TWO RECIPES!

Hooray for my first post in my new blog! My cooking adventures are off to a great start!

Recipe number 1 - Oven-Fried Chimichangas!
NOM NOM NOM!! That is all I can say about this one! These are very easy to make, and actually pretty healthy! The recipe is really easy!

Mix together 1.5 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I just cooked some breasts in a pan with salt, pepper and EVOO (extra virgin olive oil, and shredded those up!) with 2/3 cup picante salsa, 1 tsp. ground cumin, 1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, and some green onions (about a 1/4 a cup.) Notice my fine mixing skills below. I also threw in some salt and pepper for taste.

This may blow your mind, but you can TASTE YOUR FOOD WHILE YOU MAKE IT! I took a bite of the mixture and thought it needed a little something more, so I added the S and P! Perfect! It's a standard I live by. Try before you buy. Or...try before you bake...

Next, you put some of the mixture on a flour tortilla. I used whole-wheat to up the nutrition factor. Fold the opposite sides over, and then roll up from the bottom and place seam-down on a baking sheet.

Brush with some melted margarine, and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

I served ours up with more green onion, salsa, guacamole, cheese, and romaine lettuce. DELISH! They had a nice crunch to them which I really liked. I think Phil ate three!! They would be a really easy dish to double or even triple to make for a big group of people. Yummers!

The next recipe. Tomato Tortellini Soup

Mmmmm....this one warmed my soul right up. And again, it was very easy! I am always up for a one-pot wonder!

Ingredients

1 package (9 oz.) cheese tortellini. I get the kind from the frozen section. It is about 5 bucks cheaper than the refrigerated kind.

2 cans reduced-sodium condensed tomato soup (CAMPBELLS!)

2 cups vegetable broth (I just bought one large can, wasn't exactly two cups, but it did the job.)

2 cups milk (1 or 2%)

2 cups half-and-half cream

1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook the tortellini and drain it. How do you know if tortellini is done? It floats to the top of course! Don't over do it! Or it will get gross and fall apart.

Combine the soup, broth, milk, cream, tomatoes and seasonings. I added extra of every single seasoning. Again, TASTE AS YOU GO! To me, it still tasted "canned-soupy," so I added more of everything to get rid of the taste. I also added a pinch of pepper. Bring it to a slow boil, stirring frequently. CAREFULLY, and I mean carefully add the tortellini. Don't let it splash up and cause third degree burns. Owchie! Then stir in the cheese. When you serve it, sprinkle some more parm over the top. 

Oh this one was definitely my favorite of the week. I served it a nice sourdough bread and it was just scrumptious! I wish I would have taken a picture of it with the cheese on top, because it was just so pretty! 

Coming up next week - Lemon Dill Chicken! Stay tuned!! 

-KTD-

FACE LIFT!!!

If you haven't noticed, my blog had a bit of work done. Allow me to explain.

While sitting at my job about 2 days ago, I had a vision. A vision that I would become rich off of a blog. But I knew that I would not make money blogging by blogging about the same thing over and over again. It's not that I don't enjoy sharing  how awesome my husband is and how blessed I am, but sometimes things just need to change! And I have a plan.

I figured a good blog would have to be something I enjoy. I enjoy going to the gym, but I can only brag about how I did 120 push-ups in a class so many times. I like dogs! But I only have one and technically she is my parent's so that would also get old quickly. A lot like my dog is. Then it hit me. FOOD. I love food. I LOVE FOOD. I love trying new recipes, I love trying different kinds of food, and I love to cook! Brilliant! For those of you who are saying, "Now didn't she already do a cooking blog once before?" Yes, the answer is yes. My mom and I did a Rachel Ray Recipe blog (which by the way, started my love of cooking) and it was a hit! But life happened, and eventually the blog was pushed to the side. And I lost the password...anyways.

So from now on, I will be blogging about food. One of my most biggest challenges lately is trying meals on Pinterest that do not turn out the way the pin said they would. I just want to hear from a real person that the recipe is actually good, and not a waste of my time or money! For those of you who also feel this way, I will now be the guinea pig for you! I will try at least one new "Pinterest" recipe a week and review it on the blog. I will also try other recipes and if it is worth it, share the recipe! I will also give kitchen tips and tricks that I have learned that seem to help things run a bit smoother in the hectic cooking life!

Disclaimer. I am not a professional "foodie." This are simply my ideas that have worked for me! If they do not work for you, please don't send hate mail. That's rude and makes me feel sad. Rather, share your ideas! I want to learn new things too!

So...here's to a fresh start! Hooray!

-KTD