Six Can Chicken Tortilla Soup

We had this soup today. It was pretty amazing. I added cilantro and chili pepper during the cooking, and then some shredded cheese right before eating–Mmmm. if you serve tortilla chips on the side, you can have leftovers. Today, we did not have any left over .

Recipe found here.

Another trick from Mom-in-law: if you rinse out the black beans in a colander before cooking, they are easier to digest.

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3-Bean Salad

from Shelley Hess, March 2007

• 1 can cut green beans
• 1 can cut yellow beans
• 1 can red kidney beans
• 1 can chick peas (garbanzo beans)
• 1 chopped green or red pepper
• 1 onion, chopped to 1/4″ square

Mix 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1/2 cup white vinegar and 1/2 cup oil. Blend with beans, etc. Refrigerate several hours, to 3 days.

Can substitute Splenda for sugar. One of my dad’s favorites, and this is a great colorful Christmas side dish.

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Mother-in-law’s cooking

Here are some recipes we’re using for meals this Christmas. Yum!

Broccoli with garlic butter and cashews

• 1.5 lb broccoli
• 1/3 c. butter (or 3 Tbsp)
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce (or less)
• 2 tsp vinegar
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 c. cashews, chopped (or toasted almonds)

Steam broccoli. Meanwhile, melt butter. Mix in brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, pepper and garlic. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in cashews or almonds. Pour over steamed broccoli. Serve.

Jamie’s Cranberry Spinach Salad

Aunt Maureen’s Spinach Salad

• 1 bag of spinach
• 5 slices of bacon, in bits
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, crumbled
• 1/2 c. toasted almonds

Sprinkle the last three ingredients over spinach in a salad bowl. Serve with buttermilk dressing (below).

Buttermilk Dressing  (1983 Betty Crocker, p. 159)

• 3/4 c. mayonnaise or salad dressing
• 1/2 c. buttermilk
• 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 tsp instant minced onion
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Dash of ground pepper

Shake all ingredients in tightly covered jar; refrigerate at least 2 hours. Shake before serving. 1 1/4 cups dressing.

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