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Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Tortilla Soup- Perfect for a Chilly Fall Night!

I love a good tortilla soup! A delicious, spicy broth ladled over crunchy tortilla strips. And I think it is so important to eat it quickly before the strips lose that crunch! This is a delicious version that takes the basic and adds shrimp and avocado- how can yo go wrong? It's amazing!

Here's how you do it:









Now here's a little more information:

Shrimp and Avocado Tortilla Soup
6 servings

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
6 (6 inch) corn tortillas cut into half and into strips
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 Anaheim chilies, seeded and chopped
1 (16 oz.) can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 quart chicken stock
1 Tablespoon lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 ripe avocado, diced
1 lb. cooked small shrimp

In a medium skillet, heat 2 Tablespoons of the oil over medium heat; when hot- add the tortilla strips and cook in batches, until they are crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels; set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat the remaining 1 Tablespoon of oil; add the onion and chilies, cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes. Add tomatoes, cumin and cayenne and cook until flavors are well blended, about 15 minutes. Stir in the stock, lower the heat and simmer until slightly reduced, about 20 minutes. Add the lime juice and add salt and pepper.

Divide tortilla strips, avocado and shrimp into bowls. Ladle hot soup into bowl and serve immediately.

Monday, November 8, 2010

New Project!

So, most of you know that I was involved in a little thing called the Real Women of Philadelphia over the summer. You know, the thing with Paula Deen and all the cream cheese? It was amazing! Now, I am lucky enough to be involved in a new project with them! Check out this video from Adam Butler, Brand Manager for Kraft and Philly, as he explains what it is all about...




You just have to stay tuned to see how they got me involved!

Until then, if you wt to get involved, all you need to do is get some of the new Kraft Natural Shredded Cheese with a touch of Philly, then take a picture of it, upload it onto the Real Women of Philadelphia (yes, you will need to create a profile, but it's free and super simple), then Kraft will donate 20 meals to Feeding America for each photo. If you are really in the mood to help- make a video of your recipe and Kraft will donate 40 meals!


Oh, and go to the website for more info, or to get a $1 off coupon for this yummy new cheese!
http://www.realwomenofphiladelphia.com/

Friday, November 5, 2010

Halloween Party!!!

One of my favorite holidays is Halloween. It in no way compares to my love for Christmas, but it is way up there. I love the decorations and the treats and the costumes and the parties. We had a really fun party at our house the night before Halloween this year. Food, friends and fun- nothing better.


I love the food for Halloween. There are so many opportunities to do creepy but yummy things. Here are a few that I did:





Witches’ Fingers
Mozzarella cheese sticks and pepperoni wrapped in pizza dough, painted with green egg wash and an almond as a fingernail.




Oxtails
This one was out of Paula Deen Celebrates, her cookbook that I am cooking through this year. Literally chunks of oxtails roasted with onions, peppers and Worcestershire sauce. Interesting- the meat was delicious and very tender, but it is a very fatty kind of meat. But what is more creepy and Halloween-ish that "oxtails"?




Mummy Dogs
So easy- hot dogs, but in half and wrapped with refrigerated pie dough. I served them with honey mustard and a chipotle bbq dipping sauces.



Monster Eyeballs
Donut holes covered in white chocolate, with gummy savers and m&m’s for the eyes.



Ghost Brownies
Just box brownie mix, large marshmallows, warmed vanilla frosting poured over and mini chocolate chips for eyes.




Also, I did a Treat Table. One of the sections from Paula Deen Celebrates is Homemade Christmas Gifts. I decided to give them out at Halloween instead. I thought it would be cute. Cause, hey- what scream Halloween, if not fruitcake and peppermint bark? Here’s what I made and gave away: Fruited Rice Curry Mix, Lemon-Dill Rice Mix, Russian Spiced Tea Mix, Greek Salad Dressing, Peppermint Bark, Pretzel-Peanut Bark, Cheese Straws, Oven Caramel Corn, Icebox Fruitcake, Apricot- Ginger butter, Cinnamon- Honey Butter and Herb Butter. Yes, all of that.