Chicken Pozole Soup

Chicken Pozole Soup is hearty and loaded with flavor + the addition of toppings adds to it’s nutritional value — be sure to include chopped cabbage which adds a crisp texture to the soup. I did cut the recipe in half making it just enough for two with leftovers for lunch the next day.  

Chicken Pozole Soup     6 servings, about 12 cups 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup diced carrots

1 medium onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro or 1 teaspoon dried 

1 tablespoon kosher salt 

2 teaspoons ground cumin 

1 teaspoon chili powder 

Pinch of red pepper flakes 

1 tablespoon tomato paste 

1 quart (4 cups) low-sodium chicken broth

1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes 

2 cups shredded cooked chicken 

One 15.5-ounce can white hominy, drained 

 

Serve with any or all of the following:

Shredded cabbage, shredded Monterey jack or Cheddar cheese, diced avocado, sliced green onions, thinly sliced radishes, sliced jalapeños, fresh cilantro leaves, tortilla chips, sour cream, tot sauce, lime slices for squeezing over soup

1. Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the carrots, onions and red pepper; cook until softened, adding garlic near the end. 
   
2. Stir in the seasonings. Raise the heat to high and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. 
3. Add the tomato paste and fry until the color deepens, about 1 minute. 
4. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, shredded chicken and hominy Bring to a low boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 5 to 7 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Note: I made the soup and then transferred to a slow cooker set on low to simmer through the afternoon.
   
5. To serve: Dish up in bowls and set out toppings for everyone to garnish as desired.
   

Recipe without photos . . . Chicken Pozole Soup     6 servings, about 12 cups 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup diced carrots

1 medium onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro or 1 teaspoon dried 

1 tablespoon kosher salt 

2 teaspoons ground cumin 

1 teaspoon chili powder 

Pinch of red pepper flakes 

1 tablespoon tomato paste 

1 quart (4 cups) low-sodium chicken broth

1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes 

2 cups shredded cooked chicken 

One 15.5-ounce can white hominy, drained 

 

Serve with any or all of the following:

Shredded cabbage, shredded Monterey jack or Cheddar cheese, diced avocado, sliced green onions, thinly sliced radishes, sliced jalapeños, fresh cilantro leaves, tortilla chips, sour cream, tot sauce, lime slices for squeezing over soup

1. Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the carrots, onions and red pepper; cook until softened, adding garlic near the end. 
2. Stir in the seasonings. Raise the heat to high and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. 
3. Add the tomato paste and fry until the color deepens, about 1 minute. 
4. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, shredded chicken and hominy Bring to a low boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 5 to 7 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Note: I made the soup and then transferred to a slow cooker set on low to simmer through the afternoon.
5. To serve: Dish up in bowls and set out toppings for everyone to garnish as desired. 

Savory Santa Fe Cheesecake -- perfect as an appetizer!

Another favorite savory cheesecake, perfect for party fare! The recipe is written for a 9" springform pan but I like to divide the mixture into three smaller (4 to 4 1/2") pans so that I can freshen the cheeseboard as the party progresses. Our other favorite savory cheesecake: The Culinary Center of Kansas City's Blue Cheese, Bacon & Onion Cheesecake.

Santa Fe Cheesecake 

Crust:

1 cup finely crushed tortilla chips

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Cheesecake:
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese

2 eggs

2 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese or blend or combination of Mexican-blend and sharp Cheddar

1/2 cup sour cream

1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies, drained

2 tablespoon Taco Seasoning 

Dash or two of hot pepper sauce

Toppings:

About 1/2 cup sour cream

Veggies could include: chopped red, yellow or orange peppers, scallions (green onions), chopped tomatoes, sliced black olives

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Crust: Combine crushed tortilla chips and melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 9" springform pan (or three 4 to 41/2" pans); press chips to form a crust and bake for 15 minutes (10 minutes for smaller pans).
   
   
   
   
3. Cheesecake: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and eggs until well blended.
   
4. Mix in shredded cheese, sour cream, green chilies, taco seasoning, and hot pepper sauce until well blended. 
5. Pour mixture over tortilla chip crust.
   
6. Bake for 30 minutes (a little less for smaller pans) -- cheesecakes should be firm on top; a knife inserted in center will be slightly coated with a firm cheesecake mixture.
7. Toppings: Spread a thin layer of sour cream over warm cheesecake.
   
8. Run a knife around edge of cheesecake to loosen from pan. 
9. Cool before removing rim of pan.
10. Chill thoroughly.
11. Garnish with vegetables of your choice. 
12. Serve with crackers, firm tortilla chips or toasted crostini.

    http://cookingwithbarryandmeta.blogspot.com

    Cheese board with selected cheeses including savory Santa Fe Cheesecake and
    Blue Cheese, Bacon  & Onion Cheesecake. 

Recipe without photos . . .

Santa Fe Cheesecake 

Crust:

1 cup finely crushed tortilla chips

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Cheesecake:
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese

2 eggs

2 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese or blend or combination of Mexican-blend and sharp Cheddar

1/2 cup sour cream

1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies, drained

2 tablespoon Taco Seasoning 

Dash or two of hot pepper sauce

Toppings:

About 1/2 cup sour cream

Veggies could include: chopped red, yellow or orange peppers, scallions (green onions), chopped tomatoes, sliced black olives

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Crust: Combine crushed tortilla chips and melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 9" springform pan (or three 4 to 41/2" pans); press chips to form a crust and bake for 15 minutes (10 minutes for smaller pans).
3. Cheesecake: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and eggs until well blended.
4. Mix in shredded cheese, sour cream, green chilies, taco seasoning, and hot pepper sauce until well blended. 
5. Pour mixture over tortilla chip crust.
6. Bake for 30 minutes (a little less for smaller pans) -- cheesecakes should be firm on top; a knife inserted in center will be slightly coated with a firm cheesecake mixture.
7. Toppings: Spread a thin layer of sour cream over warm cheesecake.
8. Run a knife around edge of cheesecake to loosen from pan. 
9. Cool before removing rim of pan.
10. Chill thoroughly.
11. Garnish with vegetables of your choice. 
12. Serve with crackers, firm tortilla chips or toasted crostini.

Amish Mexican-style Haystacks

Haystacks – are they Amish or simply a deconstructed Mexican dish? I’m not sure but I am sure they are a FUN way to serve either a large or small crowd. Everything can be prepped ahead and then everyone custom stacks his or her own plate. Even vegetarians or vegans can build a substantial meal.

After seeing a recipe for Haystacks in a novel I was reading about an Amish cooking class (Wanda E. Brunstetter’s The Seekers), I began searching the internet for ideas + consulted with a friend who also makes them. Seems there are a range of toppings that can be included so I selected my favorites + made a few adjustments here and there.

Here are some of the other ideas I ran across: instead of tortilla chips, use corn chips or saltines crackers. Other additions: chopped hard cooked eggs, chopped celery, coconut (a friend swears by it), raisins, different types of beans, chopped nuts such as pecans, cheese sauce (the one in the novel is made from 2 cans of condensed cheese soup mixed with a can of condensed milk – needless to say, I did NOT go with that option), green olives instead of black, shredded carrots, bacon, guacamole, dressings such as Ranch or oil & vinegar . . . or, obviously just about anything you might want to add to the mix!

No matter what ingredients you decide on, adjust the amounts to fit the preferences of your guests.

Dinner party with bowls of Haystack ingredients in the center of the table.

Amish Mexican-style Haystacks   Serves 12 to 14 people

3 lb. ground beef

1 pkg. (1.25 oz.) or 2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix + ½ cup water 

Dressing: 2 cups+ salsa + 1 cup sour cream + 1 tablespoon dry Ranch dressing mix

2 cups cooked rice – I jazzed mine up & made Cilantro-Lime Rice

About ½ lb. tortilla chips, lightly crushed

2 heads iceberg lettuce, chopped

6 to 8 tomatoes, diced

1 cup finely chopped onions

1 cup bell finely chopped bell peppers

¼ cup finely chopped jalapeño peppers

1 to 2 (15.5 oz.) cans pinto beans, drained & rinsed

1 (6 oz.) can black olives, sliced

1 ½ cups grated Cheddar cheese

1 cup roasted sunflower seeds

1. Brown ground beef. Then add taco seasoning and water and simmer until water is absorbed.
   
   
   
2. Mix salsa with sour cream to create a dressing, adding more salsa if desired.
   
3. Prepare rice.
   
4. Chop and assemble other ingredients.
5. Set out and let guest prepare his/her own stack.

 Recipe without photos . . .

Amish Mexican-style Haystacks   Serves 12 to 14 people

3 lb. ground beef

1 pkg. (1.25 oz.) or 2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix + ½ cup water 

Dressing: 2 cups+ salsa + 1 cup sour cream + 1 tablespoon dry Ranch dressing mix 

2 cups cooked rice – I jazzed mine up & made Cilantro-Lime Rice 

About ½ lb. tortilla chips, lightly crushed

2 heads iceberg lettuce, chopped 

6 to 8 tomatoes, diced

1 cup finely chopped onions

1 cup bell finely chopped bell peppers

¼ cup finely chopped jalapeño peppers

1 to 2 (15.5 oz.) cans pinto beans, drained & rinsed

1 (6 oz.) can black olives, sliced 

1 ½ cups grated Cheddar cheese

1 cup roasted sunflower seeds

1. Brown ground beef. Then add taco seasoning and water and simmer until water is absorbed.
2. Mix salsa with sour cream to create a dressing, adding more salsa if desired.
3. Prepare rice.
4. Chop and assemble other ingredients.
5. Set out and let guest prepare his/her own stack.

Black Bean Chip & Dip Burgers

Serve with potato salad & coleslaw.

Recently we were in New Bransfels, TX for several weeks— golfing, sight-seeing and just relaxing. It was an opportunity to meet  new people and develop friendships. Among other things, we discussed food (no surprise there). This is a Taste of Home recipe (created by KT Rehrig, Allentown, PA) that Sharon Wall, Canada, recommended. 
The recipe makes 8 grilled burgers; we made them into larger steak burgers (served without buns) and cooked them on the griddle. However, we will definitely do the bun version later.

Black Bean Chip & Dip Burgers   Makes 8 burgers
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 (18 oz.) jar salsa, divided
1 cup crushed baked tortilla chip scoops (I just used regular tortilla chips)
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium taco seasoning (I used homemade taco seasoning)
If making burgers . . .
   8 whole wheat hamburger buns, split
   8 lettuce leaves
   8 slices tomatoes
   8 slices red onions

1. In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add quinoa. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 12 to 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; fluff with a fork.

   

   Cooked quinoa

2. In a large bowl, mash black beans.
   
3. Add 1 cup salsa, tortilla chips, taco seasoning and cooked quinoa; mix well.
   
   
   
   
4. Shape into eight 1/4-in.-thick patties.
5. Grill, covered, over medium heat 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until heated through. (Or, cook on a griddle on in a frying pan.)
   
   
   
   
6. Serve on buns with lettuce, tomato, onion and remaining salsa, or serve as a black bean steak" without the bun.

To bake patties: Preheat oven to 350°. Place patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake 25-30 minutes or until heated through, turning once.

Recipe without photos . . .

Black Bean Chip & Dip Burgers   Makes 8 burgers
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 (18 oz.) jar salsa, divided
1 cup crushed baked tortilla chip scoops (I just used regular tortilla chips)
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium taco seasoning (I used homemade taco seasoning)
If making burgers . . .
   8 whole wheat hamburger buns, split
   8 lettuce leaves
   8 slices tomatoes
   8 slices red onions

1. In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add quinoa. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 12 to 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; fluff with a fork.
2. In a large bowl, mash black beans.
3. Add 1 cup salsa, tortilla chips, taco seasoning and cooked quinoa; mix well.
4. Shape into eight 1/4-in.-thick patties.
5. Grill, covered, over medium heat 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until heated through. (Or, cook on a griddle on in a frying pan.)
6. Serve on buns with lettuce, tomato, onion and remaining salsa, or serve as a black bean steak" without the bun.

To bake patties: Preheat oven to 350°. Place patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake 25-30 minutes or until heated through, turning once.

HOOT OWL CHEESE BALL for Chi Omega Reunion

This week the Kappa Alpha chapter of Chi Omega sorority celebrates 100 years on the Kansas State University campus. Just to clarify – I was an initiate in the late 60s; I do not date back to the 1915 pledge class!

            In anticipation, Shelly Bergerhouse Merriam has reunited what she terms the “Sassy Sisters of the Sixties” — we’ve been exchanging pics and bios and it’s been a HOOT!

            The owl is one of the symbols of Chi Omega so for the Friday night 60s gathering in Manhattan, I made a HOOT OWL CHEESE BALL.

HOOT OWL CHEESE BALL

About ¼ to ½ of a yellow or white onion

8 oz. block of cheese (I used a combination of sharp Cheddar & Colby-Jack cheese)

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

3 to 4 drops hot sauce

Carrot

1 cashew, toasted

2 cloves

2 pointed tortilla chips or corn chips

Sliced almonds, toasted (Bake at 350° for 4 to 5 minutes until just golden brown)

1. Place onion in food processor fitted with the chopping (metal) blade. Pulse until onion is finely minced.
   
2. Remove metal blade from food processor and insert grating disk. Cut block of cheese into sizes that can be inserted into the feed tube of the food processor; grate.
   
3. Remove grating disk and reinsert metal blade. Add cream cheese that has been divided into chunks, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Pulse until mixture is well blended.
   
   
   
   
4. Remove mixture from food processor and place in a mixing bowl. Chill until it it partially firm.
5. Form the cheese ball into an "owl" shape (a rounded triangle), smoothing the surface as you shape. 
6. Cut lengthwise slices from the end of the carrot and cut out V-shapes to create the owl feet; insert under owl body.
   
7. Cut off the pointed end of carrot and slice out a V-shape to create a beak. Insert.
   
8. Insert a cashew nose above the beak.
9. Cut to thin carrot circles for eyes. Using a knife, bore a tiny hole all the way through the center of both carrot circle; insert a clove into each and then press eyes into the owl body.
   
10. Add triangle shaped tortilla chips for ears.
11. Insert sliced almond on the lower front, sides and back of the owl.
    

The owl was a hit and the party was a HOOT! 

Melodie OTT Friedbach & Shelly
BERGERHOUSE Merriam.

Oh look, Melodie made an
owl cheese ball, just like mine! 

Cheers! 
Marcia DIEKMAN Corey & Libby Dyke Randall.

Here I am talking to my
pledge mom, Marcia
DIEKMAN Corey.

Barry with Marcia.

Here's another owl recipe— Kay Emil-Powell's  Chi Omega Hoot Owl Cookies .

Recipe without photos . . .

HOOT OWL CHEESE BALL

About ¼ to ½ of a yellow or white onion

8 oz. block of cheese (I used a combination of sharp Cheddar & Colby-Jack cheese)

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

3 to 4 drops hot sauce

Carrot

1 cashew, toasted

2 cloves

2 pointed tortilla chips or corn chips

Sliced almonds, toasted (Bake at 350° for 4 to 5 minutes until just golden brown)

1. Place onion in food processor fitted with the chopping (metal) blade. Pulse until onion is finely minced.
2. Remove metal blade from food processor and insert grating disk. Cut block of cheese into sizes that can be inserted into the feed tube of the food processor; grate.
3. Remove grating disk and reinsert metal blade. Add cream cheese that has been divided into chunks, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Pulse until mixture is well blended.
4. Remove mixture from food processor and place in a mixing bowl. Chill until it it partially firm.
5. Form the cheese ball into an "owl" shape (a rounded triangle), smoothing the surface as you shape. 
6. Cut lengthwise slices from the end of the carrot and cut out V-shapes to create the owl feet; insert under owl body.
7. Cut off the pointed end of carrot and slice out a V-shape to create a beak. Insert.
8. Insert a cashew nose above the beak.
9. Cut to thin carrot circles for eyes. Using a knife, bore a tiny hole all the way through the center of both carrot circle; insert a clove into each and then press eyes into the owl body.
10. Add triangle shaped tortilla chips for ears.
11. Insert sliced almond on the lower front, sides and back of the owl.

"Trick or Treat" Nacho Pumpkin-shaped Cheese Ball

      Forget the trick, everyone at our birthday dinner club thought Betty Krenger’s Nacho Pumpkin-shaped Cheese Ball was a treat! She found the recipe in a magainze and bought the Halloween colored chips locally.  

     It’s the perfect Halloween appetizer or snack. But, if you saved some of the orange chips, it could be made for Thanksgiving too, and served with either regular tortilla chips or with crackers.

Nacho Pumpkin-shaped Cheese Ball

2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature


1½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese

3 tablespoons minced onions


1 teaspoon jalapeño, seeded & minced


2 teaspoons ground cumin


2 tablespoons salsa

1 nice-looking stem from a squash or pumpkin, or use the stem from a green pepper

12 orange colored tortillas, crushed


-------

Black colored tortilla chips, for serving

1.     Put all ingredients, except black tortilla chips, into the bowl of a mixer, and blend thoroughly.

2.     Form into a pumpkin-like shape, and refrigerate until firm, about two hours.

3.     Before serving, roll the cheese ball in the crushed orange colored tortillas.

4.     Arrange the cheese ball on a plate, and press the stem into the top.

5.     Serve with black colored tortillas