Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Fresh flour tortillas are used in this chicken soup to set it apart from the competition, and green chile and chipotle peppers provide the spice.

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy about 5 minutes.

Drain on a paper towel reserving 1 tablespoon grease in the skillet.

Add onion and garlic to the skillet; cook and stir until onion are translucent about 5 minutes.

Combine chicken broth and chicken breasts in a large pot; bring to a boil.

Cook until chicken breasts are no longer pink in the center about 15 minutes.

Remove chicken breasts from broth; cool until easily handled.

Stir bacon onion garlic diced tomatoes and green chile peppers and tomato sauce into the chicken broth.

Add corn chipotle peppers salt pepper cumin and cilantro.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Place tortilla strips on a baking sheet.

ArnoldGreg July 31, 2023

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Vanilla Rich Chocolate Chip Cookies
Flavors of premium vanilla and chocolate blend together to make a wonderful combination in these favorite chocolate chip cookies.

Set the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, combine salt, baking soda, and flour.

Place aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars in a sizable bowl until they are light and fluffy.

Mix in the eggs and vanilla.

On low speed, gradually beat in the flour mixture until thoroughly combined.

Add walnuts and chocolate chips and combine.

Drop rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets at a distance of about 2 inches.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden.

1 minute of cooling on baking sheets.

Remove to wire racks and fully cool.

ArnoldGreg July 29, 2023

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Sheet Pan Sweet and Sour Chicken
Canned pineapple, bell peppers, and chicken are cooked on a sheet pan, resulting in an amazing sweet and sour chicken recipe that when served over rice, will rival any Asian takeout.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Drain pineapple tidbits and place juice into a 1-cup liquid measuring cup.

Place drained pineapple in a large mixing bowl; set aside.

Add bell peppers carrot and onion to the pineapple tidbits.

Pour 2 tablespoons avocado oil over top and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Stir until coated with oil and seasoning then spread in a single layer on a sheet pan.

Place chicken into the same bowl drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper.

Toss to coat and nestle chicken pieces on the sheet pan between the pineapple and vegetable pieces.

Bake in the preheated oven until vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through about 25 minutes.

ArnoldGreg July 28, 2023

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Perfect Berry Shortcakes
You don’t need a food processor, pastry cutter, rolling pin or cookie cutter to make these sweet biscuits. This shortcake recipe yields a simple, foolproof biscuit that’s crisp yet delicate.

Set the lower-middle oven rack and raise the temperature to 425 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and 3 tbs.

sugar.

Toss the dry ingredients in 2 Tbs.

of the grated butter using a box grater with coarse holes.

Grate again, then toss with the remaining butter.

Pour the egg-half-and-half mixture into the flour mixture.

Toss to create substantial clumps with a fork.

If dough won’t come together, lightly press clumps into balls and add a teaspoon more half-and-half to the bowl.

ArnoldGreg July 27, 2023

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Macaroni Pie
This wonderful pie is a variation of macaroni and cheese.

Set oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees C).

Large pot of lightly salted water should be brought to a boil.

Drain the macaroni after cooking for 8 to 10 minutes, or until it is al dente.

Combine milk and eggs in a mixer.

Fill a 9×13-inch baking dish with half of the cooked macaroni.

Add half of the cheese to the macaroni.

Fill the baking dish with the remaining macaroni, leaving some space at the top.

Add the remaining cheese on top.

Over the macaroni, pour the egg mixture.

Sprinkle salt on top.

Bake for an hour or until a knife inserted comes out clean in a preheated oven.

ArnoldGreg July 26, 2023

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Croque Madame on Brioche
This rendition of the French-inspired croque madame sandwich is served open-faced on brioche bread and includes bechamel sauce, ham, and Gruyere cheese in addition to poached eggs.

2 tablespoons of butter should be melted in a tiny pan over low heat.

After adding the flour, cook for one minute.

Bring to a boil while whisking in milk.

Low-heat setting.

Salt, pepper, and Dijon mustard are used to season.

Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until sauce coats the back of a spoon.

Take the sauce off the heat.

ArnoldGreg July 25, 2023

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Kumquat Pie
This kumquat pie uses basic ingredients, doesn’t need to be baked, and is quick and simple to make.

Beat condensed milk and whipped topping together in a bowl with an electric mixer.

Add lemon juice and beat until thickened.

Stir in kumquat puree.

Pour into the pie crust.

Freeze until firm 2 to 3 hours.

Let thaw for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

ArnoldGreg July 24, 2023

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Oatmeal Pie I
Gooey, sweet and wonderful, this oatmeal pie is hard to resist. Sugar, eggs, butter, cornstarch and oatmeal are combined, poured into a pie crust and topped with luscious, white coconut. Bake, cool and serve this mock-pecan pie with whipped cream.

In a medium bowl, thoroughly beat the eggs.

Add salt, oatmeal, vanilla, corn syrup, and butter or margarine.

Fill pie shell with mixture, then sprinkle coconut on top.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Prior to serving, cool.

ArnoldGreg July 23, 2023

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Maple Pecan Crisps
This is a light, crisp cookie that tastes just like sugary maple syrup. The aroma that will waft through your house while these are baking is almost as good as the taste!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Cream the butter with the brown sugar and 3/4 cup of the white sugar.

Mix in the vanilla and maple extract and beat for 1 minute.

Beat in the egg until just blended.

Add the pecans mixing at low speed until the pecans are evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Add the flour and mix at medium speed until the flour is thoroughly incorporated.

ArnoldGreg July 22, 2023

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Fennel Soda Bread
Last Christmas dinner, I served this bread, which generated much discussion at the table. They all adored it! Delicious on its own or with any meal.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Grease a 10 inch round cake pan.

In a large bowl stir together the flour baking powder baking soda salt sugar and fennel seed.

In another bowl stir together the eggs buttermilk and melted butter.

Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture until just blended using a large spoon.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

Dot with the 3 tablespoons of chilled butter.

Bake for about 1 hour in the preheated oven or until puffed and golden.

Cut into wedges and serve warm.

ArnoldGreg July 21, 2023

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