Taco Chicken Queso Soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 stick butter
• 1/4 c. flour
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes & peppers
• 8 oz Velveeta, cut into chunks for easier melting
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can corn, drained
• 2 cups cooked chicken (omit for veggie version)
• 4-6 cups milk, depending on desired thickness
• cilantro (for garnish)
• shredded Mexican-blend cheese (garnish)

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or soup pot, over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes until the onion is soft.
2. Add the flour and mix to create a  roux.
3. Pour in the desired amount of milk (it will thicken slowly, so start thicker than desired as you can always add more milk later to thin it out).
4. Add the Velveeta chunks and stir until melted throughout.  This is where you'll want to add more milk if you'd like it to be thinner.
5. Add the Rotel, black beans, and corn.
6. Finally, add the cooked chicken. Stir and cook until the soup is hot and ingredients are incorporated. 
7. Remove from heat and top with cilantro and shredded cheese.

This one's mine!

Cranberry Salsa

1 Can (28-32oz) stewed tomatoes, drain excess liquid 

1 Can jellied cranberry sauce 

5 Sticks celery 

1/2 bag shredded carrots (or you can shred a few carrots on your own) 

1 Large Anaheim Pepper 

1 Jalapeno Pepper (or more if you want it hot) 

2 12 oz. bags fresh cranberries 

1 Red onion 

1/2 bunch cilantro 

3 Tbsp. brown sugar 

4 Tbsp. white vinegar 

 Pulse tomatoes, cranberry sauce, and fresh cranberries  in a blender or food processor. Finely chop celery, carrots, peppers, cranberries, onion, and cilantro and add to the cranberry mixture. Dissolve the brown sugar in the vinegar and pour over the salsa. Stir well, and chill. **The celery and carrots are easily left out if you like, and you can sub in a bell pepper for the Anaheim or chili if you're not great with heat.

To make it even more festive, you can buy the spinach tortillas and either cut them into triangles or use a tree cookie cutter (or any other cookie cutter for that matter) and then bake or fry the pieces into chips. There are also guacamole chips that are green which you can just buy at the store. Either way, this stuff is so good, I promise.

Recipe adapted from my very favorite roommate ever, Jen Johnson.

Taco Soup

2 cooked chicken breasts, diced OR 1/2 lb. cooked ground beef (omit for veggie version)

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1/2 c. salsa

14.5 oz. can stewed tomatoes

1 can black beans, drained

1 can corn, drained (or two cobs, with the corn cut off)

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

2 Anaheim chili peppers, chopped

1/2 t. chili powder

1 t. cumin

salt, pepper, & hot sauce to taste

Dump all the ingredients in a crock pot and simmer as long as you can stand it. :) Then, garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream, and cilantro.

I made this recipe up myself, but there are lots which are very similar.

Shredded Beef Taquitos

Meat Rub:

1 t. garlic salt

2 t. chili powder

2 t. cumin

2 t. paprika

1 t. pepper

OR 1 pkg. taco seasoning (an easy substitute if you don't wanna do your own)

3-4 lb. beef roast

EVOO

1 (14.5 oz) can beef broth

1 c. shredded cheese

1 (12 oz) bottle green taco/enchilada sauce

1 (4 oz) can diced green chilis

36 small corn tortillas

Combine seasonings for meat rub in a large container OR dump in the taco seasoning packet. Coat the roast on all sides with seasoning and place in a hot skillet with EVOO. Brown all edges for a few minutes and place roast in crock pot. Add beef broth and cook on low for 8 hours (or to your crock pot's specifications--if you tend to need more liquid, you can add some water). Drain excess liquid after cooking is done and shred roast. Mix meat with shredded cheese while warm so it melts. Stir in the green sauce and green chilis.

**You can complete the previous step a day ahead if needed and leave it in the fridge**

To make taquitos: Heat 5-6 tortillas in microwave between wet paper towels until you can roll them without cracking (it took me a full minute). Place 2 T.(ish) in each tortilla and roll. Place the seam side down on a greased cookie sheet and bake @ 425 for 20 minutes. Serve with salsa, sour cream, or gauc. This recipe will make ALL 36 taquitos, but they are easily placed in Ziplocs, frozen, and re-baked later.

Recipe is from my own head!

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

3-4 lbs. Pork tenderloin roast
2-3 cloves minced garlic
3/4 c. Brown sugar

1 bottle salsa

1 emptied salsa bottle full of Dr. Pepper (I've also used 7Up, Coke, etc.)

1 tsp. Cumin
1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

Place meat into crock pot. Place other ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour over meat. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Shred with two forks and serve on salad, in enchiladas/tacos, or BBQ sandwiches.

Recipe adapted from Brittany Fairbourn

Cafe Rio Beef

3 lb. Chuck Roast
1 bottle green chili sauce (green salsa)
1 c. beef broth
1 T. cumin
1 small can tomato sauce
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped

Add ingredients in crock pot. Cook on low.

Recipe found online.

Sour Cream & Chicken Enchiladas

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. sour cream
4 oz. chopped green chilis
tortillas
grated cheddar
diced, cooked chicken

Mix soup, sour cream, and chilis. Add cooked chicken. Line casserole dish with tortilla shells. Cover with mixture and sprinkle cheese. Repeat layers. Bake @ 325 for 30 minutes.  Serve with salsa or pico.

Recipe from my awesome mom, Carolyn!

Mexican Mac & Cheese

1/3 c. butter

1 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, chopped
1/3 c. flour
1 c. chicken stock (water works too)
1 c. milk
1/2 c. sour cream (optional--just makes it more creamy)
1 tsp-t TB. hot sauce (to taste)
1 c. Velveeta
1 c. salsa
1 can black beans
1 can corn
grilled chicken (optional--omit for veggie version)
1 pkg. cooked pasta

Melt butter and sauté onions and garlic. Add flour and cook briefly. Add chicken stock (or water) and milk; bring to a simmer. Cube and add Velveeta and sour cream. When smooth, add remaining ingredients.

Recipe created by me to mimic Ruby Tuesday's Senora Chicken Pasta.

Baked Creamy Chicken Toquitos

Best. Taquitos. Ever!

1/3 C. (3 oz.) cream cheese
1/4 C. green salsa
1 T. fresh lime juice
1/2 t. cumin
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. onion powder
1/4 t. granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T. chopped cilantro
2 T. sliced green onions
2 C. shredded cooked chicken
1 C. grated pepperjack cheese

small corn tortillas (flour tortillas would also work well)
cooking spray
kosher salt

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

**You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.**

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T. of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil miser and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Serve with salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.

Recipe from Meredith's Menu.