Tortilla Soup... without tortillas

I love this soup because it is cheap and fast to make and it has a great flavor. It has a little bit of a spice kick but if you need more than add a jalapeno.

Tortilla Soup

1 Tbsp canola oil

3 Anaheim peppers, dices

1 onion

1 tsp cumin

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh, cut up

4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes with chiles

2 Tbsp lime juice

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

-Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Saute peppers and onion. Cook and stir til the onions begin to soften. Stir in cumin and let cook for 1 min. Add chicken, broth, tomatoes and their juices. Bring to a boil and simmer till the chicken is cooked (about 12-15 min.). Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and cilantro. Enjoi!

Homemade Salad Dressings

Homemade salad dressings are great because you know exactly what is in them. They don't have the preservatives that pre-bottled dressings have. They are pretty easy to make and take no time at all. These are just a couple of my favorites but if you like them I have more. The cucumber vinaigrette has a really fresh and mellow taste. The honey Tahini is a bit sweet with a slight tartness to it. I recommend you make both and keep them in air tight containers in your fridge so you have options and you don't get sick of just having one. They keep in the fridge for at least a couple of weeks but they've never lasted long enough in my fridge to go bad. Enjoy!

Cucumber Herb Vinaigrette

1 cucumber

1/4 cup olive or canola oil

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp horseradish

salt/pepper to taste

sometime I put in some Dill just for fun

-Put it all in a blender until smooth.

Honey-Tahini Dressing

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup olive or canola oil

1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)

2 Tbsp honey

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

pepper to taste

-Put it all in a blender or a bowl and blend or stir together until smooth.

Turkish Bison Stew- For a Cold Day

This sauce is really good! Its one of my favorites to prepare, especially when it starts to get cold. The pomegranate juice gives it an interesting and slightly sweet taste. The combination of spices fills your kitchen with a sweet aroma that is absolutely wonderful. You can also use lamb in this recipe too. I tend to just eat it as a stew or put it over a bed of romaine lettuce.

Turkish Bison Sauce

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 b. chopped onion

1/2 c. chopped carrot

1/2 c. chopped celery

1 Tbsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp paprika

1 tsp ground coriander

salt/pepper to taste

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 lb ground bison 1/2 c. pomegranate juice

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

1 c. fresh chopped cilantro

1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint

1 Tbsp lemon juice

- Heat oil in large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery; cook, covered, stir occasionally till soft. About 10 min. Add garlic and cook another min. Stir in paprika, coriander, s/p, cumin and cinnamon. Cook, stirring, till veggies are well coated and the spices are fragrant (about 45 sec).

-Increase heat to med-high and add bison. Cook and stir to break it up into smaller pieces with a spoon until no longer pink. Add pomegranate juice and scrape browned bits from bottom. Stir in tomatoes with juices, cilantro, mint and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook uncovered, maintaining a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally for 15 min. You can add water to obtain desired thickness. Increase heat and boil for a few minutes. Enjoi!