So today I thought I would give you my recipe and pass on the love to your family.

Here are the ingredients
- half red onion, chopped
- bunch of cilantro
- 2 chicken breast or precooked chicken either rotisserie or TJ’s grilled chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken and only used the white meat)
- 1 avocado
- 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 cans rotel
- 4 TBSP tomato paste
- 60 or so ounces chicken broth
- cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder
- sour cream, optional
- your favorite brand of tortilla chips

Let’s get started.
Put your soup pot over the stove on med heat.
Add some extra virgin olive oil, about 3 TBSP.
Add 1/2 red onion, chopped and let it saute for a minute
Add 1 tsp each of cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder (use less chili powder if you want it mild, my recipe has a little zip to it)
Add half the bunch of cilantro, chopped
Add the two cans of rotel tomatoes
Add your precooked chicken, shredded
Add 4 TBSP of tomato paste

The smell in your kitchen will be divine at this point.

Add the chicken stock and bring to a low boil.
Turn off the heat and start preparing your add ins.

Grate some sharp cheddar cheese, about 2 cups worth.
Chop up some more cilantro
Slice and chop the avocado.

Ladle the soup in the bowl, add avocado, a dollop of sour cream (if you choose), sprinkling of cheddar cheese, and some cilantro on top.
YUMMY!!!!!
I crunch up my chips and put them in the soup while I eat. It’s just the best soup on earth!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Cheers!!!!

Here is my recipe for lentils. It is easy, simple, and oh soooo good

Soak a small bag of lentils in warm water for 3 hours.
Drain and rinse and put the lentils in a crock pot

Add chicken broth to the lentils. I use 48 ounces of chicken broth, or one and a half quarts. If I don’t have homemade chicken stock, I use Trader Joe’s free range organic chicken broth.

Then add
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- some black pepper.
- 2 bay leaves

Set your crockpot to cook for either 4 or 6 hours.

I always add Frank’s sauce to my bowl of lentils when I eat them, but they are great just like this.
You can always add sliced veggies to your lentils while they cook if you like. I’ve added zucchini, squash, carrots, and celery at different times when I want to mix it up a bit. I try to make a big crockpot once a week and eat a cup a day.

I hope you enjoy this lentil recipe as much as I do!

It went from 55 degrees here in Kansas City to 8 degrees within 24 hours. We are all needing something warm for our tummies.

Broccoli Cheese Soup
- 30 oz frozen broccoli
- 3 cans chicken broth (the small ones)
- 6 TBSP butter
- 1 chopped onion
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 cans coconut milk
- 1 1/2 lbs velveeta cubed
- pinch of pepper

Simmer the broccoli in the chicken broth, just until the broccoli softens.
Melt butter in a soup pot.
Saute onions for about 2 minutes.
Add flour and make a paste by combining it with the onions and butter.
Slowly whisk in the coconut milk, until thick and bubbly.
Add chicken broth and broccoli, stir together.
Add the cheese and melt. (Do not boil)

Use an immersion blender to thoroughly mix the soup and break up some of the broccoli chunks. I like to leave some bigger pieces of broccoli though.

Serve warm with some hot, toasty bread, and a salad if you like.
Cheers to a nice, delicious, winter meal!

All shortening pie crust (Marci Sorge’s recipe)
for a double 9 inch crust
- 2 2/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup cold shortening
- (I always add about 2 TBSP of sugar to balance out the salt, but my MIL does not.)

- Add salt, flour, and sugar. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or use your food processor.
- Add 8-10 TBSP of ice cold water.
- Mix with a fork until combined, form into two balls, and roll out the dough.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before baking.

All butter Pie crust
- 2 2/3 cup flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 TBSP sugar
- 1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter, cold. (must be unsalted butter, as it has less water content than salted butter)

- Mix the first 3 ingredients. Cut in butter with pastry blender or food processor. Until it resembles, small peas.
- Add 10-12 TBSP ice cold water
- Mix with a fork until combined, form into two balls, and roll out the dough.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes before baking.

Here is a picture of my all butter crust. You know it’s a good crust when you can see small pieces of butter. It will bake up beautifully.

Pie Crust Recipe (the first pie crust that I tried and LOVED)

- 3 cups of flour
- 4 TBSP sugar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/3 cup shortening
- 2/3 cup butter, unsalted and cold
- 1/2 cup ice cold water (i usually use a few TBSP more than that, but feel it out)

- Mix first 3 ingredients, cut in shortening and butter or use a food processor, then mix with a fork the ice cold water.
- Form 2 balls, and roll out the dough, put it in the pie pan and then refrigerate for 30 minutes at least before baking.

****MAJOR TIP****
One thing that I have found with pie crust, the wetter the dough, the better it rolls out. If there are lots of “floury” crumbs then you need to add another TBSP or two of ice water. You don’t want wet dough, you want dough that is wet enough to stick together. Trust me, when in doubt, add another TBSP.

Here is a picture of the all shortening crust, ready to go into the oven. It’s a blueberry pie

Good luck with all your pie making adventures!

Seriously it’s that good. Just ask my kids.

I needed to make some pie tartlets for a friend of mine hosting a benefit concert. These babies fit the bill perfectly.

Here is my recipe for French silk pie.
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- Whipped cream, for serving and chocolate shavings if you’re all fancy and such.

Beat butter and sugar together with a paddle attachment for 2 minutes. Add melted chocolate and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time and beat for 5 minutes after each egg. This part takes the longest and it’s easy to think that it’s whipped enough, but just keep whipping it! Set the timer on the stove, the mixer at med speed and beat those eggs into the choc/butter mixture.

Then spoon the chocolate mixture into a fully cooked pie crust and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.

Serve with homemade whipped cream.

I pour some heavy whipping cream into my mixer and start beating it on high until it forms some consistency. Then I add powdered sugar and vanilla. Add sugar to taste. When it forms and becomes thick, taste it and see if it’s sweet enough or needs more vanilla etc. You can always add more sugar and vanilla, just not take it away

Tomorrow I will post my 3 favorite pie crust recipes. Look back here tomorrow and pick your favorite to try.

Cheers!!! Hope you enjoy your chocolate pie. O wait, you don’t have it. I do.