Our favorite chicken tacos

This recipe is super fast and easy, most ingredients are at hand in my kitchen and it is different enough that I don't feel boring when I serve it. No one wants to be a boring cook... right?

Ingredients:

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup tomato puree (I use a can of diced tomatoes in my blender, and end up using most almost a whole can- depending on what consistency you like)
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
a big handful of raisins (recipe calls for golden but I have used both and just end up using whatever I have on hand)
Your choice tortilla shell (I prefer the crunchy corn shells because it seems like we use flour for just about everything Mexican or not at our house. Nick still prefers soft flour shell.)
Toppings: cheese, tomatoes, green onions, avocados, lettuce, olives... the more the better...really!

Cut chicken into small bite sizes (I like to use partially frozen chicken because it is WAY easier to cut to the size that I want it.) Brown chicken bites with the oil, garlic and onion. When chicken is cooked, add the tomato puree, chili powder and cumin. Last add raisins and cook just long enough that the raisins absorb some of the other moisture and are tender instead of chewy. Spoon filling into shells and top with what you want.

Deann's Easy Tortellini Soup

Ingredients:

2 cans chicken broth ( I always use bouillon and water and just roundup to 4 cups)
1 can Cannellini beans ( white kidney, but in a pinch I will use red kidney)
1 can Italian stewed tomatoes, pureed
1 1/2 tsp. basil
1 Tbs. cider vinegar
9 oz. frozen tortellini ( I use dried tortellini or ravioli and this whole meal is a food storage meal )

combine all ingredients except pasta and bring to a boil. Once soup is boiling, add tortellini and cook until tender. Top with fresh parmesan. This meal is so extremely fast and easy and storable. I love it!

Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

1 day old loaf french bread
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cinnamon
whipped cream for topping

Break bread into pieces and let it dry out all day OR Bake the pieces at 250 degrees for 20 mins in order dry it out.

Place dried bread pieces in an 8X8 baking dish. In a small bowl beat eggs. Add milk, sugar, cream, vanilla, and cinnamon. Blend wet ingredients until combined then pour over the dry bread. Allow bread to soak for 15-20 min- occasionally pushing bread down into the wet mixture. Sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar on top of mixture. Place 8X8 dish inside of a 9X13 baking dish and then add hot water to the 9X13 until it is half way up the outside of the 8X8. Then carefully place both dishes on the center rack of oven and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 min or until pudding is golden on top and toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm topped with additional whipped cream on top.

Susan's AMAZING!!! Arizona Citrus Pie

Ingredients:

1 baked, empty pie shell

Clear Filling:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter
1 3/4 cup water
4 large egg yolks

Fluffy Filling:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
8 oz softened cream cheese
1 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
6 oz frozen lemonade-thawed
1 small package lemon instant pudding

To make clear filling: In a small bowl beat egg yolks and lemon juice-set aside. Next mix sugar, cornstarch and water in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat until thick and boiling. Boil an additional minute stirring rapidly and then remove from heat. Stir egg mixture into cornstarch mixture very quickly to prevent lumping. Return to heat and continue stirring until very thick and boiling again. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Press plastic wrap into hot filling to avoid having a skin form while filling cools in refrigerator for 1 hour.

To make fluffy filling: In a small bowl beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form. In a large bowl beat cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Beat in lemonade and pudding mix into cream cheese mixture until completely blended. Gently fold whipped cream into mixture.

Spoon fluffy filling into pie shell and make an even, shallow depression in fluffy filling from the middle to 1" from edge of pie. Refrigerate until set, then spoon clear filling into the depression.

Spiced Cranberry Relish

Ingredients:

3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 to 2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Dash of ground cloves
1 12 oz. package fresh cranberries
1/2 raisins- golden or purple
1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a medium saucepan combine juice, sugar and spices and bring to a boil until sugar is dissolved. Add cranberries and raisins and stir until cranberries pop. Remove from heat. Stir in pecans. Cover and chill. Serve with turkey or ham or pork or.... anything you think of to put the stuff on. IT IS GOOD!

Tamale Casserole

Ingredients:

1 can (8.75 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (15 oz.) dark kidney beans, drain about 1/2 the liquid
1 can(8.75 oz.) garbanzo, pinto or black beans drained
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup green onions chopped
1 small can diced green chilies
1 tbsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
1 package (8 1/2 oz.) cornbread mix

Combine everything together in a large bowl, except the cornbread mix. Pour mixture into a greased baking dish (2 quart). Prepare cornbread batter according to package directions and pour over the top of the bean mixture- smooth out into an even layer.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Side note:
I could not find small (8.75 oz) cans of beans. So instead of just using half of a can I kind of doubled the recipe by using a 15 oz. can of corn, 15 oz. can of black beans, Marie Callendar's cornbread mix that is sold in a 16oz. package and then doubling everything else. The proportions are not exact but I figured that this recipe was not really exact. I cooked the whole casserole in a 9X13. I think it turned out well. This recipe was a different taste for our family.

Matt's Delicious Turkey Chili (that I have only ever made with Chicken)

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or equivalent amount of turkey)
Marinated in some:
7-up, olive oil, lime juice, salt, and chili powder.
then: grill, cool, cut, and set aside

Ingredients continued:

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 can black beans with juice
1 can kidney beans with juice
1 can pinto beans with juice
1 can corn, drained
2 14oz cans stewed tomatoes with juice (we always puree at our house)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
juice of 1 lime ( about 2 Tbs)
2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar (Matt specifies dark brown but....)
1 Tbs. chili powder
???? dashes of Tabasco sauce (how hot do YOU like it?)

In a large pot saute the garlic, onion, and peppers in the olive oil until slightly tender. Then add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. This is probably one of those recipes that you should simmer for hours but.... I am normally running behind. So cook til you think it is good.

We ALWAYS serve this with some really good sourdough bread*

* Until we moved to Lamar and sourdough became nonexistent :)