Dinner Party

We had some friends over this evening for dinner, and as the couple left for the evening, the young man said, "J is quite the chef." That cracks me up! Little does he know that if they come over for another meal, they'll probably be served with the same entree as I don't know too many "company" recipes. Not to mention, I am far from being "quite the chef."

The wife has actually been on a diet since we saw them last at my husband's Christmas party (the husband actually works with my husband), and my husband is also on his diet for life as well. So, earlier in the week, I decided to find a recipe from "The Best Life Diet" by Bob Greene. I found a recipe for Mexican Tortilla Soup, and it was delicious! And, it is only 264 calories per serving! The total fat is 14 grams, with 3 grams being saturated, but I am sure that the total fat is probably less if you use white meat chicken (instead of the recommended roasted chicken).

So far, I have been really impressed with the recipes in this book. Normally, the meals that are healthy are never very tasty, but all of the ones I have tried so far have been great. And, unfortunately, there were absolutely no leftovers as I had actually planned in my weekly menu to have leftover soup on Saturday for dinner. Oh well, better than the alternative of having to eat elsewhere for dinner (after tasting a horrible meal).

By the way, this recipe does have a little kick to it though (with the cilantro).

And, on another note, before I share the recipe, Annabelle absolutely adored the wife. It normally takes Annabelle a little while to open up to new people, but she warmed up to her within just a few minutes. She had more interest in playing with her than she did with me. She wanted to show her all of her toys, and when it was time for bed, Annabelle sat in her lap and just hugged her around the neck. She really fell in love with this young lady! It was really sweet to see her respond so well to her. And, the best part to me, is that the couple is actually of a different race, and Annabelle hasn't been around many other people besides the typical albinos (like ourselves). It really was so nice to see her warm up to her so fast and so well. May she always express the same love and affection towards everyone as she did tonight! She saw no difference at all, and that is wonderful!

This young lady (and young man) are going to make wonderful parents one day. I was amazed at how well she handled and played with Annabelle. Much better than I ever did before I had kids! And, probably much better than I even do now! She pointed to the pictures and then showed Annabelle the real life object as well so that Annabelle could make the association. She sang songs to her (which I never would have done around other people because I wouldn't have wanted them to hear my awful singing voice). Of course, her voice was beautiful. She actually sat down on the floor (dirty floor I might add) with Annabelle and played. I just pray that one day this awesome couple will be able to have children of their own since they do seem so perfect for the position (assuming they even want to take on that challenge).

So, anyhow, the recipe is as follows:

Mexican Tortilla Soup (Serves 4 and no more)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, sliced thin
4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, such as Healthy Valley fat-free chicken broth or Pacific Foods low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 small roasted chicken, skin and bones discarded, meat shredded (I actually just used 5 large chicken breasts that I buy at Sam's as a bag of frozen chicken. I used my beloved pressure cooker, and since I assumed it was probably about 1.5 lbs of meat, I cooked it in the pressure cooker for about 4 minutes, and it seemed to be cooked just right).
One 14 1/2 ounce can Muir Glen organic Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes (If fire-roasted tomatoes are unavailable, use regular diced tomatoes. Also, this can be found in the Natural/Organic Foods section of your grocery store. I had a hard time finding it at first until I learned that Kroger actually has a separate section for Natural/Organic foods).
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (I think that "fresh" is probably the key here).
6 small (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut in half, then into 1/4 inch strips
1/2 ripe avocado, cubed (I used a whole avocado which is, obviously, more fattening).
1/4 cup shredded low-fat Monterey Jack cheese

In a large stockpot over a medium-low flame, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the onions and saute them until they are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper, and saute the mixture another minute.

Add the chicken broth, raise the flame to high, and bring to a simmer. Add the shredded chicken, tomatoes, lime juice, and cilantro. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Remove the stockpot from the heat and cover.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet over a medium flame, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the tortilla strips and allow them to brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle them with salt.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls, top with cubed avocado, shredded cheese, and a handful of tortilla strips.