Don't Knock Chicken Soup!

I'm emerging from the ashes!!  For months I managed to dodge that nasty cold/flu that everyone around me was getting.  Then Tom and I went  a lovely, romantic Caribbean cruise, and we both got hit with that bug halfway through.  SERIOUSLY????!!  So much for our romantic get-away; the Love Boat turned into the Coughing & Hacking Boat!

I pushed through and still went cave tubing and zip lining (that cold isn't ruining my vacation!)

 

 ...but when I got home, I was flattened!  My energy was zapped.  All I wanted to do was sleep.  It's one of those vicious Catch 22's.....no energy to cook or grocery shop, and no energy because I wasn't eating.  After a few days, I decided enough was enough.  I had to cook, and I needed chicken soup!

There's some actual science that supports the old wives' tale that chicken soup helps relieve cold and flu symptoms....the aromatics used are powerful anti-inflammatory ingredients, the bones add essential minerals, and the heat itself helps loosen up congestion.  And come on, it's just good old-fashioned comfort food, right?  That makes you feel better with each bowlful.  So off I went to the store for chicken soup ingredients.

Not one to go with the usual suspects, I decided to make Chicken Tortilla Soup.  I thought a spicy version of chicken soup would help sweat out this dang thing....

I started with a base of onions, leeks, jalapeno peppers and garlic.  When they were softened and fragrant, I added shredded rotisserie chicken, black beans, fire roasted tomatoes, chicken stock and smoky spices, and let that simmer away

 Meanwhile, I heated a little olive oil in my cast iron skillet (just enough to cover the bottom), and pan fried corn tortillas that I cut into strips. 

I added some chopped cilantro, lime zest & juice, and a pinch of salt (about 1/4 teaspoon; I've measured my pinches!) to the soup and let it cook for a little bit longer. And now it's time!!  You can lay some of the tortilla strips in the  bottom of the bowl and ladle the soup over them, but I like to  float them on top for a crispy bite.  Add a little dollop of Greek yogurt (or sour cream, if you're one of THOSE) on top, and this is definitely not a bitter pill to swallow!!  Sure, it won't cure me, but it makes me feel warm and just a little bit better.

Sick or not, give this yummy soup a try......

Chicken Tortilla Soup                                                                                                         Serves 6

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 cup chopped onion

2 small jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

1 leek, white and light green part thinly sliced

1 tablespoon chopped garlic (about 3-4 cloves)

2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded

1 14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes

1 14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

4 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

½ teaspoon ancho chile powder

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Zest and juice from one lime

Salt to taste

4 corn tortillas, cut into strips

Greek yogurt for garnish

·         Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat.

·         Add onion, jalapeno, leek and garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until softened.

·         Add chicken, tomatoes, black beans, broth, cumin, coriander, and chile powder.

·         Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes.

·         Add chopped cilantro, lime zest and juice, and salt to taste (about ½-1 teaspoon).

·         Continue cooking for 5 minutes, uncovered.

·         Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

·         Add tortilla strips and cook, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned and crisp.

·         Ladle soup into bowls, top with tortilla strips and a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Crazy for Pumpkin!

I grew up sure that I didn't like pumpkin.  Not like how I grew up thinking I didn't like coconut, only to realize in my 20's that I DID like coconut.  When I was a kid my dad told me that I didn't like coconut, so that he could eat all my Mounds and Almond Joy candy on Halloween.  But noone lied to me about pumpkin, least of all my taste buds.  But as I discovered with my Roasted Pumpkin Soup test last week, if you leave out the cloves and the allspice, I might just love it.

So I played around with an old Martha Stewart recipe for Chicken Enchiladas in Pumpkin Sauce.  I turned it into a layered casserole and added a few more ingredients to it.  I was going to make it for one of my clients, but it looked so good, I kept it for myself!!  I love making a big casserole and having lunch and dinner in a flash the rest of the week.  But with something this good, it takes a lot of willpower to get the portion control in check!

Start with covering the bottom of a casserole dish with pumpkin sauce.  Layer tortillas over the sauce and top with a mix of shredded chicken, sliced olives, diced green chiles, sliced scallions and a little cheese.  Top with more tortillas (I prefer corn) and the other half of the chicken mixture.  Top with more tortilas and cover with pumpkin sauce and (of course) cheese.

It bakes up in about 25 minutes, which you've got to love!  And if you buy one of those rotisserie chickens (preferably organic), you can get it in the oven in just the time it takes to open a couple cans of olives and green chiles.  Well, there's the pumpkin sauce, but that's pretty much a no-brainer, too. And boy, is it ever yummy...

Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce
Serves 6
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
salt & pepper
6 scallions, thinly sliced
1 small can sliced olives
1 small can diced green chiles
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/3-1/2 cup milk
12 corn tortillas

• Preheat oven to 400.
•  Season both sides of chicken with cumin, coriander, salt and pepper
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet and cook chicken over medium high heat to 165 degrees.  When cool enough to handle, shred.
• In a large bowl combine cooked chicken, scallions,olives, and green chiles.  Season with salt & pepper.
• In a blender combine pumpkin puree, jalapeno, garlic, chili powder, and cumin.  With motor running, slowly add milk to get the consistency you prefer.
• Cover bottom of baking dish with pumpkin sauce.  Top with 4 tortillas, half the chicken mixture and 1/3 cup cheese.
• Top with 4 more tortillas, the remaining half of chicken mixture, and 1/3 cup cheese.
• Cover with remaining 4 tortillas and pour sauce over the top.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup cheese.
• Bake 20-25 minutes until heated through.

I make a little spicy crema, mixing Greek yogurt and Siracha (or any hot sauce), and put a couple dollops on top.