Best Ever Tortilla Soup

Post Edit: Yesterday I wrote that my goal was to get 100 votes for my French's recipe by the end of the weekend. I underestimated you all. I had 100 votes by Thursday night, before the weekend ever began. I think I'll give you all a kiss. Move in close. Smooch! Thank you and keep voting-new goal: 200 by weekend's end.
I think I've finally found a dinner that could make the whole world happy. I mean it. This tortilla soup, adapted from the Mansion at Turtle Creek, is a dinner revelation. It takes ten minutes tops of active prep time. There's hardly any chopping at all, since you throw most of your ingredients into the blender. It's as healthful as you want to make it. It's ch-ch-ch-cheap, since soup is mostly, well water, actually. Those are all great reasons to make this soup, but I'm leaving out the best one. It's DEE-RI-SHUS, as my nephew Sammy used to say. DEE-RI-SHUS! I really do mean it. See for yourself if you don't end up fawning over tortilla soup. This is the way to do it:

Pile up your soup bowl with tortilla chips and cheese

Add some diced avocado, a lime wedge, and cilantro

Ladle in the soup with a dollop of sour cream and dig right in. Bet you're going to love it as much as I do.

Money Saving Tips:

This one's pretty inexpensive, but save extra money by buying canned tomatoes by the case when on sale. Even the cheap brands are going to work well here. Forget canned broth; use powdered chicken bouillion or homemade stock for the most bang for your buck. You can make your own tortilla strips with your corn tortillas if you are so inclined. And just you wait till Thanksgiving is over-then you can throw in some leftover turkey for even more savings.
Tortilla Soup

slightly adapted from The Mansion at Turtle Creek

Estimated Cost for six servings: $6.00
3 tablespoons olive oil

4-6 corn tortillas, diced

1 tablespoon of cumin
2 tablespoons of chili powder

1 tablespoon of minced garlic

1 large onion

a large handful of cilantro leaves and tender stems

2 14 ounce cans diced tomatoes

8 cups chicken broth or stock (or vegetable stock to make it vegetarian)

OPTIONAL ADD INS:

2 cups frozen corn

1 (14 ounce) can black, pinto, or kidney beans

leftover shredded chicken or turkey-keep that in mind in two weeks

In a large pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add tortillas and saute until beginning to brown. Add cumin and chili powder and saute for one minute. Meanwhile, combine in the blender the garlic, onion, cilantro, and tomatoes. Puree until smooth. Add tomato mixture and chicken broth to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for at least 20 minutes and up to one hour. Add any optional add ins for last few minutes of simmering. Serve soup with tortilla chips, cheese, avocado, cilantro, sour cream and lime wedges.

And by the way.....

Have you voted today? My goal is to get 100 votes by the weekend for my Cheery Cherry Chicken for the French's Cook-Off.Voting is only a little bit of a pain, much less than a cavity or a trip to the DMV. You have to start an account but it's only one page and I'll bet you can do it in less than thirty seconds. It hurts a lot less than a paper cut. Remember to vote everyday until November 25th to send your old Prudy to NYC. I promise it's easier to vote daily than give birth even once. So get on over there and vote for lucky number seven!

Next Up:

I'm deciding between a pie crust tutorial and caramel corn. Any preferences?

Leftover Remodel: Sweet and Spicy Chicken Quesadillas

Yep. If you're thinking that this looks nothing like the buttermilk donuts with maple glaze that I promised, you're right. But Friday's southwest chicken (scroll down for recipe) was so superlative in a simple quesadilla, I'm compelled to stop and share. If you need another reason to make this four-ingredient slow-cooker chicken recipe, then here it is: LEFTOVERS. With a sprinkle of green onions, a smattering of cheese, and a butter brushed flour tortilla, you'll be on your way too oohing and aahing a second time. By using your leftovers, you'll be able to make a stand-out quickie meal in minutes for about 50 cents per quesadilla. I'll be back tomorrow with the promised donuts, scouts honor.

*****And for those of you wondering about Friday's tortillas, they are simply purchased corn tortillas, lightly fried in a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil. (I use about 2 tablespoons of oil for approximately 8-10 tortillas.)

Coming Tomorrow:

Buttermilk Donuts with Maple Glaze. Truly.

Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Chicken

My sewing machine is on overdrive. Halloween costumes, it seems, should be finished two weeks before Halloween. Why can I never remember this? We've become so adept at celebrating that each holiday spills out of it's little calendar box into an entire month of festivities. Ain't life grand?
So, even though Halloween is next Friday night, the two charges have a Halloween party tonight, a carnival tomorrow, a wear-your-costume ballet lesson and vocal class mid week and best of all: my two little costumed charges are playing their violins with the Southwest Symphony for a Halloween concert on Thursday night. I can't wait to see Belle and Obi Wan Kenobi up there, fiddling their little Halloween hearts out. So, here I sit at the computer, in pajamas, but covered with bits of yellow thread and brown fabric scraps. But I'm almost done. And it's good to know they'll be getting good use out of these Halloween costumes. All week long.
Our favorite weekend dinner, hands down, is tacos. This four ingredient slow cooker recipe is a huge time saver. I don't even bother to defrost the chicken before plunking it in, smothered in itty bitty tomatoes, brown sugar, and crushed red pepper. That's it. If we have tacos on Friday night, you can bet we'll have chicken quesadillas on Sunday. Have a great weekend everybody.
Money Saving Tips: Chicken is one of those items that can cost you a lot or a little, depending on the sales of the week. When it goes on sale for less than $2/lb, stock up. If you can't find petite diced tomatoes, chop canned diced tomatoes into small pieces. Tabasco to taste could stand in for the pepper flakes.
Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Chicken for Tacos
Estimated Cost: $3.00
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (14 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Coat inside of crock pot with no stick cooking spray. Place all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours, or until chicken shreds very easily with a fork. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Chicken will absorb liquid after it is shredded.) Serve in tacos.
Next Up:
Velvety Buttermilk Donuts with Maple Glaze

Cilantro Honey-Lime Grilled Chicken

While I'm partial to just about any Mexican food, thanks to my savory Southern California upbringing, I'm especially drawn toward any Mexican dishes that include grilled meat. Just catching the scent of a smoky barbacoa can send me headlong into wishing I'd stayed in the overcrowded land of taco shacks. Those cravings are especially powerful on Friday nights, so I fulfill my own Mexican mania with my Cilantro Honey Lime Grilled Chicken .
Thankfully, it doesn't take long to make and I've almost always got everything on hand. Its crowning virtue is versatility. You can shred up this chicken and stuff it into tacos, bathed in salsa and slathered with guacamole. Or you can rev up your chicken enchiladas with a little flavor from the grill. But it's also toothsome as is, plain, with a little heap of red Spanish rice on the side. Grill a few extra pieces to slice and scatter over some greens tomorrow with some Creamy Cilantro Tomatillo Dressing-one of my most requested recipes ever. I'll post that recipe tomorrow, so come on back. Hasta Luego.
Cilantro Honey Lime Grilled Chicken
Estimated Cost: $4.00
Notes: Saving a little marinade on the side to drizzle on the chicken gives it an extra pop of flavor.
1 lb. boneless, skinless chickens
1/3 cup lime juice plus 1 teaspoon lime zest
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 chopped jalapeno or serrano pepper, optional
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup chopped cilantro, leaves and tender stems
Rinse chicken and pat dry. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, zest, olive oil, garlic, jalapeno, salt and pepper and honey. Set aside two tablespoons of mixture. Pour remaining mixture into zip top bag. Add chicken and cilantro and squish bag to coat. Marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. Grill (or broil) chicken over medium high heat, about four minutes per side. Let rest for five minutes. Drizzle with reserved marinade and serve.
Coming Tomorrow:
Creamy Cilantro Tomatillo Dressing

Super Fast Summer Vegetable Fajitas

Remember my old fashioned gentleman/retired cowboy neighbor that dropped off all the garden and orchard treasures? This week's recipes are dedicated to summer-fresh produce, thanks to my generous gentleman cowboy.
Raise your hand if you've been to El Cholo in Los Angeles. All right, don't raise your hand, but at the very least, leave a comment. I can personally guarantee just about anything on El Cholo's menu, but their fajitas are truly exceptional.
In the late 80s, I went to El Cholo with a group of high school friends. Fajitas were the new "it" dish, and apparently not too well known. When the waiter came to our table with the loud sizzling dish, my brother's friend Matt Gourley, jumped out of his seat, sweating and shouting something about a fire. He was an extremely funny guy (professional actor now), but he was dead serious at the time. We've been giving him "heat" for years over his pan-panic attack. Every time I hear the flaming sizzle of fajitas, I think of Matt Gourley, scared out of his Cavaricci pants at El Cholo.
I'm confidant you'll love my veggie fajitas, since I've done my best to copy El Cholo. They're simple, nutritious, vibrant with color, delicious, and best of all-I can make it all in just one pan, so clean up is a snap. Whip up a batch of my 2 minute FRESH SALSA, and you've got dinner.
Summer Vegetable Fajitas
Estimated Cost: $5.00 for Four Servings
Notes: Sometimes I use homemade refried beans from the freezer, or canned pinto beans that I mash, or when very pressed for time, Rosarita Green Chile and Lime Refried Beans.
12 corn tortillas
2 teaspoons butter, optional
1-2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 bell peppers, thinly sliced, preferably different colors
1 zucchini, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 summer squash, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup corn (optional)
2 cups refried beans
1/2 cup shredded cheddar or jack cheese, if desired
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 clove garlic, minced, or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
juice of 1/2 lemon or lime
sour cream, guacamole, salsa, if desired for serving


Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add tortillas, a few at a time and cook until softened. Brush tortillas lightly with butter, if desired, and wrap tightly in tin foil, then wrap in cloth towels to keep them warm and soft until serving time. To same pan, add oil. When sizzling hot, add onions and bell peppers. Cook stirring constantly for two minutes. Add zucchini, squash, tomatoes and corn and cook for one minute. Push vegetables to one side of pan. Place refried beans on other side. Sprinkle refried beans with cheese. To vegetables only, add chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper, and cook stirring vegetables only for one minute. Turn off the heat and immediately add lemon juice to vegetables only. Bring skillet and tortillas to the table. Make fajitas directly from the table. Serve with sour cream, guacamole and salsa.
Coming Tomorrow:
Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

Super Fast Tex-Mex Salsa, Bean, and Corn Soup

A.K.A The absolute best thing to come from leftover homemade salsa
I wanted to share my favorite fast recipe for when you have leftover homemade salsa. Please make this salsa, eat it fresh for a couple of days, and then make this knock-out soup. It's ready in ten minutes, and it's so yummy and healthful and spicy and can change the world and you gotta have it in your fast dinner repertoire. Now I'm running out of breath from all that gushing. I even have a funny and embarrassing story about this soup, but you'll have to pick it up on my last blog project. Scroll down to the entry titled, "From the Mixed up Files of a Frenzied Holiday Cook." And yes, that's little ol' me with super famous RR. After tonight, I'm all out of Cinco leftovers. Moving on!

Super Fast Tex-Mex Salsa, Bean, and Corn Soup

Estimated Cost: $2.50

Notes: My preferred way to make this soup is with the S and W brand chili beans with chipotle, but any brand will work well. Don't mistake them for chili; chili beans are canned pinto beans in a spicy tomato sauce. They're a real time saver!

1 cup leftover smooth salsa

1 (14 ounce) can low sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 (14 ounce) can chili style beans, or leftover whole beans and a 1/2 tsp. of chipotle chili powder

1 cup corn, fresh or frozen

For Serving: Tortilla chips, sour cream, cheese (I used feta), avocado, lime wedges, chopped cilantro

Combine the first four ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes. Serve with any of the above toppings.

Coming Tomorrow: The cutest little Meyer lemon cakes to make for Mother's Day

Santa Fe Stuffed Zuchinni

A.K.A. Cinco de Mayo Leftovers RemodelMy mom used to serve leftovers. You know, leftovers. They were exactly like Thursday night's dinner, except duller, colder, and chewier. Luckily, this didn't happen very often; more often than not my family of twelve ate right down to the wood table, like a pack of ravished termites. My favorite nights were, surprisingly, when my mother cleaned out the fridge, purging all the leftovers in one full swoop. She would make us order by number, without knowing which leftover dish the number represented. One of the lucky numbers would be something fresh, new, exciting! like English muffin pizzas. Another number might be three day old Hungarian goulash. It was a game of chance with potentially devastating consequences. Since mom is a 5 foot tall push-over, we could always finagle a little pizza, but it was extra fun if you actually chose the lucky number and really ordered it.

Leftovers at my house are meant to be cleverly disguised, or as I like to put it "remodeled." I eat plain leftovers the next day for lunch, but by dinner I need variety. If you're like me, (which I am), then you have lots of Mexican favorites in the fridge from Cinco de Mayo. Rice, beans, Salsa, Flank Steak.... Use whatever you've got and put it into these fresh zucchini shells. If you've got a microwave, ten minutes, and Mexican leftovers then you've got dinner tonight.

Santa Fe Stuffed Zucchini

Estimated Cost: $4.00

If you don't like zucchini, red or pasilla peppers would make excellent subs.

3 medium zucchini

1/4 cup broth or water

1 and 1/2 cups leftover Mexican rice, or cooked plain rice

1/2 cup leftover homemade salsa, divided

Optional: 3/4 cup leftover fully cooked meat, such as steak, chicken, or shrimp

1 tomato, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped green onion

1/2 cup shredded cheddar or jack cheese

chopped cilantro, for garnish

Slice zucchini in half lengthwise. Place cut side down in baking dish. Pour in broth or water. Cover with plastic and microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes, or until zucchini is bright green and just tender. Scoop out center with spoon, leaving zucchini "shells." Chop the zucchini you removed. In a medium bowl, combine rice, 1/4 cup salsa, and meat, if using. Add the tomatoes and green onions; season to taste with salt and pepper. Stuff the mixture into the zucchini shells. Drizzle with remaining salsa and sprinkle with cheese. Microwave on high for three minutes, or until heated through and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with additional tomato and cilantro if desired.

Grilled Flank Steak Tacos with Cilantro Slaw

The main event. Juicy, meaty, charred and spicy flank steak tacos, held together by the grilled corn tortillas, crunchy and cool from the cilantro slaw. Slather it with salsa, gorge it with guacamole, soak it with sour cream. While you're at it, sneak some of your rice and beans in there, too. I love a very fat and greedy taco. The bigger, the better, unless....

Once, my little sister Mary Kate and I had a taco eating contest. I was 22 years old at the time, she was only 13. Anyone who knows Mary Kate knows that this pint sized little scrap can pack in grub like Nacho Libre. She deserves to be roly-poly, double chinned and plumpy-gordita; instead she wrangles all that food into her size 2 jeans and begs for dessert. To challenge her to an eat-a-thon was folly on my part, but I'd been out of the country for a year and she's so skinny that I must have forgotten. It was all I could do to keep up, so I made my tacos smaller and smaller. At the end of the night, the tally was seven and 1/2 tacos each. At least that's how it's remembered in the annals of family history. I was too full to do el math-o.

Happy Cinco De Mayo! Enjoy all of your food, especially the tacos. Make them as big and full as you want. No one is counting.

Coming Tomorrow: Dessert

Grilled Flank Steak Tacos with Cilantro Slaw

Estimated Cost: $$10.00

1 -1 and 1/2 lb. flank steak

2 cloves garlic, minced

juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup salsa

1 tablespoon oil

3 teaspoons chili powder
8-16 corn tortillas

1 (10 ounce) bag angel hair cole slaw mix

1-2 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

juice of one lime

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkle steak on both sides with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place steak in zip top bag. Add garlic, lime juice, salsa, oil, and chili powder. Zip up bag and massage mixture (from the outside of the bag) into meat. Let marinate for at least one hour and up to overnight. Grill steak, for about four minutes per side for medium. Let rest for five minutes. Slice on the bias. Meanwhile, grill tortillas and wrap in slightly moist dishcloth until serving time. For slaw: In a large bowl, combine slaw mix, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, divide meat slices and slaw between tortillas. (To be authentic, use two tortillas together.) Add cheese, sour cream, salsa, and guacamole as desired.

Pico Guacamole

Please don't call this "Pico" guacamole if you ever go to Santiago, Chile. You'll be saying a very naughty word, and you might get your mouth washed out with jabon. The truth is, I don't really know what it means in that context. But I did see little ninos get spankings for saying it, so I'm just warning you. Since you are here in the U.S. you can safely call it Pico Guacamole. Watch me. Pico. Pico. Pico, Pico, Pico. See. Nothing happened.

Incidentally, the pico I know refers to "Pico de Gallo," which means either chicken scratch OR fresh chunky salsa. Don't worry, there won't be any naughty words or chicken scratch in your Pico Guac. Just big bites of luscious tomato, onion, garlic, spicy peppers, and cooling cilantro, suspended in rich, buttery avocado. Hopefully your market has avocados on sale for $1 each to celebrate Cinco De Mayo. If not, Pico Guacamole is still worth every peso.

Pico Guacamole:

Estimated Cost: $1.50

Note: You might want to double or triple this recipe. Only make as much as you will eat in one setting. It won't be a pretty shade of green tomorrow.

1 avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped

1/4 cup tomato, diced

1 tablespoon minced white or red onion

1 teaspoon minced hot pepper

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

squeeze of fresh lime

salt and pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, combine ingredients with a fork, mashing slightly. Serve within two hours.

Classic Mexican Red Rice and Frijoles

You can always judge a good Mexican restaurant by the strength of their rice and beans. They shouldn't be too ostentatious; after all they're supposed to be sides, second fiddles to the big fat spicy something that you really want. The beans must be simple, creamy, and savory; the rice should be nutty and subtly sweet. At home, it's easy to open a can of refried beans and make a box of spanish rice mix, but you'll be missing out if you do. (Besides, it's Cinco de Mayo, so it's worth the extra effort!) These two also-rans are muy muy delicioso when piping hot, fresh and homemade. And don't always pigeon-hole them as sides. They make a delicious dinner, side by side with a light sprinkling of cheese, a generous salsa soak, and a dollop of sour cream. (They make a good breakfast, too. I couldn't resist the leftovers this morning...)

Classic Mexican Frijoles

Estimated Cost: $2.00

Note: After you cook the beans and before you start smashing away, you might want to take out a couple cupfulls and freeze them whole. They'll be all ready for chili, soup, stew, and even for more frijoles in a few weeks.

1 (16 ounce) bag dried pinto beans

1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves, garlic, minced

3 cups chicken broth, stock, or bouillion

3 cups water
Optional: 2 tablespoons bacon grease, corn oil, or butter

salt and pepper to taste

cheese for serving

Rinse beans in a large pot of water and soak overnight. Drain well. Add onion, garlic, broth, and water. Simmer uncovered for 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours. Add fat, if using. (I leave it out and I don't miss it.) When beans are softened, mash with potato masher, immersion blender, or fork until desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a small sprinkling of cheese.

Classic Mexican Red Rice

Estimated Cost: $1. 50

Note: If you don't have homemade salsa, you can use tomato sauce. Reduce the quantity to four tablespoons and add it with the broth only.

1 tablespoon olive or corn oil

1/2 white onion, minced

1 cup long grain white rice

1 and 3/4 cups chicken broth, stock or bouillion

6 tablespoons salsa, divided (USE THE FIRE ROASTED TOMATO SALSA HERE)

Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add onion and rice and saute until rice is toasted, about five minutes, stirring often. Add broth and 3 tablespoons salsa. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons salsa. Let rest for five minutes. Fluff with fork and serve.

Fire Roasted Tomato Salsa

I used to think that you could only make good salsa in July and August, when tomatoes were at their juicy red best. The rest of the year I would mope at Mexican restaurants and wonder how come they had great salsa all year round. I reasoned that they imported fresh tomatoes at their peak from some well-guarded farm near the equator. Well, I wanted some of that secret stash too. So I started to snoop and ask questions. Finally a nice little lady cashier at one of my favorite southern California whole-in-the-wall taco stands filled me in. "Oh, honey... they're just canned tomatoes." When I finally got over my shock, I went home, fiddled around, and made 897 gallons and I haven't stopped making it since. Then I started blabbing my recipe all around town. It's been years and I still can't keep quiet. "Did you know you could make this great salsa at home..in the WINTER?" Not only is this salsa unbelievable on it's own, it's the base for countless Mexican dishes. I'm going to show you a few this week, so get started with this salsa recipe. Betcha can't wait for Cinco De Mayo. You can leave your salsa testimonials (and recipes!) in the comment section. STAY TUNED....TOMORROW IT'S CLASSIC RICE AND BEANS!!!

Fire Roasted Tomato Salsa

Estimated Cost: $2.00

A couple of notes: I'm making the salsa today with canned fire roasted tomatoes for a little extra smokiness. They are a bit pricey, so if smokiness isn't your thing , you can substitute plain canned diced tomatoes. The easiest way to make this is to get diced tomatoes with green chiles and you won't even have to add in a hot pepper.

1/4 medium white onion, coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 hot chile pepper, such as serrano (you can use just a tiny bit if you don't like too much heat)

1 (14 ounce) can diced fire roasted tomatoes, undrained

1/2 cup cilantro, leaves and soft stems

juice of one lime

sea salt, to taste

Place the ingredients in the bowl of a blender or food process in the order listed. Process until smooth, or chunky, depending on preference. This salsa tastes best within the first two days it is made. After that, you can use it in cooked recipes for up to a week.

Cinco De Mayo Shopping List

Hay Caramba, it's almost time for Cinco de Mayo. I hardly need an excuse to glut myself on Mexican food. I'm loco for the stuff. (It should really be loca since I'm a girl, but I didn't want to confundir/confuse everyone.) I'll be making Mexican favorites for the next five days, from chips and fiery tomato salsa, to grilled flank steak tacos with cilantro slaw, classic rice and beans, and pineapple-orange-raspberry sherbet for dessert. (By the way, the picture is from my recipe for Salsa Picante on CookingLight.com) Here's what you'll need from the grocery store if you want to follow along. It's going to be fantastico. No le va a costar mucho, tampoco. (It's not going to cost you too much either.) See how much you're learning over here at Prudence Pennywise? Think how much money you're saving on your Spanish lessons!

4 white onions

1 head garlic

4 hot chili peppers, either jalapenos or serranos

2 fresh tomatoes

1 big bunch cilantro

3 limes

1 large Haas avocado

a very small banana (please don't tell my sister Leslie-she'll cry)

1 lb. flank steak or skirt steak, or premarinated carne asada or meat of choice (or grill some mushrooms and go veggie)

1 (14 ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes

lots of chicken broth

1 lb. sack dried pinto beans

1 cup long grain rice

olive oil

corn tortillas

tortilla chips

6 ounces angel hair cole slaw (in a bag)

8 ounce can crushed pineapple

frozen raspberries

4 cups orange soda

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk