Tortilla soup-Again!

There are so many variations of Tortilla Soup!
And I think I've collected all of them.
I've been on a cleaning out and tossing--taking to Goodwill and giving stuff to my daughters-in-law kick lately, and this is one area I really need to  clean out and toss-- my many recipe cards, pages torn out of magazines and those quickly handwritten on the back of envelopes variations of Tortilla Soup.
No person in their right mind needs as many as I have, so I'll throw away the ones I don't like and keep just a few ...  the trouble is, I've never had a bad one.   So, I'll just keep the ones I absolutely love, right?  The trouble is, I think I love them all. Absolutely!!

Oh well... 

This recipe comes from a torn out page of a magazine. On the bottom of the page it says "Southern Favorites", so I am assuming that I tore this out of Southern Living Magazine or Taste of the South.

It's really, really good. 

One of the best I think.

Tortilla Soup

from Southern Living Magazine or Taste of the South 

Vegetable Oil

1 (11.5 oz) package corn tortilla-cut into strips

1 tsp salt

1 onion chopped

1/2 small red bell pepper-seeded and chopped

1 jalapeno pepper-seeded and minced

3 cups cooked chicken--shredded or chopped

6 cups chicken broth

1 (15.25 oz) can whole kernel corn

1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes

1 (10oz can)  diced tomatoes and green chilies (I used Rotel)

1 T chili poweder

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

Garnishes:

Shredded Jack cheese

Sour cream

cilantro (optional)

Cook tortilla strips in hot oil until lightly browned and crunchy

salt with 1 tsp salt

set aside

Soften onion, and peppers in oil for a few minutes. Combine the rest of the ingredients (except garnishes) and cook on low for a few hours.

Serve in soup bowls with garnishes of your choice, topped with tortilla strips.

I love lots and lots of the tortilla strips!  And I do love them fried like this.  Some recipes have you just add the corn tortilla strips without frying them or just crush some tortilla strips on top.

While all those are fine, I prefer them this way!

Yummy!

I think this Tortilla Soup tasted particularly good because it is the first soup of the fall, and we had a freak September weather turn--- we had snow!

Nobody in town is ready for this.  Nobody.

Okay, one friend, Gina, she is ready for this, but really, out of 8,000 people, I think she is the only one.

So it felt good to go home and have soup!

It made it taste extra special.

Sunday Soup

I can feel fall in the air.

Sometimes.

For a moment in the morning when we walk, and sometimes for a moment in the evening when the sun is setting just a tad bit earlier than it was.

Okay, who am I kidding, it was 97 yesterday, BUT I can feel a yearning for fall, so.......soup, right?

It's almost soup weather!

Yay!!

I love to make soup.

I spent yesterday afternoon making soup (and pie, but that's a story for another time)

I'm not exactly on a quest to find the perfect Tortilla Soup recipe like Heather, but it's been a lot of fun over the past few years making different ones and seeing what I like best.

My sister-in-law, Meghan gave me this recipe years ago, and I am embarrassed to say that I had never made it before. Silly me.  It's so good. 

It also filled my house with THE BEST aroma ever!

I always thought I liked a creamy tortilla soup the best, but this clear brothy one (yes, brothy is a word) is so, so good!  Because you add sliced jalapenos, there is a hint of  chili flavor throughout, but it's not terribly hot. Believe me, I couldn't take it if it were just HOT--there was just a hint of that jalapeno in the broth, and it was Delicious!

It's a simple soup too--only a few ingredients, but put together they are perfect!

This is my 7th different Tortilla Soup (you can see all of them here) and I would have a hard time picking my favorite, but this one is right there on the top!

Hatch chilies are available in the stores right now and the Handyman LOVES to roast his own, so we also roasted up some Hatch chilies and had a chicken taco on the side to go with the soup.

Kind of hard to tell, but there really was some chicken in that tortilla.

The Handyman even grilled his tortillas.

Which is how I like them---with little grill marks.

I am going to link up with Weekend Cooking.

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts!

And Souper Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen!

Souper Sundays is a weekly blog event that started because of her love of soup and a desire to work through the many soup and soup-like recipes in cookbooks and magazines, Deb set a goal to make a soup or "soupish" dish each week and post it each Sunday and invited others to do the same.

In case you can't read the recipe from that photo:

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Meghan  Stone

Corn tortillas

2 (32oz) boxes or cans of low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups shredded, cooked chicken

1 large red onion,chopped

2 large tomatoes, diced

2 medium jalapenos, sliced

1 lime juiced

2 cups corn

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

1 ripe avocado, peeled and cubed

8oz, crumbled feta, queso fresco or sour cream

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cut tortillas into 1/2 inch thick strips and arrange them on a cookie sheet in a single layer.

Bake them 5-10 minutes or until crispy.

In a large pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil, add chicken.  Reduce heat to low and cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  In a sauté pan, add onions and corn.  Sauté till tender, about 5 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes, jalapenos, and lime juice. Heat about 5 minutes to blend flavors.  Add to broth.

Divide the baked tortilla strips among 4 bowls.  Ladle soup and serve with bowls of cilantro leaves, avocado and cheese/sour cream to use as toppings at the table.

Enjoy!  

Food 'n Flix-- Tortilla Soup

 

 

Food 'n Flix is a group of bloggers who get together every month to watch a movie, and then head into the kitchen and mix up something inspired by the flick. 

There is always room for another pillow in front of the tellie, and another chair around the table. So if you're a blogger who wants to join in the fun, please feel free to jump in at any moment.

 September's  Flick was chosen by Heather from Girlichef.   ( or All Roads Lead to the Kitchen ) She  chose to celebrate the 5 year anniversary of Food 'n Flix by letting us each choose any of the previously viewed movies.

check out her announcement post here---and play along next month!

 

What a fun idea to be able to pick one of our favs (movies)  and do a redo. OR at least get a chance to show off the 'other thing' you were thinking of making. It's always so hard to chose.

OR-- to choose a brand new movie---new to you/me--which is what I did.

I was excited to see this movie on the list--the Food 'n Flix bloggers chose this movie before I came along to join in--because I have been intrigued by Tortilla Soup ever since Heather, our host, did a 'search, cook-along, Challenge, quest', to find the perfect Tortilla Soup, back in 2011.

You can see the results of her quest here.

 

 

 

OH...the movie?  I had to go on a quick quest myself to find it in our little town.  I was hoping that Netflix streamed it, but it is DVD only.

 

Back to the soup....back in 2010, I entered 2 tortilla soups in Heather's challenge.  ONE I LOVED!!!  The other was good too, but the first one did things to my taste buds, I'd never had done before! (you can see it here.  I gushed and gushed about this soup)   I've made only 5 (this will make 6) different tortilla soups since then, but I thought my Houston's Tortilla Soup was IT! The most perfect! The best! Nothing could ever come close to it.

Until I made this one.

 

 

 

OH...the movie?  I finally found it at the library. Used my library card (by the way, September is National Library Card Sign up month---http://www.ilovelibraries.org/library-card ) had to squeeze in time when the Handyman wasn't watching The Walking Dead...

 

Soup!  Soup!  Tortilla Soup!  It's so good! 

This one is right there at the top of my favorite list.

It was so flavorful!

I have to tell you, I was skeptical,  when I saw that it included a can of bean dip.

I thought that was the weirdest ingredient ever.

But it worked!!

This was a dark, broth-y, soup.  Not really thick, but dark from the enchilada sauce--which worked too!

To me, there was such a depth of flavor.

It didn't have many toppings--that's why I added them.  I, like Heather, love the toppings.  The Handyman?  Hmph.  He complained about adding toppings to soup--he thought they could be incorporated.

He thought wrong.

But he did love the soup.

Probably got a bit tired of me saying how great it was with every bite I took.

 

 

 

 

 The movie? It was cute.  Kind of a little known, lite weight, late night movie.  It was a do over  (or very similar) from the movie "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman". 

It was cute, and I love Hector Elizondo.  And I love the theme of the Mexican Family table.

Family dinners and Cooking/kitchen scenes get me every time.

 

I think I'm going to make more Tortilla Soups soon!

My own personal challenge.

I could easily become obsessed.

Winter is coming. (okay, so I also had to wait to watch the movie, because the Handyman was watching GAME OF THRONES.  Every time I write or say "Winter is coming....it reminds me of that show.  It will forever haunt me.)

Winter is coming and what better thing to do than hunker down with a bowl of hot, luscious, delicious, wonderful, Tortilla Soup?!

And watch my Food 'n Flix movie of course!

 

 

Tortilla Soup

 2 Tablespoons butter

3 (6-inch) corn tortillas

1 medium onion, (1/2 cup) chopped

1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped garlic

1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (10-oz) can mild enchilada sauce

1 (4-oz) can chopped green chilies

2 cups chicken broth

1 (9-oz) container bean dip

*shredded chicken--optional

3 oz Monterey Jack Cheese

 

Heat oven to 425F.  Lightly butter both sides of each tortilla with butter. Cut into strips and place on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake, turning once for  5-8 minutes or until browned and crisp.  Remove, set on paper towels; set aside.

 

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat until sizzling; add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender.

Stir in all remaining ingredients except cheese and tortilla strips. Continue cooking, until heated thru.

 

Top individual servings with cheese and tortilla strips.

 

(I added chopped avocado and chopped tomatoes as a topping too)

 

The original recipe says you can use a spicy bean dip or a smoky chipotle  to change it up.

I think the chipotle would taste great.

 

'this is a  Land 'o Lakes' original recipe.

(for the butter, I guess)

I added the chicken.

Meatball Tortilla Soup

It will be Thanksgiving in just a few short days!  I have a houseful of family already.  My three grown sons and their families are here for a week...and that means, cooking, cooking, cooking.

Everybody loves soup and I especially love a good tortilla soup,  (and I've made many) so I found this one by Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman and thought I'd give it a try, since it is combing two of my favorite soups--Tortilla and Albondigas.

This was a good soup, we all enjoyed it and I would definitely make it again, but I have just one issue with a lot of Tortilla soups---they say to put the corn tortillas in and they will 'soften'.   I prefer  my tortilla strips to be fried and crispy, but that's just me.

I didn't fry these because the  recipe didn't say to do so, but I will next time.

By the way,  I have 3 little 4 year olds running around my house...and a 10 month old baby....and an 11 year old dropping in every so often.

Lots of grandkids, lots of fun.

On Thursday we, as a family are doing the Turkey Trot---a 5k run/walk  which takes place downtown.  We're going to wear turkey hats with googly eyes made by the kids.

At least Granddad and I are---their parents are a little hesitant about this.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Meatball Tortilla Soup

Ree Drummond

Meatballs

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup pepper Jack cheese

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

1 egg, beaten

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 cup seasoned panko or other breadcrumbs

Juice of 1 lime (about 1 tablespoon juice)

Soup

1 half-stick (4 tbsp.) Land O Lakes® Salted Butter

1/2 large onion, diced

2 ears corn, kernels sliced off (or you can use 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels)

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

6 cups low sodium beef broth

1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes with chilies

1 4-ounce can tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1 14.5 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

6 6-inch corn tortillas

Fixins

Sour cream

Avocado

Extra grated pepper Jack cheese

Cilantro leaves

Combine all meatball ingredients and mix well. Shape into small balls (about 24 total) and chill for 30 minutes.

After chilling, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a heavy pot. Briefly brown meatballs in three batches, then remove to a plate.

Add 2 more tablespoons butter to pan and allow to melt. Add onions, garlic, corn, and bell pepper and stir to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add beef stock, canned tomatoes with chilies, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin and salt. Bring to a boil, allow to boil for 3 minutes, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the beans, and then place the meatballs back into the pot. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes until meatballs are done all the way through. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Cut tortillas into thin strips. When the soup is ready, stir the strips into the soup (they will soften).

Serve the soup with a dollop of sour cream, a slice of avocado, a little grated cheese, and a few cilantro leaves.

Tortilla Soup (Trisha Yearwood's)

Our weather has turned!   Last week, I had the air-conditioner on to cool the house down before we went to bed.
Last night the Handyman made a fire in the fireplace and we lounged around it, reading books, taking a cat nap before going to bed.  It was 57 in our house before the fire,  67 by the time we went to bed.  I have this thing about not needing heat before October! We can handle this for a few more days.  (maybe)

But to take the chill off  you should try this soup.
It's mmmm....mmmmm good!

Trisha Yearwood's Tortilla  Soup

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 14oz cans chicken broth
• 4 cups half-and-half (or low fat millk)
• 1 cup prepared salsa
• 4 chicken breasts (boneless skinless (already cooked))
• 1 15oz can kidney beans
• 1 15oz can black beans
• 1 15oz can corn
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 package fajita seasoning
• 1 15oz can cream of chicken soup

Directions

Step 1

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and the onion and saute until softened, 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir well, cooking for 1 minute more. Add the broth and the half-and-half. Stir in the cream of chicken soup, salsa, chicken, beans, corn, cumin and fajita seasoning. Continue to simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.

Step 2

Crumble the tortilla chips into individual bowls and top with a ladle of soup. Sprinkle each serving with cheese and add a dollop of sour cream.

We liked it very much.  Maybe one of the top  Tortilla soups that I've had...and I usually liked  'fried' tortilla strips in it, not tortilla chips OR  'raw' tortilla strips.  But I liked the crunch of the chips with the cheese on top of this soup.

The Secret Recipe Club--Vickie's Tortilla Soup

Amber and I could easily be friends.    We could be friends because, well, I love her blog. And her enthusiasm-- for cooking, for her blog, for her family and for her home.

Amber is the blogger from Bluebonnets & Brownies, the blog I was assigned for the secret recipe club.    I love the secret recipe club, because it introduces me to blogs I haven't seen before. It's such a great way to be introduced to new blogs and bloggers.  Some are extra special like this one.

I LOVE food with a Mexican flair--a Tex-Mex flavor--as well, as the occasional chocolate treat. Bluebonnets & Brownies--A Perfect Fit!!


Although, there were many great recipes to choose from, I decided on this Tortilla Soup .    I love Tortilla Soup.    I have made a good Tortilla Soup in my time, but I'm kind of always on the lookout for a better one now.     (It's all because of Heather from Girlichef and her Tortilla Soup round-up).   My favorite has lots of cheese and cream and some other really unhealthy ingredients in it, (it's sooo good!)   so when I read this  recipe, I thought,  "well it sounds really good, but  where is the cream?"

We Loved It!!!
It's like  apples and oranges. They are two completely different soups.   No one really  need compare.
It  felt like a fall day here in Winnemucca (in fact, it rained a bit)  and this soup smelled so good simmering in the crock pot all day.  It was just perfect.  The weather, the soup, the football on TV.
The soup was so good....it had a lot of flavor and the veggies simmered in the broth were just perfect.  It was a great soup to bring in the fall for me.
I love to chop vegetables for some reason and this soup was chalk full of them...carrots, zucchini, potatoes, tomatoes.  It's soothing to me to chop.  
Our taste buds were very satisfied and we felt like this was a soup that was actually good for us!

I would make this soup again, even if I didn't have tortilla strips on top. It was just a really good soup. I'm not sure why it's called Vickie's Tortilla soup--maybe you should read the blog to find out. What a great idea. That way you can see what other great recipes Amber has.

In the Secret Recipe club, we are assigned a blog and we choose any recipe from that blog to make and post about. We keep our assigned blogger a secret until posting day. It's a lot of fun getting to know another blogger by actually 'stalker' (or visiting) their blog.
It's such a fun blog hop to take part in.   I can't wait to go visit all the other Secret Recipe bloggers!

Vickie’s Tortilla Soup

Directions
1 onion, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
2 regular carrots, peeled and diced
4 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 zucchini, diced
6 cups of chicken broth
1-1 1/2 lbs chicken breast
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 bunch of cilantro


Directions
I started by chopping all the vegetables except the cilantro and tossing them into the crock pot. Then I added the chicken broth and spices, and allowed this to cook on low for about 2 hours. Then I added the raw chicken pieces (I used tenderloins) directly to the crock pot, and put it on high.


About 4 hours later, I removed the chicken pieces from the soup, and pulled them using two forks. This makes for very tender chicken throughout the soup, and guaranteed chicken in pretty much every bite. I added the chicken back to the soup, and just let it cook for another 3 hours on low.


The soup gets its name from what goes on top of it at the very end.


Preheat your oven to 350F. Take 1 corn tortilla per person eating, and cut the tortilla into strips. Place the strips on a baking tray, and spray them with cooking spray. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake the strips for about 8-10 minutes until crisp.


When you ladle up the soup, sprinkle it with some sharp cheddar cheese and the tortilla strips, and garnish
with some  cilantro.