Author: Jamie Hancock

Chicken Tortilla Soup

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A very easy and delicious version of tortilla soup that can be made with food storage ingredients. Your kids will love helping with this one.  And guess what? 
 It has a hint of lime!  
Ingredients: 
2 cans (28oz or 3 1/2c) Chicken Broth
1/8c Taco Seasoning (or to taste)
A few shakes of garlic powder =)
Juice of 1 lime
2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed*
1 can of corn with liquid
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel offers Mild, Medium and Hot!) 
1 large avocado, peeled and diced
  1. Pour broth into soup pot, add taco seasoning, garlic powder and lime juice.  Stir until well blended.
  2. Add all other ingredients except avocado.  Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 15 min or so.   
  3. Add avocado just before serving.  
  4. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and some crispy tortilla chips.  Mmmmm.  

Adapted from AllRecipes.com Six Can Chicken Tortilla Soup


*The original recipe calls for canned chicken, which works if you’re going for a food storage friendly recipe.  But I would argue that it’s much better with fresh or frozen chicken breasts.  =)  
*The amount of taco seasoning you add will add or decrease the spiciness of the soup, so if you like it spicy….bring it on!  
*ALSO…if you have Kids in the kitchen, they will love helping you empty the cans into the pot!  

German Apple Pancakes

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This here, is another way of saying, “Guess what, kids! We’re having dessert for breakfast!”…And was also a tradition in my husband’s family growing up.  It’s a bit time consuming, but well worth it!  We love enjoying it for birthdays, holiday breakfasts and sometimes when we all just have a major sweet tooth.

Pancake Ingredients:
5T butter (to melt in bottom of pan)
6 eggs
1c All-purpose flour
1c milk
pinch of salt

 
*Featured above is my lovely Pampered Chef apple peeler which quickly 
peels, cores and spiral slices the apple! 
  1. Preheat oven to 400*, cut butter into chunks and put in a 9×13 pan, melt the butter in the oven while it is preheating.  In the mean time, make the pancake batter (keep an eye on that butter).
  2. In a medium or large bowl, mix the eggs, flour, milk and salt.  It will get super lumpy and thick.  Just keep whisking!  Sometimes I even use my blender for the pancake batter. 
  3. Take the pan out of the oven when the butter is just beginning to brown and sizzle.  Pour the pancake batter into the center of the pan so the butter spreads evenly to all sides. 
  4. Carefully put it back in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes.  (Towards the end of baking time, the sides of the pancake rise above the pan forming a puffy bowl-like shape, But don’t be alarmed when it begins to deflate a bit after a minute or so…this is completely normal =) 
  5. While the pancake is baking, make the sauce:
 
Sauce Ingredients:
1/2c white sugar
1T corn starch

1tsp ground cinnamon
dash of salt
2T butter
1c boiling water
1/4 tsp orange extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced (other apple varieties will work, but just like a good apple pie, the tart ones are best)

  1. In a medium or large sauce pan, stir together the sugar, corn starch, cinnamon and salt.  
  2. Add butter and boiling water and bring the whole mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, until sauce begins to thicken.  
  3. Fold in the sliced apples until covered in sauce.  Lower heat.  Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the apples are tender.  
  4. Remove sauce from the heat and stir in the vanilla and orange extracts.  
  5. The sauce can be poured directly into the puffy pancake or on individual slices.

*For my family of 6, we double the whole recipe!
*Leftover sauce goes great over a toasted English muffin!
*Hope you’re not on a diet today 😉

Source:  Adapted from Masterpieces From Our Kitchen: Virginia, MN High School Choir 1999

Taters Ole’

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My mother-in-law, the recipe guru, put this one together on her own with intent of making her own “copy-cat” recipe from Taco John’s Potato Ole’s.  The basic recipe is easy and can be topped with your own likings.  Ole’!  [o-lay]  =)

Ingredients:
1 15oz can refried beans
1-2 lbs prepared taco meat (depending on how meaty you like it)
1 small can of diced green chiles or 1 10oz can Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chiles), I’ve also used 1c of salsa…it’s very flexible.
2lb bag of tater tots or tater rounds
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
Toppings:
Salsa
Sour cream
Guacamole
Sliced olives
Shredded lettuce

1.  Spread refried beans evenly in the bottom of a 9×13 pan
2.  Layer taco meat, green chiles (or salsa) and tater tots over the beans (in that
     order)
3.  Bake according to the tater tot directions.  Usually 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
4.  Remove from oven, sprinkle cheese over hot tater tots and bake for another 5-7
     minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly
5.  Top with your favorite mexi-toppings =)

Goes great with a side of yellow hominy cooked with butter and salt.  Mmmmm!

Source:  Debbie Hancock

Rich Banana Cake

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This recipe went from being my favorite gooey-centered banana bread to my favorite moist, evenly-cooked snack cake.  And it’s sweet enough to eat without frosting!

Ingredients:
1/2 c Butter, melted
1 c white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2  tsp salt
1/2 c yogurt (I’ve used vanilla, strawberry/banana, strawberry and plain) or sour cream
5 over ripe bananas (2 chunked, 3 mashed) You can use less if you need to…it’s a very moist cake.
1/2 c chopped walnuts and or chocolate chips (optional)

  1. Preheat oven to 350*, grease a 9×13 pan or 2 round cake pans.  
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla, mix well.
  3. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the butter mixture until smooth.  (the batter will get thick)
  4. Finally, fold in the yogurt, bananas, and walnuts.  Spread evenly into the prepared pan(s).  
  5. Bake for 35-40 min or until center is firm set.  
  6. Cool for at least 10 min before removing from pan.  
  7. Cool completely before frosting. 
Adapted from allrecipes.com Janet’s Rich Banana Bread