Homemade Soup Using What We Have On Hand!

I like to consider myself creative, but I also usually need a blueprint for how to start a new recipe.  Tonight I decided to get wild and crazy and just experiment because our fridge is STILL ON THE FRITZ - what is this now -  2 or 3 weeks? - I just don't want to go grocery shopping until I know that all of our food can stay fresh.  We are using the outside "working" fridge for things like dairy products, leftovers and things along those lines, and the inside "broken-ish" fridge for things like sauces, marinades and things that I don't think will spoil.  A fridge is supposed to register at 37 degrees, so at 50 - 58 degrees, we are cautious of the inside fridge.

I knew my base ingredients - plenty of leftover egg noodles, some sauce from the beef stroganoff (no beef), some beef consomme soup and some fresh veggies.  It was just a matter of becoming a mad scientist and devising a plan.

I started out by chopping some baby carrots, celery, onion, fresh ginger, and garlic and sauteeing in some olive oil.  I then added a can of beef consomme soup and a larger can of beef stock.  From there, I started to throw in some spices - I believe I used tarragon, salt, pepper and perhaps a tad of chili powder to give it heat.  I also added in the leftover sauce from the beef stroganoff, and got even crazier and added a bit of horseradish sauce, soy sauce, worcerstershire sauce and half and half.  Oh, and I chopped up the leftover green beans into smaller pieces.  I really think that's it...and just let it simmer for about 1/2 hour.  And added in a bit of grated parmesan cheese.  Then I added in the leftover egg noodles and let it blend together for a few more minutes.  Just served it with some sliced Italian bread (for dipping) and let's just say it was YUMMY!!!

A vegetarian option would be to use vegetarian stock, delete the beef strogranoff sauce and I think that's all you would have to do.  We did not have a true meat in there...maybe tofu would be an option???

Anyways, it hit the spot and was super easy which is what I totally needed tonight!!!  Thanks to those who have joined me on My Fitness Pal.  Again, my user name is mariccarroll if you want to be my motivator (and I will motivate you).

Tonight the treadmill was NOT something I wanted to do.  I had god awful cramps and just felt puny - but I did still walk on it for 45 minutes at my 4 mph, just turned the incline down from 6 to 4, but still VERY proud because I "just did it"!!!

Tomorrow is FRIDAY!!!!  YAY!!!!!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

So...our fridge is STILL out of commission.  Having everything crammed into the outside fridge and a cooler has made cooking much more difficult.  It was raining and thundering all day, so instead of my usual craving for grilled food, I was wanting something more comforting, like a soup.  I found another new blog, and she's famous to boot I think.  Pioneer Woman?  I had heard the name but didn't know much about her.  But as I browsed through her recipes, I realized how much I liked her style of cooking.  My hope was to find a recipe for which I had most of the ingredients and that sounded good, and thankfully I found it.

Here is the link to her recipe, and below is how I adapted it, mainly based on what we had on hand and the amount of time I had!  And I bet it would hold its own without the chicken if you are vegetarian!

Chicken Tortilla Soup                             

Ingredients

2 whole  Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 Tablespoon  Olive Oil

1-½ teaspoon  Cumin

1 teaspoon  Chili Powder

½ teaspoons  Garlic Powder

                 ½ teaspoons  Salt

1 Tablespoon  Olive Oil

2 cups of frozen tri pepper and onion mix, diced

3 cloves  Garlic, Minced

1 can  (10 Oz. Can) Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies

16 ounces, fluid  Low Sodium Chicken Stock

3 Tablespoons  Tomato Paste

4 cups  Hot Water 

1 can  (15 Oz. Can) Black Beans, Drained

1 can corn with peppers, drained

3 Tablespoons  Cornmeal Or Masa

5 whole  Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches

 FOR THE GARNISHES: Sour Cream

Diced Avocado

Diced Red Onion

Salsa Or Pico De Gallo

Grated Monterey Jack Cheese

Cilantro

        Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.

Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. While the chicken was cooking, I heated 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. I added in the pepper and onion mix and garlic.  I am all for fresh veggies, but it is nice to have a bag of these frozen goodies on hand for times when you are in a pinch.  I bet if I didn't tell you I used frozen, you wouldn't have known!

Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.  Add in the chicken when it is finished, shredding it into the soup.

Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer.  Check seasonings, adding more if needed— add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.  I also cooked a few tortillas in oil and crumbled on top of the soup.

Ladle into bowls, then top with sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, and grated cheese, if you have it! (The garnishes really make the soup delicious.)

    I didn't have the 45 minutes to initially simmer with an additional 30 minutes, so I probably simmered for a total of 30 minutes or so - some while the chicken was cooking in the oven, and some with the chicken in there.  It is such a flavorful soup, I don't think it mattered, and I think it will be even better for lunch today!