Taste of Our Home Tuesday: Crock Pot Enchilada Soup

Yesterday I thought enchiladas sounded good and Justin was thinking soup.  I hopped on Pinterest and right there, pinned by another friend, was Crock Pot Enchilada Soup!  I immediately got started thinking I had found a winner!  This was about 4:30 so I just cooked the soup on the stove instead of in a crock pot.  I did not know what Mexican style tomatoes were so I substituted a can of Rotel that was in my cupboard.  It turns out that either the Rotel, or enchilada sauce, or the combination of the two, makes for a very spicy soup!  Justin LOVES hot things and even he said this soup was a little much.  We both put several dollops of sour cream in our bowls in hopes that it would help with the heat.  I enjoyed my soup with a large glass of milk.  My mouth continued to burn despite my efforts at cooling it down.  If you enjoy hot things or know what Mexican style tomatoes are (and they are not spicy) I'd give this soup a try, if not, I'd skip this recipe!:)   

1 lb. of ground beef (browned & drained)
1 onion (sliced)
15 oz. can pinto beans with liquid
15 oz. can whole kernel corn with liquid
15 oz. can stewed Mexican style tomatoes
2 – 8 oz. cans of enchilada sauce
Mexican Style Cheese for serving
Tortilla Chips for Serving
Directions:
Place all together in crock pot EXCEPT the cheese and chips.
Cover. Cook on low for 8 hours.
Serve by adding Mexican style grated cheese and tortilla chips.

Taste of Our Home Tuesday: Lemon-Blueberry Pound Cake

I love lemon, but Justin prefers desserts that just have a mild lemon flavor.  This cake looked yummy so I thought we'd give it a try.  I was very pleased.  It had enough lemon flavor that I could taste it and it wasn't to over powering for Justin's taste.  Enjoy!!

Picture by Taste of Home

Ingredients
1/3 cup butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 egg white
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 ounces) lemon yogurt
GLAZE:
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

Directions
Grease and flour a 10-in. fluted tube pan. In a large bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar until blended. Add eggs and egg white, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon peel and vanilla.
Toss blueberries with 2 tablespoons flour. In another bowl, mix the remaining flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with yogurt, beating after each addition just until combined. Fold in blueberry mixture.
Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to wire rack; cool for 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix confectioners' sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Gradually brush onto warm cake, about one-third at a time, allowing glaze to soak into cake before adding more. Cool completely. Yield: 12 servings.

Taste of Our Home Tuesday: Crispy Garlic-Broiled Chicken Thighs

With our busy schedule we've been looking for quick recipes that we can make before we need to hop in the car and take off again.  We haven't used the broiler much and thought these chicken thighs looked easy.  They were very tasty.  The mixture for basting is very strong before they are broiled, but it leaves a nice flavor on the chicken.   Enjoy!   

Picture by Taste of Home

Ingredients
1/3 cup butter, melted 
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
7 garlic cloves, minced 
1/2 teaspoon pepper 
8 bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)  

Directions
In a large bowl, mix the butter, soy sauce, garlic and pepper. Reserve 1/4 cup soy mixture for basting. Add chicken to remaining soy mixture; turn to coat. 
Place chicken on a broiler pan, skin side down. Broil 4-6 in. from the heat for 10-15 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 180°. Brush occasionally with reserved soy mixture during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Yield: 4 servings.