THEME FOR DECEMBER

Just in time for the Christmas, this month's theme is
NEIGHBOR TREATS!
As always, continue to post any new recipes from the other month's themes at anytime and don't forget to vote for January's theme.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 med onion
3 garlic cloves (minced)
2 T oil
2 lbs chicken
28 oz can diced tomatoes
10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups beef broth
1 can tomato soup ( progresso tomato with basil is really good)
1 T cumin
1 tsp chili powder

Cook First four ingredients until chicken is cook through . Add remaining ingredients and cook for 1 hour on medium heat. I like this soup a bit creamier so I also add a can of evaporated milk. At the end of the cooking time, I thicken the soup with flour and water or cornstarch and water.
Serve with baked tortillas cut into strips or tortilla chips, grated cheese and sour cream.

Spicy Chili

I am all about easy and this is way too easy (kinda cheating)

Canned chili, however many that you want/need
1 can of Rotel (in the canned tomato section)
Spicy sausage browned
Sliced jalepeno's (however many desired)
Anything else that you want to add to it

Add everything and heat on med - low. It is perfect!

Melinda Harr

Baked Potato Soup

4 large baking potatoes (about 2-3/4 lbs)
2/3 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper (I use black)
6 cups milk
1 cup (8oz) sour cream
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Bake potatoes at 350 degrees for an hour, cool completely. Peel and cube. In a large saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour, salt, and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat, whisk in sour cream. Add potatoes and green onions. Garnish with bacon and cheese.

Autumn Soup

2 lb ground beef
2 c chopped onion
6 c water
2 c cut up carrots
2 c diced celery
2 c cubed potatoes
4 tsp salt
2 tsp Kitchen Bouquet
1/2 tsp pepper
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp basil
2-28oz cans tomatoes (or 2 quarts canned)
salt to taste

Brown meat. Add onions and remaining ingredients. Boil and simmer 30 minutes until vegetables are tender. Makes 12 servings.

Creamy Black Bean Salsa Chicken

• 2 to 4 Boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 can corn (drained)
• 1 can Black Beans (drained)
• 1 pkg. Taco seasoning
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

Place chicken in greased 3 1/2 to 5 quart slow cooker. Pour broth, salsa, corn, beans, and taco seasoning over chicken. Cover and cook on low heat 6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours. Remove chicken and shred into pieces. Stir sour cream and cheese into sauce in the slow cooker. Add chicken back in. Serve over rice. (You can also put the mixture into flour tortillas to make them into more taco like meals.)

Tortilla Soup (White Chili)

• 3-4 cans Great Northern white beans (drained)
• 1 can green enchilada sauce
• 1 can green chilis
• 1 jar Pace picante sauce
• 1-2 small bags shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Throw everything into the crock pot. Cook for several hours. Serve with tortillas or tortilla chips.

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili

courtesy of :http://weight-watchers-points-recipes.blogspot.com

Prep Time: 5 minutes

1 onion, chopped
1 16-oz can black beans
1 16-oz can kidney beans
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
10 oz package frozen corn kernels
2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies
1 packet taco seasoning
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
24 0z. (3) boneless skinless chicken breasts
chili peppers, chopped (optional)
chopped fresh cilantro

Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred.

Cheese and Broccoli Soup

• 6 large carrots
• 1 medium cauliflower
• 1 head broccoli
• 3 quarts chicken broth
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 3 cubes butter
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 large jar Cheese Whiz

Cut up veggies and simmer in broth for 25 minutes. Add bouillon cubes. In another pan melt butter. Add flour and stir until thick and bubbly. Add this to veggie pan. Once this is all stirred in add Cheese Whiz. Simmer until Cheese Whiz is melted.

Chicken Barley Soup

• 8 Cups water
• 2 cans Cream of Chicken
• 1 Cup carrots
• 1 Cup celery
• 1 onion
• 1/3 Cup Barley (quick cook)
  
• 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Boil chicken in 8 cups water until cooked. Shred chicken into bite sized pieces. Use the same water, add barley, Cream of Chicken, chopped carrots, celery and onion. Bring to a boil and stir. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Let sit for 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

THEME FOR NOVEMBER

Just in time for the cold season, this month's theme is
SOUP!
As always, continue to post any new recipes from the other month's themes at anytime and don't forget to vote for December's theme.

Stroganoff

• Meat-- stew meat works the best but you can use hamburger
• 1 can mushroom soup
• 1 can milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
• 1 pkg. egg noodles

Take meat and roll in flour. Brown the meat in shortening adding salt and pepper to the meat as it browns.

Remove meat from the pan and set aside. Add soup, milk, and sour cream if you are using it. Stir until mixed well together and add meat back in. Simmer until it thickens, serve over noodles or rice

Lasagna

This is the BEST recipe for Lasagna that I have EVER made!

From the kitchen of my mother-in-law Connie!

Lasagna

Makes 8x11 pan

1 lb. ground beef
3 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
9-11 lasagna noodles
12-oz. lowfat Cottage Cheese
12 oz. grated Mild Cheese
8 oz. grated Mozzarella Cheese

Cook and crumble ground beef until cooked. Add chopped onion if desired. Drain grease. Add tomato sauce and simmer.In the meantime, cook lasagna noodles in pot of boiling water to desired doneness. Rinse in cold water and let stand in water until noodles are removed. Grate mild and mozzarella cheese into separate bowls.

Layer as follows:Layer of lasagna noodles across bottom of pan (3 noodles). Wipe excess water off noodles as you remove from pot. Add 1/3 hamburger sauce mix. Sprinkle 1/4-1/2 C cottage cheese on this, then sprinkle 1/3 of mild cheese, then 1/3 of mozzarella cheese. Add two more similar layers on top of first layer. Fit in extra noodles in middle layer (5). Cover with aluminum foil and heat for 30 minutes in 350 degree oven. May be stored in fridge or freezer until ready to heat. It will require at least 1 hour to heat cold lasagna--longer if frozen. Bake until heated through. Enjoy! Leftover lasagna is even better than the first day--if you happen to have leftovers

Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo

Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo
1/2 pkg of 16 oz. linguine
1 c. fresh or frzn broccoli flowerets
2 tbsp. butter
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breats cut into 1 1/2" pieces
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1. Prepare linguine according to pkg. Add broccoli during last 4 minutes of cooking time. Drain into a colander.2. Heat butter over med-high heat. Add chicken and cook until well browned, stirring often.3. Stir soup, milk. cheese, black pepper and linguine mixture into skillet. Cook until mixture is hot and bubbling.

Chicken Tetrazzini

• 16 oz spaghetti, cooked & drained
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 2 Cups chicken, cooked & diced
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 Cup skim milk
• 3/4 Cup Parmesan cheese
• Sprinkle of Paprika
  

Sauté the mushrooms and butter with lemon juice; toss them lightly with the cooked spaghetti and chicken and place in 9x13 casserole. Set aside. Melt the butter and stir in the flour and spices. Add broth and stir until the sauce thickens, then add milk. Pour the sauce over the noodles. Sprinkle with parmesan and paprika and bake at 400° for 25 minutes, or until browned and bubbly.