Tacos in a Bowl

I got Bon Appetit's Fast Easy Fresh cookbook for Christmas this year. I had this book from the library over the summer for months and had marked over 100 recipes to try, so I figured I should ask for it for Christmas. Thanks to my MIL, we are now eating like royalty, all in 30 minutes or so.

Tonight we had Chicken & Hominy Soup, which ended up being their version of tortilla soup.

CHICKEN & HOMINY SOUP (This is my version; for Bon Appetit's version, see Fast Easy Fresh.)

(Turkey & Hominy in our case)

3 tbsp. olive oil

2 bunches green onions, sliced

4 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. paprika

8 c. chicken broth (low sodium would've been good, but I didn't have any)

2 cans creamed corn

1 can diced tomatoes w/juice

2 c. cooked, chopped turkey

few shakes hot sauce

3 cans hominy w/juice

1 c. chopped fresh cilantro

corn chips

shredded cheddar

(avocado, sour cream optional as well)

Use your big soup pot for this one.

Heat oil over med-hi heat and add onions, cumin, and paprika; cook about 3 minutes or so. Add broth, corn, tomatoes with their juice, turkey and hot sauce. Puree hominy with juice in blender or processor. Mix hominy into soup and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes. Stir in cilantro just before serving. Ladle into bowls and top with a few crushed chips and a sprinkling of cheese (or avocado or sour cream), if desired.

Flour children's servings ready to go.

I'm feeling hot, hot, hot!

Tonight I made the most delicious and decadent hot chocolate. Ordinarily, I make the Hershey's cocoa hot chocolate that you find on the side of the box. It's pretty tasty. When I am desperate, I will drink Swiss Miss. This Martha Stewart hot chocolate has probably ruined me for life. Nothing will taste as good as this chocolatey-bliss in a cup.

Hot Chocolate (Martha Stewart Living Jan 2010 issue)

9 c. whole milk (Whole milk is a little too rich for me, so we used 1%.)

1/2 c. packed light brown sugar

15 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used Baker's. Don't tell Martha; she wouldn't approve.)

1/2 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg (I used ground.)

Warm the milk on the stove top over medium-low heat. Whisk in brown sugar until dissolved. Whisk in chocolate until dissolved. Cook about 5 minutes to slightly thicken. Whisk in nutmeg. Serve with marshmallows or whipped cream.

You should go make this right now. I'm serious.

Missouri Flowers

Marigolds surround this unknown purple plant with unusual flowers.

A few mysterious flowers found in southern Missouri.

On a roll

What brings more pleasure than fresh-baked bread?

This is the Betty Crocker recipe for Pan Rolls. You can get it in Betty Crocker's New Cookbook.

Our Nation's Flowers

I haven't had the chance to look up what sorts of flowers these are, so I welcome your input.

Our nation's capital. These were taken at the Botanical Garden.

Cookie Cutters

Can you have Christmas without baking cookies? A family tradition continues...