The Pack Place — well dressed kitchen: recipes

My friend (and neighbor) gave me this recipe one night after graciously cooking it for my entire family. She pulled it together after she got home from work and it was ready by 7 pm. My kind of meal! I love that it can be endlessly adjusted to your particular taste by changing the meat & cheese. Enjoy!  

Stuffed Bread

Ingredients -1 loaf of french bread, cut in half lengthwise with center removed (leave a fairly thick “shell” so it doesn’t get soggy when meat is added). -1 lb ground beef OR ground turkey OR ground sausage (casing removed) or your favorite meat… -Cream of Mushroom Soup (1 can) -1 onion (finely chopped) -1 bell pepper (finely chopped) -4 slices of American Cheese OR 1/2 log of Cream Cheese OR grated cheddar (or basically whatever cheese you like the best)… -Salt, pepper & seasoning to taste Directions -Cook your onions and bell peppers over medium high heat in 2 tsp of olive oil until softened. -Reduce heat to medium and add ground meat of choice and cook through, constantly stirring and breaking clumps apart to avoid tough spots. At this point, remove any rising oil with a spoon. -Add Cream of Mushroom Soup and stir to combine. -Add cheese of choice and stir until melted and distributed evenly. -Season to taste. -Scoop meat mixture into the bottom bread shell and top with the other half. -Wrap the entire loaf in aluminum foil and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes to allow the entire thing to “come together”. Slice, serve & enjoy!

We've been inundated with rain and downright dreariness for what seems like weeks. Couple that with a cold virus, sinus infections and the flu, and you have a serious need for soup. This Chicken Lime Soup is my favorite for so many reasons! First, the flavor... Second, the ease of preparation... third & last, the endless options for ingredients and fixings. If you need a pick-me-up that will rival a trip to Cabo san Lucas (ok- that might be a bit of a stretch), this is the recipe for you. Chicken Lime Soup Ingredients:

1. Rotisserie Chicken, deboned
2. 1 small to medium onion (yellow or white), chopped
3. Bell pepper (red, green or a combination of both), chopped
4. Chile peppers (serrano, jalepeno or a combination of both), chopped & seeded
5. Garlic cloves (1 to 3, to taste), minced
6. Limes (to taste) and lime zest from one lime (zest optional)
7. Can of rotel (Original, mild or hot- your preference)
8. 2 boxes of chicken broth
9. Can of corn (optional)
10. Spicy Green Rice (optional)
11. Flour tortillas + salt, pepper, seasonings to taste

*Other additions that taste great if you have them on hand are: fresh cilantro, several bay leaves, fresh sliced tomatoes, a sprinkle of chili powder... whatever you like! Directions:

1. Saute onion and peppers (bell peppers and chile) until softened.
2. Add garlic and saute for 2 more minutes.
3. Add can of rotel to mixture and heat through.
4. Add zest from one lime (optional) and juice from one lime.
5. Add chicken broth and the meat from a rotisserie chicken.
6. Add can of corn (optional).
7. Add salt, pepper and your favorite seasonings blends as well as extra lime juice to taste.
8. Bring to a simmer and cook for several hours or until ready to eat!

Tortilla strips:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375
2. Slice flour tortillas into 1/2 wide inch strips. Coat with Olive Oil spray, salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Splash with lime juice.
3. Place tortillas on a baking sheet in a flat layer.
4. Cook for 5-7 minutes, checking occasionally & flipping once. Tortillas are finished cooking when they are lightly browned. Let them cool & harden for about 5 minutes before serving.

To serve: Spoon rice into a bowl (optional- recipe here) and cover with Chicken Lime Soup. Serve with sour cream, sliced avocados, mozzarella cheese and tortilla strips and garnish with lime. Enjoy!