Chicken Baja Soup

I came across this excellent recipe from a co-worker. It's a south-of-the border soup that is sweet, though it has a little kick to it! Katie enjoyed the soup so much that I refilled her (toddler sized) serving 3 times! When she finished her 2nd bowl, she said "yum, yum, more please" on her own.

She licked the bowl.



And Chloe would probably eat her portion, too, if she weren't watching her girl-ish figure.



Chicken Baja Soup

2 cups chopped chicken
1-2 T Tabasco sauce (I used 5 shakes)
1-2 T Cumin (I used 1 T)
1 can tomato bisque
1 can milk
2 cans tomato soup
2 cans water
1 can chopped chili peppers (though I deleted this)
2 cans rinsed black beans
2 cups sweet corn (frozen, fresh or canned - I used canned)
1 can diced tomatoes (though fresh tomatoes would be delicious, too!)
1 sauteed onion

Sautee chopped onion.

Add all above ingredient except milk. Bring to boil. Take down to simmer. Add milk and bring back to simmer.

YUMMY!

What's up on Wednesday?

Wednesday will mark 41 weeks of pregnancy. Since we're still aiming for a VBAC, our OB has recommended that we be induced on Wednesday to increase of VBAC chances.

So on Wednesday...check-in at Waukesha Memorial at 7AM.

Step One: Begin cervical-ripening serum. Hope labor will happen.
Step Two: Begin low dose of pitocin. Hope labor will happen.
Step Three: Discuss real possibility of c-section.

In the mean time...Katie and I stroll around the cul-de-sac, do speed-walks at Pick N Save and Target, keep active around the house, and try not to eat too many chocolate chip fudge cookies.

Trying Cranberries

I bought a bag of cranberries at the grocery store last week--thinking this super-food would be super-awesome on my cheerios or oatmeal. Was I wrong! To sweeten up the berries and make them more manageable, I cooked them in a rich, cream cheese coffee cake. Del*li*cious!
Katie was rockin' this morning, with her toys and awesome hair. (Don't worry--the chapstick is still sealed).

Friday night / Saturday morning food story

A picture is worth a thousand words!

Recepie for Raw Pear Cake (a suprisingly delicious mix of pear, spices and chocolate):

Ingredients: Half cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 2 T dry unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 beaten eggs, 1.5 cups flour, 1/4 t baking powder, 1 t baking soda, 1/2 t salt, 1 t cinnamon, 1/2 t cloves, 1/2 c water, 1 cup peeled, small chunked pears

Cream butter, sugar and cocoa. Add eggs. Mix dry ingredients in small bowl. Add mixture to butter mixture alternately with water, beating after each addition. Fold in pears. Grease and flour an 8x8 cake pan; pour in batter. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.

Cornflake Cookies

Unlike many cafeterias, my high school cafeteria had the most delicious food! Besides the infamous hot buttered rolls, the cooks made this wonderful recepie on a number of occasions. (My brother Jimmy loves this recepie, too).

Cornflake Cookies
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup white karo syrup
5-6 cups cornflakes.

*Bring sugar, peanut butter and syrup to a boil, stirring frequently.
*Remove from heat. Add cornflakes while stirring.

Either drop cornflake batter by the spoonful onto wax paper or dump the batter in a 9x13 glass pan. Let cool. Eat and enjoy!

What's new? Really?

Heidi Rademacher, one of my friends from Rhodes, emailed me today and asked the typical question: what's new?

I thought I'd share my answer with the blog.

• Dad and Deborah drove up from Dyersburg last weekend for a visit. We went to my baby shower brunch and ate some yummy breakfast casserole and drank coffee-ice cream punch!
• Our friends Beth and Mark Earnest went to Scotland for 10 days. We're watching their dog, Colby. I think Colby intimidates Shadow with his bundle of energy. He's always running around.
• I'm trying to read more books on home organization. I'm tired of getting home at night and wondering what's for dinner. Emilie Barnes recently spoke on the subject on Focus on the Family's daily broadcast. Listen here--the broadcast is about 25 minutes.
• I've known for a while that ground turkey can be substituted in most ground beef recipes, but I'm trying more to cook with it. It's way healthier and a little cheaper. Just today I bought 4 pounds of ground turkey for $5!

Pureed Black Bean Soup

Nicky, our future sister-in-law, sent me the book What to Eat When You're Expecting. I made a couple of recipies from it this weekend, and the black bean soup was marvelous! Besides being tasty, the soup only took 20 minutes to make (and most of my time was spent chopping veggies). Go ahead--try it!

(serves 4-5ppl)

1 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium yellow bell peppers, chopped
2 t cumin
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 14 oz cans chicken broth
4 T chopped cilantro

Saute onion, garlic, bell pepper and cumin in hot olive oil (5 minutes) or until tender (use saucepan).

Add beans and broth, heat through.

Transfer mixutre to a blender; blend with 2 T cilantro until everything is pureed.

Transfer back to saucepan and heat until through (won't take long - a couple of minutes).

Put in bowls with rest of cilantro; serve with chopped tomatoes, cheddar cheese (a MUST), or avacado slices. Super yummy!