1 tbs garlic salt
1 tbs salt
1 tbs pepper

Toppings:
Mozzarella Cheese (part skim, low-moisture)
Chopped Cilantro
Sour Cream
Tortilla Strips (refer to taco salad recipe)
Chopped Avocado pieces

Sautee onions and garlic in a frying pan until onions appear translucent. Then puree in food processor with cilantro (3/4 of bunch). Add 1 1/2 cans tomatoes and blend again. Once blended, transfer mixture to a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until tomato, onion mixture appears to be a darker red.
In a crockpot, mix tomato mixture with chicken broth. Add seasonings. Allow to simmer for 2 hours. Add raw chicken 30-40 minutes before serving.
Add more seasonings to taste.

Serve with cheese, chopped cilantro, tortilla strips and avocado pieces.

Spinach and Sun-dried Tomato Pork Chops

Time needed: 30 minutes
Money, honey: $12
All I have to say is...AMAZING! I got this recipe directly from Giada De Laurentiis on the Food Network website. I saw her make it one day and I decided to try. Seriously, its not very hard to make, but so rich and good. I served it atop wild mushroom couscous from a box!

You'll Need:
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 sun-dried tomatoes, diced
1 (10-ounce) bag of frozen spinach, thawed and excess water squeezed out
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup (2 ounces) goat cheese
1/3 cup reduced-fat cream cheese
4 (4-ounce) center-cut pork chops
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 lemon, zested
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Warm the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook until combined, about 2 more minutes. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add the goat cheese and the cream cheese. Stir to combine and set aside.

Use a sharp knife to cut a pocket into the thickest portion of the pork chop. Stuff each pocket with 1/4 of the spinach and sun-dried tomato mixture and close the pork around the stuffing. Season the outside of the pork with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl combine the chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, and mustard.

Warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot add the pork. Cook until golden and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to a side dish and tent with foil to keep warm. Add the chicken broth mixture to the skillet over medium-high heat. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan as the chicken broth simmers. Reduce the broth by half to make a light sauce, about 8 minutes. Spoon some sauce over the pork before serving.

Serves 4

Pesto Goodness

Time it took me: 5 minutes
Money, Money: $7
This is basic pesto sauce that can be used for pasta, pizza, chicken...or just about anything. I love anything with pesto in it-you will definitely be seeing this used in many further recipes. Stay tuned for Pesto Gelato, or maybe not.

Now, this isn't the most appetizing photo, but it depicts my handy tip--Pour Pesto into an ice cube tray and freeze, then wrap each Pesto Pop individually. They are each a serving.

You'll Need:
4 oz basil leaves, stalks removed and torn into pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
3-4 cloves garlic crushed
2 oz pine kernels or walnuts
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan/Romano mix
1 1/4 cup olive oil

Puree all ingredients in a blender, salt and pepper to taste, then pour into ice cube tray.

I think I doubled this recipe to fill one ice cube tray. I bought a crate of basil from the grocery store. (the pesto has lasted us 2 months...and still going)

Cranberry Sauce

How long it took me: 15 minutes

Cost: $3
This is a very basic cranberry sauce. Its not too sweet and oh so easy to make.

Mike is a hand model in his spare time.

You'll Need:
12 oz bag cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 1/2 tsp orange peel (zested)
1/2 tsp Kosher salt

In a frying pan, bring all ingredients to a boil and reduce heat after cranberries have burst. Simmer for 15 minutes. Refrigerate in tupperware or festive mold. Keeps for about a week, unless frozen.

Velvety Squash Soup

Time it took me: 1 1/2 hours
Funds needed: $7
I was really nervous to see if this would actually turn out...and taste good. Although it took some elbow grease and time, I was surprised by the results-it was pretty dang good. I happened to have made cranberry sauce early for Thanksgiving so I served it on sourdough bread to go with the soup. Mike's comment on the meal: "Wow, this is a perfect fall meal."

Recipe taken and adapted from Cooking Light (November 2007)

You'll Need:
1 butternut squash
1 acorn squash
Cooking Spray
2 cups chopped onion
2 tsp olive oil
5 cups fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
2/3 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons molasses (I used honey and brown sugar)
1 tsp curry powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground red pepper (I used red pepper flakes)
2/3 cup half-and-half
1 tsp dried thyme

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Cut each squash into half; discard seeds and membranes. Coat cookie sheet (with lip) with cooking spray. Place squash face down. Combine oil and onions, tossing to coat. Spread onion mixture around squash on pan. Bake for 45 minutes. Let cool before handling. Scoop squash pulp from skins. Place onion and squash pulp in a pot. Stir in broth and the next 5 ingredients (through pepper); bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes. Place half of soup mixture into a blender. Remove the center piece of blender and place a kitchen towel over hole to allow steam to escape. Puree until smooth. Repeat with 2nd half of soup mixture. Return all of puree into a pan; whisk in half-and-half and let simmer for 5-10 minutes, add thyme, salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Serves 8

I roughly cut the recipe by 1/3. I reserved a third of the squash pulp and blended it with salt and pepper and a little olive oil to use for squash ravioli. I am freezing it until I decide I'm ready for more squash! It will make it a lot less labor-intensive, that's for sure.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (with Coconut)

How long it took me: 10 min prep
Cost: Everything you already have in your cupboards
This is my friend Amy's recipe. I'm glad she gave it to me, because anyone who's ever tasted these loves them. I've tweaked the recipe just a little bit so they don't end up flat.

You'll Need:
2 cup flour (actually, just a little less)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup light brown sugar (packed)

2 tsp vanilla

2 large eggs

3 cups chocolate chips

1 cup shredded coconut

3 cups old fashioned oatmeal uncooked

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add eggs. Add flour mixture (flour, soda, salt.) Add chocolate chips and coconut, then add oatmeal until blended.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Avocado Grapefruit Salad

How long it took me: 20 minutes
How much moolah: $6

Recipe modified from a recipe on the Food Network

You'll Need:
2-3 chicken breasts
1 tbs Dijon mustard
2 tbs cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup good olive oil
2 ripe Hass avocados
1 large red grapefruit
1 bag of salad (I'm a big fan of the mixed greens with added herbs)

Place the mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified.
Season both sides of thawed chicken breasts with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, then coat with mustard sauce, leaving half of sauce to baste chicken while grilling. Cook chicken on an indoor grill or in a pan. Cut into pieces.
Cut avocado into thin slices or pieces. Peel grapefruit and divide into small sections (make sure all the white pith is removed).
Place bed of lettuce on plates and top with chicken, avocado and grapefruit and salad dressing (I highly recommend store-bought creamy poppyseed dressing)

Overall, Mike and I really liked this salad. I might serve it with soup and bread...because lets be honest-who just eats a salad for dinner?