Refried Bean Soup

As we are approaching fall, I am getting in the mood for soup. I think I could eat soup almost everday and be totally happy. I have only made this recipe once, but I was very happy with the way it turned out. It will be making an appearance at our table again this fall...probably long before it is cold enough for soup! I hope you enjoy it.

Love, Ash

Refried Bean Soup

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 can (31 oz) refried beans

1 can (14 1/2 oz) chicken broth

1 TBSP chopped cilantro

tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream for the top

In a large saucepan bring tomatoes, onion, and garlic to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes. Stir in beans, broth, and cilantro. Simmer for 15 more minutes. Garnish soup with crushed tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream.

We really ate it with tortilla chips instead of spoons. So that sort of negated the healthy part of the meal. HA!

Mexican Burger

For this recipe you will need to include two other recipes that are made before hand.

Buns.
Cooked bacon strips.
Sliced Avocados.
Creamy Cilantro dressing.
Pico de Gallo
Lettuce
Burgers
Pepper jack cheese.

Cook your burgers and melt cheese on top. Have dressing and salsa already made and bacon cooked. Toast your buns. Now Layer all the ingredients on top and try to fit your whole mouth over that beauty!

Best Burger Ever!

Pico De Gallo (MIchelle)

This is actually my own made up recipe! woot woot, I really like it and am going to stick to it.
Pico de Gallo

1 red pepper minced
1 green pepper minced
1/2 onion minced
6 tomatoes quartered and seeds removed
canned jalapenos minced
1/4 canned green salsa(optional)
1 lime juiced
salt
Pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 cup minced cilantro

Mince everything as small as you can, I like chunky rather than pureed but I like it small enough that you aren't missing out on the different elements cause the chunks are too big. mix everything together and enjoy.

Creamy Lime-Cilantro Ranch Dressing (MIchelle)

Creamy Lime-Cilantro Ranch Dressing
Recipe by Our Best Bites

click to print recipe text only

1 pack (1oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
ignore directions on the packet
1C mayo
1/2 C milk
1 lime
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 C green salsa*
hot sauce

This is tough folks. Place milk, mayo, and ranch mix in a blender. Juice the lime in there too, you should get about 2T juice. Toss in the garlic, cilantro and green salsa. Blend ‘er up. Sample it and add hot sauce to taste. Make it several hours ahead of time to allow it to thicken.

*A note about green salsa:
There are several brands of green salsa available in most supermarkets and they have various degrees of heat. One of the most commonly seen brands is Herdez. Herdez brand is a lot spicier than any of the others I’ve tried. Even their medium green salsa is way too spicy for my liking. There’s no way I could put the whole 1/4 C in my dressing like the recipe calls for (but then again, I’m a wuss.) I like to buy La Costena (pictured below) because their medium is actually really mild. That way I get all of the flavor of the tomatillos but I control the level of heat with the hot sauce. If you’re not used to buying green salsa, make sure to sample it first before you put it in the dressing so you know what you’re getting into!

Michelle's Cheesecake

Grandma's Cheesecake from Sarah Flint

2 pkgs 8oz cream cheese

2 eggs, separated

1 Cup Sugar

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

graham cracker crust

Soften cream cheese over low heat if necessary. Stir in egg yolks, sugar, salt.

Heat mixture over low heat for 5 min.

Blend in well-beaten egg whites.

Continue heating until egg whhites are blended.

Add Vanilla.

Pour mixture into graham cracker crust.

Bake 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

Cool for 15min and then make topping.

Topping

1/2 pint sour cream

3 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Mix together topping and then put it on cooled cheesecake.

Bake them together @475 degrees for 5 minutes.

Cool.

Keep Refrigerated.

Ashley's Fish Tacos

I think I may be the only one doing this anymore, but I am going to continue :) HEre is the yummy one I tried the other day. I served these with fresh made Mango Salsa (chopped mango, cilantro, minced jalapeno, lemon/lime juice, red bell pepper)
And I didn't grill my fish. I just used a little olive oil in a skillet, and got them a little golden...mmmm
I hope you enjoy! If you make these DEFINITELY do the mango salsa. And do the sour cream smear on the tortilla first. It really is better that way!

Fish Tacos

• 1 lb firm white fish fillets, such as sea bass, red snapper or halibut
• 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin or chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 8 corn tortillas (6 inch)
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• Toppers (shredded lettuce, chopped avocado, chopped tomatoes, chopped onion and chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup chunky-style salsa

1. Heat gas or charcoal grill. Brush fish with oil; sprinkle with cumin, salt and pepper.
2. Carefully spray grill rack with cooking spray. Place fish on grill. Cover grill; cook over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until fish flakes easily with fork.
3. Heat tortillas as directed on package. Spread sour cream on tortillas. Add fish, Toppers and salsa.

Michelle's Spanish Rice

Spanish rice
2 T. olive oil
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup long-grain rice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. And onion, green pepper, garlic, and rice and cook, stirring constantly, until rice is golden brown. Add remaining ingredients. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes until rice is tender. Oh yea I would probably double the vinaigrette dressing always cause I love it! and I like to put a lot on. I think that sums it all up, basically tortilla, re-fried beans, rice, meat, lettuce, dressing. You can also add some salsa and guacamole and those crispy corn strips.