Chicken Tortilla Soup

Hello cooking cohorts,
I know I've posted other recipes for chicken tortilla soup but this one is super easy and really good. Plus I got it at the Altoona UW-Extension office while I was trying to register for a Coon Forks camping weekend in July. I made it tonight and it was yummy.

6 corn tortillas (6 inch), divided
2 tsp oil., divided
1 large (or 2 small) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 cup salsa
2 cups frozen corn
1 cup cheddar cheese
2 cans (14 oz each) low-sodium chicken broth (I used the broth paste, not low sodium)
1/2 package taco seasoning mix
1- 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut 2 tortillas into strips; toss with 1 tsp. oil. Spread in single layer on baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, finely chop remaining 4 tortillas. Heat remaining oil in large saucepan on medium-high heat. Add chicken, green pepper and onion; cook and stir 5 minutes. Add chopped tortillas, broth, salsa, taco seasoning, corn and black beans. Bring to boil; simmer on medium-low heat 15 minuntes. Serve topped with cheese and tortilla strips.
They suggest you serve this with fresh fruit and skim milk. It makes 5 servings.
Ole!

March 2012

Today is Sunday, March 11 but you wouldn't know it from the temperatures.

Also, today is the first day of daylight savings time.  We made it through without any problems.

This month's Barnesism for the month of March on our calendar has something to do about a duck.

 The temperature at 8:00 AM this morning.

 The temperature at 2:00 PM this afternoon.

With the snow melting in our yard, we can see the trails frequented by the many deer that pass through our yard.  These are the trails behind the house.  Our deck is to the right.

The trail to the left is the trail used by the deer when they munch on our crab apple trees in the center of our driveway.

 This is the trail used by the deer when they go between our yard and Thorson's house.

On Saturday, March 10, we went to an open house at Dove West for Hazel Nelson.  Here is Mary with Hazel and Hazel's daughter, Jane Brandvold and her son Ross.  Ross is 16 1/2 and will be testing for his driver's license in two weeks!

Lest we take ourselves too seriously, here is the hysterical marker at the rest area just east of Menomonie.  I found it interesting.  This Wednesday afternoon I was on my way back from the Minneapolis Airport after doing travel shows for Prague in Binghamton, New York.

Grandma G's Birthday Dinner with Goessling's March 3

Last night we celebrated Grandma Goessling's 87th birthday at Axel's Bonfire in Woodbury, MN.  We had a nice evening getting togther with the Goessling side of the family.  Her actual birthday was January 30 but this is the first time we could get everyone together.

Tim, Mom, Grandma G and I headed west to meet Tom & Carolyn, Ben & Marissa, and Josh & Hannah.  We had a nice table for 10 in the corner so we could talk.

 Tom, Ben, Marissa, Mom, Grandma G.

 Hannah, Carolyn, Tim and Josh.

 Ben and Marissa.

Marissa is pregnant, due on April 19.

Hannah, Mary and Carolyn.

What's different about this picture?

March 1, 2012

Who is this man?

Brady visit Feb 23 & 24

Brady is visiting the relatives this weekend.  Here are a few photos of his visit.

Our couch has become a "school bus" with Brady as the driver.  Not sure if he is really hungry, or if this is a delaying tactic to avoid going to bed but he seems to want "Chex Mix" which is really Rice Chex when it is time to go to bed.  He also wants Cheerios.  Grandpa is reading Brady "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?"  This book can be read multiple times in a row and still delight Brady and keep his interest.

Brady slept until 7:00 AM Friday morning.  Once he was up the first thing he did was go to the school bus!

Grandma made Brady a Mickey Mouse pancake.  Mickey Mouse is a favorite of Brady's at the moment.  You may notice his Mickey Mouse pajamas.

 Nothing like a quick game of hide and seek to get the day started.  Notice the Mickey Mouse pancake is in Brady's right hand.  He eventually did eat it.

 Brady is tall enough now to see over the table and onto the kitchen counters.

Whenever Brady comes to Grandma's house he likes to play the piano.

 Brady is adjusting "Ted-Ted" so he can hear the music better.

The highlight of today's activities was a visit to the Eau Claire Children's Museum.  Notice the small plane in Brady's right hand.  This little plane has become a favorite "clutch" item along with the key on a "Holiday Bus" key chain.

The highlight at the Children's Museum was this little car.  Notice it is parked by the Drive Through Window at the bank.

Brady spent as much time as he could sitting in the car and exchanging money through the drive up window with other kids.

There were a couple of young girls that seemed to enjoy being the bank tellers.  Brady and the two girls would endlessly pass the play money back and forth to each other through the drive up window.

After an hour at the bank drive up window Brady branched out and started exploring other parts of the Museum.  There is a lot here.  We stayed over two hours and never even went to the lower level where they have crafts and things to do with water.

This is the part of the Children's Museum devoted to children 4 and under.  Brady is harvesting the garden and bringing the produce to the boat.

 He has his arms full.  The yellow things are ears of corn.

Another area of the Children's Museum Brady found fascinating was the grocery store they have.  The check out was always busy so it wasn't until noon when most of the other kids left that Brady could access the cash register and scanner.  The whole museum is set up nice and it seemed like it lent itself to kids sharing and taking turns and getting along with each other.  Remarkably peaceful for as many children as were there for the first 1 1/2 hours.  We got there at 10:30 AM and the place was packed.

 This is the "garden" area for the 4 and under set.  Brady had a great time pulling up the flowers "planted" in the garden.  The garden is on the side of the fence Brady is on.

Of course, with that many kids at the children's museum one should wash their hands after they leave the museum.  What better way to wash your hands than in a sink full of soap suds!

Texas Sheet Cake

We just can't get enough of Texas cuisine! Brisket, BBQ, breakfast tacos...and now Texas Sheet Cake! This is a recipe from Cooking Light from the Jan/Feb 2012 issue. It was the number 2 best chocolate recipe featured in the past 25 years of the magazine. I also made the number 1 recipe which was classic-walnut brownies. But the Texas Sheet Cake was the best by my estimation. So here we go....

Ingredients:
2 tsp. all purpose flour (to dust the 15 x 10 jelly roll pan)
2 cups all-purpose flour (or if you are really into it, 9 ounces of flour)
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, divided
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 Tbsp. vanilla, divided
2 large eggs
6 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cut fat-free milk
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Preheat oven to 375.
Coat a 15x10 inch jelly-roll pan with cooking spray; dust with 2 tsp. flour. Set aside.
Weigh or lightly spoon 9 oz. (2 cups) flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the 9 oz. flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl. Combine 3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/3 cup cocoa in a saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Pour into flour mixture. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add buttermilk, 1 tsp. vanilla and eggs; beat well. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 375 for 17 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack.
Combine 6 Tbsp. butter, fat-free milk, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in powdered sugar; stir in 2 tsp vanilla and pecans. Spread over hot cake. Cool completely on wire rack.
This recipe makes 20 servings and really is delicious! Hope Y'all love it!!

February update

Hi gang,

Sunday morning and the sun has risen to a clear blue sky day.  Just the type of morning to do a little blogging.

For Christmas we were given a 2012 calender of our children's favorite "Barnes-isms"  These are things we say that have become part of our family lore.

I thought I would share the start of the year with you.  These are pictures of the pictures from the calender we received.

 Brady graced the month of January.

 One of Mary's sayings, shown here in earlier days with Tim on the left and Adam on the right.

 In January Andrea, Adam and Brady paid us a visit.  Andrea and Adam went to a Robinson wedding.  One of Dan's grandsons got married.  We took care of Brady while they went to the wedding.

 This was back when we still had a fair amount of snow.

 Brady watching the deer from out our window.  Brady "fed" the deer by putting corn on the ground earlier.

 Brady loves peas!

 He just can't get enough peas!

 Brady loves to help Grandma in the kitchen.  Here they are making cookies.

 Yesterday, Saturday, February 18, Mary and I paid a quick visit to Madison to see Andrea, Adam and Brady.  We got to their house about 7:30 PM Friday night and were there when Brady got up on Saturday morning.  Here he is with two of his favorite things, the dump truck and the school bus.

 Brady is helping Mary brush her hair.

 I received equal treatment.

Saturday morning we went to Cambridge.  We each had a sweet roll and something to drink at a local bakery in Cambridge.  Brady was fascinated by the process of making the specialty coffees, chai tea and the general activity behind the counter.

 Grandpa provided the perch so he could watch what was going on behind the counter.

Brady in his car seat on the way back from Cambridge.

In honor of President's Day tomorrow:  Edwin, Greg, Tim and Chelsea wearing their "I Love History" shirts from the Lincoln Library in Springfield, Illinois.

From the archives, Edwin and Adam in Austin preparing to go for a run on one of the mornings before the wedding.