Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Well, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to soup season.  Hands down the best thing about winter. Be it chili, chowder, tomato, or....Cheesy Chicken Tortilla.  Or beer cheese. Or French onion.  Or potato.  Should I stop?

Here's what you'll need:

2-3 cans Chicken Broth (depends on how thick you want your soup to be)
3 chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
 I can diced tomatoes
1 can corn
1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 bag shredded cheese of your choice ( I usually use Mexican)
Lime juice to taste
Jalapenos to taste
Sour cream for topping
Tortilla Chips for topping

1. Bring chicken, chicken broth, cumin, garlic, chili powder, and cumin to a boil and let chicken cook through.

2. Reduce heat and add tomatoes, corn, diced tomatoes and green chilies, jalapenos, lime, and cheese.  Let simmer 10 minutes or until the soup is warmed through.  With two forks, shred the chicken.

3.  Top with sour cream and crushed tortilla chips.

Snickers Cheesecake

Yep.  You heard me.  Chocolate.  Caramel.  Cheesecake.  Heaven.  Eat it.

For the crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 Tbsp white sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted

For the cheesecake:

2 8 oz cream cheese blocks, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 jar caramel topping, divided
20 mini snickers cut into small pieces

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In large bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and melted butter.  Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.  Bake 10 minutes.

2.  In large bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar until combined.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add the vanilla.

3.  Pour 1/4 of caramel sauce on the bottom of the pie crust.  Pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the caramel layer.  Bake 60-70 minutes.  Use a waterbath or place a pot of water below the cheesecake to ensure even cooking.  Middle should be almost set.  Let the cheese cake sit in the oven with the door slightly ajar for about 45 minutes to finish cooking.

4.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Top with leftover caramel sauce and pile snickers on top.

Pumpkin Blossoms

Pumpkin.  Check.
Spice Cake.  Check check.
Sugar.  Check. Check. Check.
Chocolate.  You bet.

So that's it.  That's all you need to make these wonders.  That wasn't too tough was it?

Here's your lineup.  So simple.

Combine the pumpkin and spice cake mix.

A cookie scoop works perfectly.  The dough is pretty sticky.

Sprinkle some sugar on the dough ball.  Use dusting sugar if you want.  I didn't have any, so regular ol' granulated sugar it is.

Remove from pan and then press the kiss into the middle of the cookie.  Stick the whole rack in the refrigerator to cool.

Ingredients:

1 can pumpkin
1 box spice cake mix
chocolate kisses
sugar for dusting

Mix the pumpkin and the spice cake mix.  Use cookie scoop to place onto parchment paper or silpat line cookie sheet.  Dust with sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes.  Press the kisses into the center of cookie an transfer to wire rack.  Place the wire rack in the refrigerator to cool or else the kisses will melt.

Caramel Apple Cider Cookies

I have never had a caramel apple, but I'm willing to put money on the fact that cookies taste better.  I found them floating around the web and had to try them.

Here's what you'll need.

Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.

 Cream your butter, sugar, salt, and cider.

 After adding the eggs, add the vanilla.

 Gradually add your flour mixture.

 Place the caramel in the middle of the dough.

 Seal and place on the baking sheet.  You can tell where I decided to add flour to my hands.  I was getting frustrated.

 Remove Silpat from pan and allow to cool.

Gooey caramel in the middle.

Caramel Apple Cider Cookies:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
I cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 (7.4 oz) box instant Apple Cider (not sugar free)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups of flour (plus extra for your hands)
1 14 oz bag caramels, unwrapped

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  LIne cookie sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat.  (Prevents the caramel from sticking)

2.  In small bowl whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.  Set aside.

3.  In large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, salt, and all 10 packets of apple cider with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Add vanilla and mix well.  Gradually add in flour mixture.  Mix until just combined.

4.  Use cookie scoop to scoop 1/2 spoonful of dough.  With lightly floured hands, flatten the dough into the palm of your hand and press caramel into the center.  Seal the dough around it, covering it completely.  Shape the dough into a ball and place on covered cookie sheet about 3 inches apart.

5.  Bake 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges.  Slide the parchment or silpat onto the counter and allow cookies to partially cool.  When firm, but still warm, twist off of paper and finish cooling upside down on the mat or a rack.

Makes about 36-40 cookies.



Spooky Spiderweb Chocolate Cupcakes

Just in time for Halloween!  These are super easy and quick cupcakes to decorate and a perfect touch to any Halloween party.

To start prepare cupcakes according to box directions or follow this homemade cupcake recipe.

2 cups of all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsps of baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup hot water
2/3 cup of unsweetened baking cocoa
3/4 cup of shortening
1 1/2 cups of sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place 24 paper cups into muffin tins.

2.  In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.  Set aside.  In small bowl, mix hot water and cocoa until dissolved.  Set aside.

3.  In large bowl, beat shortening with electric mixer for 30 seconds.  Gradually add sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat additional 2 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.  On low speed, alternately add flour mixture and cocoa mixture, separating them into about 3 parts each.  Beat until just blended.

4.  Using a cookie scoop, divide batter into cups, filling about 2/3 full.

5.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.  Cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

To make the vanilla buttercream frosting, you will need:

2/3 cups butter softened
2-3 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1-2 tbls milk

1.  Beat butter until light and fluffy.  Gradually beat in powdered sugar in batches.  Add vanilla.

If runny, add more powdered sugar.
If too thick, add milk, one tablespoon at a time.  Adjust until desired consistency.

To make spiderweb cupcakes, you will need:

1 tube of black gel icing.

Spread frosting onto cooled cupcakes.  Draw three circles on cupcakes with gel icing resembling a bulls-eye.  Using a toothpick, start at the center and gently pull toothpick outward.  Repeat 7 times.

Harvest Cheesecake

This apple cinnamon wonder is the perfect complement to any Thanksgiving dinner.  I actually made this at the end of the summer for a BBQ picnic at my Grandma's little country church and it was a hit.  Everyone was getting ready for harvest and was in a fall kind of mood, so this cheesecake fit the bill perfectly.  If you still need help getting over the summer, head to midwest in October.  There is nothing like seeing the farmers out combining late at night and the smell of a bonfire. 

Here's what you'll need:

For the crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tblsps white sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

For the Cheesecake:

3 8 oz pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 cups apples - peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon - divided
1/3 cup brown sugar
handful of flour
1 pat of butter

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In medium sized bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and butter from pie crust ingredients.  Press into bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan.  Bake for 10 minutes.

2.  In large bowl, combine cream cheese and 1 cup of sugar.  Beat until well blended.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla.  Pour filling into pie crust.

3.  Toss sliced apples, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and sugar together.  Microwave about 20 seconds and stir to soften apples.  Spoon mixture over cream cheese layer.

4.  In small bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and butter pat.  Mix with fingers until crumbles form.  Spoon over apple layer.

5.  Bake 60-70 minutes in waterbath or place pan full of water underneath cheesecake to ensure even baking.  Turn over off and let cool 45 minutes in over with door slightly ajar.  Remove pan and let cool completely.

Getting started...

I finally did it.  After spending so much time browsing other food and junking blogs, I decided to start my own.  Here I can share all my baking, junking, and random life adventures that has made life what it is today. 

That's me.  I bought a house. 

That's my sweet bloodhound Lenny who lives in the house.  He is no longer that small.

This is one of my hobbies that goes on in the house.

This is another one that has fixed up the house.

I love to create, but sometimes I need help.  This is Jason.  He helps.

I also like to write.  Essays and fiction are fun to read and write.  I might share some of my adventures in randomness with you.

That's all for today.