I've had a real omission in my culinary repertoire: Never have I made any sort of tortilla soup.

So when a friend told me she was preparing some for a neighborhood open house, I hopped on the Internet to see if I could find a recipe to suit my taste and cooking style, which is relatively unfussy.

I found the following tortilla soup recipe on Sarah Cool's blog. She sold it to me by saying how easy it was to make, that it tasted better if it sat overnight so the flavors could blend and that it took a lot of canned ingredients, which would reduce the chopping.

I scrimped a bit on the chicken -- boneless, skinless breasts are expensive -- and added some of the meat I had from a roast chicken to fill out a bit. I found the directions a bit confusing when it came to the broth so I poached the breasts in 3 cups of water with 3 bouillon cubes but I didn't use that broth for the soup and instead used the canned broth.

It makes a whole bunch and even after I had a friend to dinner I have at least a week of lunches, and maybe a dinner or two. I used lime, avocado and a package of Fresh Gourmet Tortilla Strips, Santa Fe Style for garnishes. It's the sort of soup that bears repeating. Try it!

Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup

- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 4 (10.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
- 1 can enchilada sauce (I used mild)
- 2 (10.5 ounce) cans whole white corn kernels
- 1 (15 ounce) can great white northern beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
- 6 boneless chicken breasts or tenderloins
- crushed tortilla chips
- fresh avacado, sliced and diced
- shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- sour cream
- 1 fresh lime, sliced

Directions
- In a medium pot, bring chicken broth to a boil. (For this broth, I usually add a boullion cube to water)
- Poach chicken breasts or tenderloins in broth. (Cook until they are no longer pink in the middle.)
- Shred chicken with a fork.
- In a large stock pot, heat oil over medium heat.
- Saute onion and garlic in oil.
- Stir in chili powder and cumin, along with shredded chicken.
- Saute mixture until onion and garlic are soft.
- Stir in broth, crushed tomatoes, enchilada sauce, corn, beans, and green onion.
- Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Ladle soup into individual bowls, and top with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, and cheese or sour cream.
- Serve with slices of lime to squeeze on top.

For a spicier soup, add more (or different) spices. You can also bulk up the soup by adding 2 extra cans of broth, and 1 extra can each of white corn, great northern beans, and crushed tomatoes.

I've not yet had a chance to make these, but I'm in the mood for chocolate and always looking for new, easy and decadent recipes. (Counting calories is never part of the plan where chocolate is concerned. It's much easier to cut down elsewhere...) That these fudge bites feature kahlua, one of my favorite flavor enhancers, is a big bonus, especially when paired with chocolate. This recipe received rave reviews in Fine Cooking's e-letter and that's good enough for me. I also like that they can be cut into tiny pieces and you can still get a full burst of richness. When the goodies are so small, several are never too many.

Kahlúa Fudge Bites
by Abigail Johnson Dodge

These are very chocolatey and rich; best to cut them into smaller, bite-size squares.
Yields about 8 dozen 1-inch squares

Tip: For the best results, measure your flour by weight instead of volume. (1 cup of all-purpose flour equals 4-1/2 ounces) If you don’t have a scale, be sure to use the proper technique when filling your measuring cups.
9 ounces (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
3/4 pound(1-1/2 cups) unsalted butter; more for the pan
3 ounces (1 cup) unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
3 cups very firmly packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 Tablespoons coffee-flavored liqueur (I use Kahlúa) or 1-1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the glaze:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 ounces (6 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 Tablespoon light corn syrup

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 325° F. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt to blend. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Whisk in the brown sugar until blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until just blended. Whisk in the coffee liquer along with the last egg. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir with a rubber spatulla until just blended. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few small, moist clumps sticking to it, about 30 minutes. (Don't overbake, or the squares won't be fudgy.) Transfer the pan to a rack to let cool completely.

Make the chocolate glaze:
In a medium bowl, melt the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in a microwave or over barely simmering water, whisking until smooth. Pour the glaze onto the center of the cooled, uncut fudge bars. Using an offset spatula, spread the glaze evenly to cover completely. Refrigerate until the glaze is set, about 30 minutes. Cut into 1-inch squares.

From Fine Cooking 68, pp. 65
December 1, 2004

Here's a recipe we ran recently on our food page, but I might not have tried it if I hadn't had some extra kale in the fridge. And since this leafy green is such a boost for healthy eating, I figured it would be a shame to let it wilt, unused.

I whipped up the quiche quickly a few nights ago for a late dinner. I had to do some advance planning because I don't keep prepared pie crusts on hand, nor did I have a bunch of green onions or even some whole milk. And I used a marbled combination of Monterey Jack and Cheddar instead of straight cheddar because that's what I had. The red pepper flakes give it some zip and the leftovers heat up beautifully for lunch in just a minute in the breakroom microwave. This recipe from the Chicago Tribune appeared in a story about Supermarket Heroes. It's a keeper.

Kale and Onion Quiche
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 55 minutes
Makes: 6 servings
Kale’s bold flavor gets tempered, in a good way, when teamed with eggs and cheese. This will make a nice supper with a green salad or vegetable soup. Developed in the Tribune test kitchen.
1 prepared 9-inch pie crust
3 eggs
3/4 cup each: half-and-half, whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon each: vegetable oil, butter
5 green onions, minced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups chopped kale leaves
1/3 cup grated Cheddar cheese
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Tear off a piece of foil large enough to fit inside the pie crust; press into the crust. Fill pan with dried beans; bake 12 minutes. Remove crust from oven, discarding foil and beans; set aside.
Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, half-and-half, milk, salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste in a medium bowl; set aside.
Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook the onions and garlic until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the kale; cook, stirring, just until wilted, about 5 minutes. Spoon the vegetables into the crust; sprinkle with cheese. Pour the egg mixture over. Bake until set, about 35 minutes.
Nutrition information
Per serving: 310 calories, 65 percent of calories from fat, 23 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 128 mg cholesterol, 19 g carbohydrates, 8 g protein, 460 mg sodium, 1 g fiber
———

I'm in the mood for cooking again, and I like experimenting with new dishes that blend ingredients and flavors that get better the longer they mingle. This dish offers a bonus of wonderful scents thanks to the cumin and cinnamon. And it's hard to beat sweet potatoes, garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and kale for healthy eating.

The recipe came to my work e-mail thanks to Fine Cooking's e-letter.

Don't be scared off by the unusual combination of ingredients. They work really well together. I bought cinnamon sticks from the bulk jars at Open Harvest and it cost 40 cents for 4 of them. The Greek olives came from Ideal Market's olive bar and I had a great time smashing them with a saucepan to remove the pits easily (see the note below). The rest is routine. Just slice some onions, peel and dice the sweet potato and open some cans. Everything goes in one pot. And the cooking time is fairly short.

Despite its foreign-sounding name, this "stew" is easy and sure to impress.

I served the ragout over some couscous; first I browned the tiny grains in some hot olive oil for about 5 minutes til they colored slightly, then I transferred the couscous to another bowl and poured a cup of boiling water over it, covered the bowl with a dish towel and in 5 minutes the grains were ready to be fluffed with a fork and then used as a base for the ragout. Now I've got lunches for the week!

Moroccan Vegetable Ragout

Tip: If you don't have an olive-pitting tool, you can use a small skillet or saucepan. Apply pressure with the bottom of the pan until the olives split, exposing the pits enough that they can be plucked away by hand.

1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1-1/4 cups)
1 3- to 4-inch cinnamon stick
1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 cups peeled and medium diced (1/2-inch) sweet potatoes (about 3/4 lb.)
1 14- to 16-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 14-1/2-oz. can diced tomatoes; with their juices
1/2 cup pitted green Greek or Italian olives
6 Tbs. orange juice, preferably fresh
1-1/2 tsp. honey
2 cups lightly packed very coarsely chopped kale leaves (from about 1/2 lb. kale)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and lightly browned, about 5 min. Add the cinnamon stick and cumin and cook until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sweet potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes and their juices, olives, orange juice, honey, and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are barely tender, about 15 min. Stir in the kale. Cover and continue cooking until wilted and softened, about another 10 min. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

serving suggestions:
Serve with a green salad and couscous studded with toasted almonds.
From Fine Cooking 76, pp. 86c
December 1, 2005

Here are two new recipes that crossed my palate at a pre-dinner New Year's celebration hosted by friends DiAnna and Herb. They were tasty and easy to make and would be great for any casual gathering. No need to wait for the next New Year's gathering to try them out.

DiAnna writes: "This one is one that my mother, Ib Rebman, gave me and it is great because they can be frozen and reheated. Easy to take from the freezer for unexpected company."

Cheese Crisps

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups grated cheddar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup Rice Krispies, crushed
1 cup sifted flour

Shape cookies by rolling in balls, flatten with fork, and bake at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes. Can be reheated, if frozen, at 200 degrees.

DiAnna continues: "The second recipe is also from my mother and was given to her by her late friend Ruth Shaffer."

Ruth's Sweets

Cut 1 can water chestnuts in fourths. (We prefer thirds or even halves.) Wrap each in 1/4 slice of thin-slice bacon (stretch with knife before cutting.) Put on toothpicks.

Cook to bubbling in microwave:

1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon milk

Marinate the "picks" in the sauce for at least an hour. Bake on cookie sheet at 250 degrees for 40 minutes or longer. Note: Be sure to use foil on cookie sheet for easy cleanup.