Cheddar Cheese Soup

A  nice bowl of Cheddar Cheese is perfect for lunch or a light dinner with a salad.  This soup has a nice smooth flavor with a hint of spice.  You can top the soup with croutons, ham, if you would like.  I usually serve  a nice Pretzel Roll with the soup.
 Soup does make the meal.
Cheddar Cheese Soup
From NYT Adapted by From My Southwest Kitchen

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup diced onions
1 cup diced celery
3/4 cup diced carrots
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces white cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2-1 teaspoon hot sauce
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
1. Melt butter in a pot over medium heat.  Saute the onions, celery and carrots until tender.
2. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir.  Cook for about 4 minutes.
3. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock.  Bring to a boil and continue to whisk.
4. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 45 minutes.  Stir occasionally.
5. Puree the mixture until smooth.  Return to the pot and bring to a simmer.  Stir in the cream, cheese, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.
6. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with croutons, ham, if desired.

Serves 6

Smashed Potatoes

A great tasting side for chicken or beef.  Potatoes are baked or cooked in the microwave.  They are then smashed with a potato masher and mixed together with butter, sour cream, bacon, salt, pepper and cheese.  The original recipe called for French Fried Onions, but I preferred cheese.

These potatoes are easy to make and do not take very much time.  The potatoes have a wonderful flavor with all the butter, cheese, and sour cream added to them.  And let us not forget the bacon.  In my book, bacon makes everything good.

A great side to try when you want a change from the traditional mashed, baked, or fried potatoes.


Smashed Potatoes
From The Pioneer Woman Adapted Slightly by From My Southwest Kitchen

Ingredients:

5 whole large red potatoes
1 stick of butter softened and cut into pieces
5 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled
3/4 cup of sour cream
Salt and Pepper
2/3 cup shredded Mexican Cheese

Directions:
1. Microwave or bake the potatoes until they are fork-tender.  Put then in a large bowl and smash with a potato masher.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.  Taste and season if  necessary.
3. Serve hot.

Makes 4 servings

Earl Grey Sweet Raspberry Basil Iced Tea

Iced Tea is one of my favorite drinks for the summer.  It is so refreshing and it cools you off almost instantly. I love to experiment with different teas and different flavors.  This recipe is totally delicious.  The fresh taste of raspberries with basil and lemon is a wonderful combination.  Instead of using generic black tea, I used Earl Grey.  It made the tea taste extra special and added a great flavor to the raspberries.

I will be enjoying this tea throughout the summer.



Earl Grey Sweet Raspberry Basil Iced Tea

Ingredients:
2 Earl Grey Tea Bags
4 cups water - divided
3/4 cup sugar
Raspberry Infusion
1-1/2 cups frozen raspberries thawed
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:
1. Boil 2 cups of water.  In two medium bowls place the sugar in one bowl and the tea bags in another bowl.  Divide the water equally between the two bowls - 1 cup pour over the sugar and 1 cup poured over the tea bags.
2. Stir the sugar until it is dissolved.  Let the tea brew for 5 minutes.
3. Mash the raspberries with a fork or a potato masher until no whole berries remain.  Stir in the basil, sugar and lemon juice.
4. Pour the tea, sugar, and berry mixture into a pitcher.  Add the remaining 2 cups of water (cold).  Stir and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
5. Stir and serve over ice.

Makes 4 servings

Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

Ever need an idea for dinner that is quick, easy, and delicious?  I have a recipe for you.  This Chicken and Rice that is made in an Instant Pot is easy, quick and delicious.   Just cut up some chicken, sauté it in the pot liner, add some veggies and sauté a little longer.  Pat the chicken and veggie mixture down in the pot liner and spread the rice over the chicken.  Next pour a delicious sauce over the rice - being sure the rice is immersed in the sauce.  Place the lid on the Instant Pot and Cook for 10 minutes at high pressure.  The original recipe called for 5 minutes at high pressure but my rice was a little underdone (crunchy).  The 10 minutes worked great.

Once the Instant Pot beeps that your meal is done, let it do a natural release for 10 minutes, and then do a quick-release.  Fluff the rice  with a fork and  mix with the sauce.  Dinner is ready.  It is that easy.


Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
From Simply Recipes Adapted Slightly by From My Southwest Kitchen

For the sauce:
1/4 cup dry sherry
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
For the casserole:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds (5 to 6) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups long grain jasmin rice
To serve:
1/4 cup chopped parsley



METHOD
1 Whisk together the sauce: In a mixing bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the sherry, chicken broth, sour cream, cream, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and paprika. Set aside.
2 Sauté the vegetables in the pressure cooker: Select the “Sauté” setting on the pressure cooker and heat the oil in the pressure cooker. (If you are using a stovetop pressure cooker, heat the oil over medium heat.)
Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes, until a bit softened but not browned. Add the mushrooms and cook until they begin to wilt and give up their liquid, about 3 more minutes. Stir in the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.
3 Add the chicken: Stir in the chicken thighs and let them cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until opaque and mostly cooked through (it’s fine if they’re still a little pink in the middle).
4 Add the rice and the sauce: Use your spatula to pat the chicken and vegetables down into a fairly even layer. Sprinkle the rice over the top of the chicken in an even layer.
Slowly pour the sauce over the rice, taking care not to disturb the layer. Use a spoon to nudge down any grains of rice that are clinging to the sides of the pot, so everything is covered with the cooking liquid.
5 Pressure cook the chicken and rice: Secure the lid on the pressure cooker. Make sure that the pressure regulator is set to the “Sealing” position. Cancel the “Sauté” program on the pressure cooker, then select the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” setting. Set the cooking time to 10 minutes at high pressure. (If using a stovetop pressure cooker, the cooking time is the same.)
The pressure cooker will take 5 to 10 minutes to come up to pressure before the cooking time begins.
6 Let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes, then quick-release the pressure by immediately moving the vent from “Sealing” to “Venting." Be careful of the steam! Alternatively, you can let the pot continue to depressurize naturally, which takes about 20 minutes total.
The sauce may look a little bit separated when you initially open the pot. Don’t worry, it’s fine! Just use a fork to gently fluff the rice and incorporate the creamy layer back into the casserole.

7 Serve the casserole: Spoon the casserole into shallow bowls or onto plates, digging all the way down to the bottom so you get both rice and chicken in each scoop. Sprinkle generously with chopped parsley and serve hot.

Citrus Iced Green Tea

Ice Tea is very refreshing during the long hot summer days.  I like to try  using different teas, black, white and green in my recipes.   I found this recipe on the web and I made just some very slight modifications to it.  I reduced both the number of tea bags used and the amount of orange juice.

The result was a delicious summer drink that is sure to please everyone.  Enjoy.

Citrus Iced Green Tea

From My Recipes Adapted Slightly by From My Southwest Kitchen

Ingredients:

6 cups of water, divided

1 cup sugar

8 green tea bags

1 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Sprigs of fresh mint for garnish - optional

Directions:

1. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan.  Remove from heat.

2. Stir in the sugar and keep stirring until the sugar is dissolved.

3. Add the tea bags and steep for 5-6 minutes. Remove the tea bags.

4. Stir in the remaining ingredients including the remaining 3 cups of water.  Chill and serve.

Makes 8 (1 cup) servings 

Pasta Primavera

This is a new recipe I tried last night for Pasta Primavera.   The family loved it. The pasta and veggies are coated in a rich creamy Parmesan sauce accented with fresh basil.  It was delicious. The preparation time was a little long with the cutting and cooking of the veggies, but the dish was well worth the wait.

This dish makes 4 generous portions.



Pasta Primavera
The Pioneer Woman 

 Ingredients:
1 cup Bite-sized Broccoli Pieces (up To 1 1/2 Cups)
1/2 whole Onion, Diced Finely
3 cloves To 4 Cloves Garlic, Chopped Finely
2 whole Medium To Large Carrots, Sliced On The Bias (diagonally)
2 whole Medium Zucchini, Sliced On The Bias (diagonally)
1 whole Medium Yellow Squash (optional)
1 container (about 5 Oz.) White Button Or Baby Porcini Mushrooms, Roughly Sliced
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Sliced Into Strips
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 pound Pasta (I Like Penne)
 FOR THE SAUCE:
1/4 cup Dry White Wine, Up To 1/2 Cup (optional, Replace With Additional Broth If Not Using)
1/2 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 cup Whipping (heavy) Cream
1 cup Half-and-half
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
5 leaves Basil (or More To Taste), Plus Extra For Garnish
1/2 cup Frozen Peas

INSTRUCTIONS
First, prep the vegetables. Chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces, about 1 to 1 ½ cups worth. Dice half a yellow onion. Chop 3 to 4 cloves of garlic. Slice carrots on the bias (diagonally), and do the same for the zucchini and yellow squash. Roughly slice the mushrooms and slice the red pepper (seeded) into strips.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic together and cook for a minute or two, until they start to turn translucent. Then throw in the broccoli. Stir, and add in the carrots.

Stir it around, and PLEASE, PLEASE cook it for only a minute, tops. Transfer the mixture to a plate. Add in the red pepper strips to the skillet. Stir them around for a minute or so, then transfer them to the plate.

Add pasta to slightly salted boiling water and cook to al dente.

Add a tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Add squash and zucchini, cook for less than a minute, then transfer to plate. Cook mushrooms for a minute or two (add salt to taste), and again transfer to the plate.

FOR THE SAUCE

To make the sauce, pour ¼ to ½ cup dry white wine into the skillet (see note below). Add ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth, a tablespoon of butter and scrape the bottom of the skillet to pull up the flavor left behind by the veggie cooking. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the liquid starts to thicken.

Add 1 cup whipping cream and 1 cup half-and-half. Measure out ½ cup grated Parmesan; add to the skillet. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chiffonade 5 to 6 fresh basil leaves and add that to the sauce; stir.

Dump veggies and mushrooms into the sauce along with ½ cup frozen peas right out of the freezer. Add pasta al dente and stir. If the sauce seems a little thick, or if there doesn’t seem to be enough sauce, add a good splash of chicken broth and a little more half-and-half. Top with more Parmesan, salt, pepper, and basil to taste.



Note: if you’re averse to wine, add chicken broth instead. But watch the salt later.

Green Chili Cheese Cornbread

Cornbread is easy and delicious.  Add cheese and green chili and you have a truly delicious cornbread.  It is moist, flavorful, and just has a hint of spiciness.  However, you can ramp up the heat level by putting in hotter green chili.

I usually serve this bread with a bowl of chili or my Chicken Enchilada Soup.  It is also great tasting warm with some butter.   Mmm.   A perfect snack.


Green Chili Cheese Cornbread
Simply Recipes

INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups (190 g) fine cornmeal
1 1/4 cups (175 g) all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup (50 g) sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter
1/2 cup (115 g) sour cream
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
2 cups of chopped, roasted green chiles (Anaheim or Hatch) (3 7-ounce cans of chopped green chiles, drained)
1 cup (130 g) corn kernels (if frozen, defrost)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces, 113 g)


METHOD
1 Preheat oven and prep baking dish: Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 3-quart baking dish.
2 Make the batter: In a large bowl whisk together the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar. Beat the sour cream and eggs into the butter sugar mixture.
Add the milk and the dry ingredients, a third at a time and alternating wet/dry.
Mix in the green chiles, corn, and shredded cheese. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish.
3 Bake: Bake at 400°F for 35 minutes, or until top is browned, the center springs back when pressed down, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cool almost completely before serving.

Serves 12