Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Lime Cilantro Rice

Lets start with the rice since it takes the longest to cook.
1 cup of rice or more depending on how much you want
1 jalapeno
1 punch of cilantro
2ish limes
salt and pepper to taste

Seed and finely dice up pepper  Add rice to a medium sauce pan with some butter or oil and brown.  Add in pepper and diced pepper.  Cook until slightly golden. Add 2x the water for the amount of rice.  Bring to a simmer and then cover on a low heat for about 20 min or until tender.

Roughly chop up the cilantro.  When the rice is done stir in cilantro, squeeze in lime juice and then salt and pepper to taste.

Now on the the chicken  Make this while the rice is cooking

Its a simple breaded chicken
1 cup of flour
1 teaspoon of cayanne pepper
4ish chicken tenders
1 cup of milk
1 egg
panko bread crumbs

Whisk together flour and pepper and separately whisk egg and milk.  Dip chicken in milk and then coat in flour.  Dip in milk and then cover with panko. 

Pan fry with a little oil until golden brown about 4-5 min per side

Now on to the sauce
3ish chipotle peppers
1 tablespoon of honey
13 cup of brown sugar
3 tablespoons of katechup
3 tablespoons of apple cider vengar
3 tablespoons of hot sauce
1 tablespoon of cornstarch

Whisk together all the ingredients except peppers into a cold sauce pan and then heat over medium low heat. 

Food process the peppers and then whisk into sauce and bring to a simmer.  Add water to reach desired consistency

Spoon sauce onto chicken.  Place some rice in a slighly warmed corn tortilla.  Add a piece of chicken and sprinkle with feta.  I topped with a thin source cream with lime zest in it.

Lasagna Soup

This is a cross between and lasagna and a soup

Here is what you need:
Pasta any kind is fine but a small shape is best
1 28 oz can of diced toamtoes
1 can of tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 pound of italian sausage
8 oz of ricotta cheese
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 onion
2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese (not in pic)
mozzarella to top off
salt and pepper to taste

Brown sausage in a medium sauce pan over a medium heat.

 Dice up an onion and add to meat and cook until tender

Add seasonings, garlic, and tomato paste and cook for about a min

Add tomatoes and 6 cups of water and bring to a simmer for 30 min

Grate Parmesan cheese and mix with ricotta and then dolop in the bottom of a bowl

 Top ricotta mixture with hot pasta and then label on the soup.  Sprinkle on mozzarella and then let rest for 5 min so the cheese can melt.

Potato Soup

It simply some simmering and then a little blending.  You could make a yummy bar out of this with whatever toppings you like.

1 carton of low sodium chicken broth
6-8 cups of chopped potatoes.  (I like to use red potatoes because you don't hae peel them but whatever kind is fine.
1 onion
4 tablespoons of butter
1 cup milk or cream
5-6 pieces of bacon
1 1/2 teaspoons of seaosning salt
1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
4-5 gloves of garlic

Melt butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat and add diced onion.  Cook until tender and translucent.  Zest in garlic and cook for a minuet longer.

Chop potatoes and peel if necessary.  Add chicken broth to sauce pan and seasoning and bring to a simmer until tender.  Top off with water to cover potatoes if necessary

While the potatoes simmer cook the bacon and then cool and dice up. 

When tender use an immersion blender to blend to desired consistency.  I like ti kinda chunky but you can blend it smooth too.  If you don't have an immersion blender you a normal blender just be careful about the steam.  Stir in most of the chopped bacon.  Save a little for toppings if desired. Taste test and check for seasoning level.

Stir in milk or cream. 

Top with whatever you want.

Maple Sandwhich Cookies

I don't like pumpkin so I made these for Thanksgiving for an alternative.

Let's start with cookie dough. 
1 3/4 cups of bread flour
1/2 cup of brown or maple sugar
1 sticks of butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of maple extract

Cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy

Beat in egg

Beat in cinnamon and salt

Slowly mix in flour and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours

 Roll out on a floured surface and cut with a cookie cutter.  You want them thin.  Bake at 350 for about 8-9 min depending on size and thickness.  Cook until slightly brown on the edges.  Let completely cool before frosting.

Frosting:
2 tablespoons of real maple syrup
1/3 of brick of cream cheese
2 tablespoons of butter
1/2 teaspoon of maple extract
2ish cups of powdered sugar

Cream together butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy

Whisk in syrup and extract

Slowly mix in powdered sugar to desired consistency

Spread some frosting onto underside of a cookie with a small off set spatual and then place another cookie on top to sandwhich

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2ish chicken breasts
1 onion
1/3 cup of corn meal
1 jalapeno
1 bell pepper
1 can of black beans
5-6 cloves of garlic
1 can of diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 can of tomato paste
1 carton of chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon of cummin
1/2 teaspoon of chile powder
5-6 tablespoon of oil

Mix cummin, chile powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt with 3 cloves of garlic and 4 tablespoon of oil

Brush chicken with oil mixture and cook for 15 min at 375.  Roughly chop when it done.

Dice up onion, jalapeno, red pepper, and mince up a couple cloves of garlic

Cook veggies over medium heat until tender and then add drippings/oil from chicken and add to veggies.

Add tomatoes and broth and bring to a simmer

Add tomato paste, and rinsed black beans and simmer for 10 min. I put mine in the fridge at this point and then heated it back up another day for dinner.  But you can serve now.   You might need some of the cornmeal to thicken.  Mix with a little water and then stir in and simmer for another 10 min.  It depends on the thickness and what you want. 

Top with whatever you like.  I squeezed in lime juice and then topped with cheddar cheese, Mexican sour cream and cilantro.  It would also be good with avocado, pica de gallo