Vegetable Soup

Background: I have no idea how my Mom came up with this soup since she directed me to a cookbook that she "got" it from and the ingredients were totally different.  She explains herself by saying that she just uses what she has...  Mmm hmm.  I know better, Mom!  She keeps her secrets well. :) Anyway, I am sharing this amazing, thick, seriously easy, perfection of an autumn soup (stew?) with lucky you.  Enjoy!

Originally from: Mrs. Barr

Serves ~8

Approximate time, from prep to table: ~2:45 hours (2:20 for just simmering, the rest is easy prep)

So easy, right? Love me some Penzey's spices...

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp butter and/or olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 Cup celery, chopped (~5 stalks)
20 oz veggie stock (love Better than Bouillon vegetable soup base!)
12 oz tomato juice
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp pepper
2 cups carrots, chopped (~2 big carrots)
16 oz bag frozen green beans or 15 oz-ish can
32 oz can diced tomatoes
2 zucchinis, chopped
1 tsp basil
10 oz of frozen spinach, defrosted in microwave (or just 4ish big handfuls of fresh spinach, chopped)
Optional: 2 cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

Directions:
Sauté onion and celery in butter/olive oil over medium heat in large stock pot.

Yes, only one pot! Score!

Add stock, tomato juice, garlic powder, pepper, carrots, green beans, and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer for about 2 hours.


Add zucchinis and simmer for another 20 minutes.

The deliciousness simply cannot be captured.

Then add basil, spinach, and optional beans. (I don't use beans because I always eat this with some protein. But, if you're vegetarian, add the beans for a protein source.)

Done! You can let it cool and then store it in the refrigerator.

If desired, make pasta in a separate pot.  Perhaps the same pot just before making the soup? (Can you tell I am currently suffering surviving without a dishwasher? That's right, paper plates at every meal, y'all.) Store pasta separately from the soup and add to the soup when ready to enjoy. (If pasta is stored with the soup, it will just soak up the broth.)


Note/Tips: This soup freezes relatively well, although the green beans get slightly rubbery. This is great to pack in an airtight container for lunch. I seriously eat it with lunch and dinner when I make it, which tends to be once a week during the cooler months.

"Karenitas"

Why, hello there...

Background:
I'm recently on a Primal kick when it comes to eating after running the gamut from Standard American Diet, Vegetarianism, and Veganism... We eat mostly primally (with awesome health and energy benefits!), but this is an exception to the rule with the flour tortillas I use instead of the egg white version from the original recipe.  I renamed them Karenitas because my Argentinian/Mexican sister-in-law (whom I adore! If you ever read this: Hi Nancy!) told me that they aren't enchiladas the way I make them. So, we're playing off of the carnitas word.

Originally from: Mark's Daily Apple, the "Easy Chicken Enchiladas" toward the bottom of the list.
Serves ~ 4-8
Approximate time, from prep to table: ~ 1.5 hours, but you can bake the chicken the morning of or the day before if desired.  This will get a few days' meals out of the way with leftovers!

Ingredients: 
3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
4 Tbsp total of olive oil or butter
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3+ Tbsp chili powder
1 3/4 Cup water
8 ox tomato sauce
1 small onion, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
8 burrito-sized flour tortillas
1 - 1 1/2 cups cheese (cheddar, colby jack, mexican blend--whatever)
1-2 scallions, diced (optional)


Directions:
Chicken: I cook the chicken at 400 for 45 minutes: pat dry, rub with olive oil or coconut oil, season with pepper and garlic, bake for 45 minutes at 400.  When done, cover with foil and let sit 5 minutes before dicing. Store in an airtight or covered area so that it doesn't dry out before adding to karenitas.  I sometimes bake it the day before.

Reuse that 9x13 pan right after the chicken is done--put those karenitas right in to bake!

 Enchilada sauce:
Warm butter/oil over medium heat in a large, vertical-sided skillet.  Add all dry ingredients and whisk in water and tomato sauce.  Stir occasionally (to prevent burning) until sauce thickens, at least 10 minutes.

Whisk, whisk, whisk!
Reality check: Yeah, my stovetop gets dirty...I use it!

Meanwhile, in a second skillet, saute onion, zucchini, and squash in olive oil or butter.

Healthy additions!

Reserve about 1 cup sauce in a liquid measuring cup or bowl.

When veggies and sauce are done, preheat oven to 350.  Combine veggies and sauce in the larger sauce pan with the diced chicken.

Coat bottom of 9x13 pan with 1/2 cup of reserved sauce.

Place a tortilla on a plate. Fill with 1/8 of chicken mixture (to have an even amount of filling in each of the eight tortillas). Sprinkle some cheese over the filling and roll up.  Place in 9x13 pan.  Repeat for all tortillas.

Drizzle remaining 1/2 cup of sauce over karenitas, coating them to avoid drying them out. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with optional scallions.

Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Note/Tips:
-Great for leftovers and Mexican-themed parties!  Just make beforehand, refrigerate, and then stick in the oven at 350 until heated through and cheese is melted.
-If you want to use corn tortillas instead of flour, that should be fine. They just broke on me too often and annoyed me.
-About a pound of Ground beef or chopped steak is also delicious!
-Great to send in hubby's lunch for work.