Turkey and Pepper Soup

So my love for soup grows every day so I'm trying all kinds of soups and tweaking here and there!  This is also made in the crock pot so it's a huge time saver :)  This soup is really high in protein and low in calories and extremely filling.  Makes for a great lunch or snack.

Turkey and Pepper Soup

*Makes 6 servings

1 lb. Ground Turkey
3 Bell Peppers, any color (chopped kinda big)
1/2 Onion (chopped)
2 cups Cauliflower (minced)
2 cloves Garlic (minced)
1 can Tomato Sauce
1 can Fire Roasted Tomatoes
3 cups Beef Stock
1/2 tsp. Basil
1/2 tsp. Oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Brown the turkey in a pan.
2. Add all the ingredients to the crock pot.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Mom's Texas Sheet Cake

My mother told me the story of how we came into the posession of this recipe.  It's pretty neat actually.  A lady called up my grandmother and asked if it would be ok to bring a cake to my parent's reception.  My grandmother agreed and so this kind lady brought a Texas sheet cake to the party.  It was a nice contrast so the guests had their choice of chocolate or vanilla wedding cake.  My mother fell in love with the cake and spent years trying to track her down for the recipe.  Once she got her hands on it, she made it as often as possible!  I rarely remember desserts unless it was this or her Blue Ribbon Carrot Cake sitting on the counter! :)

Mom's Texas Sheet Cake

*Makes 1 11X17 pan full of cake **cookie sheet for those who don't have their tape measures handy :P

Cake:
1 Stick of Butter
1/2 C. Crisco
4 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder
1 C. Water
2 C. Flour
2 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Buttermilk
2 Eggs (slightly beaten)
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Vanilla

Frosting:
1 Stick of Butter
4 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder
6 Tbsp. Milk
1 lb. Powdered Sugar (sift!)
1 tsp. Vanilla

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour a cookie sheet.
3. In a saucepan, (for the cake) melt butter, crisco, coaco, and water.  Bring to a rapid boil.
4. In a bowl, add flour and sugar.  Pour the melt over this and stir.
5. Add buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, cinnamon and vanilla and stir.  Don't over work it *don't want to activate the glutens*.  Just stir enough to get the lumps out.
6. Pour into the cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
7. **15 minutes into the cake baking**  In a saucepan, (for frosting) melt butter, cocoa, and milk.  Bring to a boil.  Add the powdered sugar and vanilla.  Mix well, keep stirring until it's smooth.
8. At this point the cake should be just about done.  Pull it out and frost while the cake is STILL HOT.  This allows the frosting to melt more and seep into the pores of the cake!
9. You can stop here and let the cake cool or you can go one step further and sprinkle chopped pecans on top before the frosting hardens.

*fun fact, this cake is great for freezing!  Cut up and wrap individual size pieces in saran wrap and store in a Ziploc bag*

Green Chile Chicken Soup

When you're sick, soup is the staple of your diet.  I've been sick for almost a week now and man do I get tired of Chicken Noodle quick!  So instead of busting out my Chicken and Dumplings (too much work when I'm sick) I went into the kitchen with no thoughts or recipes in my head.  And here's what I ended up with!  It's got just a tiny kick (unless you know you're in possession of super spicy green chiles) and it's really low in calories but super filling.  It's also really easy to keep.  You can freeze it or seal it in jars using a pressure canner.

Green Chile Chicken Soup

*makes 12 2 cup servings

Allergen Tips:
Look for gluten free brands of enchilada sauce like La Victoria or Frontera.
Check the bullion for gluten to keep it a g-free recipe!

12 Cups of Water
7 cubes of Chicken Bullion
3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
4 Stalks of Celery (chopped)
2 Red Bell Peppers (chopped)
1 C. Chopped Onion
4 Fresh Roasted Green Chiles (chopped) **or 2-3 4oz cans of green chiles**
2 cans Black Beans (drained)
2 cans Corn (drained)
1 14-16oz Can Green Enchilada Sauce (size varies depending on brand)
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Pepper
1 tsp. Cumin
1-2 Tbsp Corn Starch for thickening

1. Put the water and bullion cubes in a stock pot on medium heat until it starts boiling and the cubes are dissolved.
2. Throw in the chicken breasts, beans and veggies and the sauce.  Cover back up and cook for about 45-75 depending on if the chicken is fresh or frozen.
3. Once the chicken is done, pull it out and shred.  Add back to the soup along with the seasonings and simmer for another 30 mins to let the chicken soak up some flavor.
4. Serve!

*Tips on adding to this if you'd like a little more*
You can make some rice to pour this over or you can make some noodles to throw in but if you plan on keeping this in the fridge or freezer, I don't suggest adding these until you're about to eat it.