Chicken Tortilla Soup

I recently had a hankering for this old favorite. With the weather cold outside, this is the perfect soup to warm you from the inside out. I love a good spicy and savory soup. I like mine with a dollop of sour cream. You can easily make this in the crockpot, throwing all the ingredients in, or if you're pressed for time, make it stove top.

Williams-Sonoma $50 Give-Away

Win a $50 Williams-Sonoma Gift Card!

Williams-Sonoma is offering one lucky reader a $50 gift card to help with building your family's kitchen.

Like many of you, I find things I want for Christmas when I'm shopping for others! One of my favorite places to shop is Williams-Sonoma.  

Breakfast for Dinner "Brinner"

With the hustle and bustle in the mornings getting the kids off to school, a "Sunday Breakfast" is mostly out of the question.  But who doesn't love breakfast for dinner?   There's something so comforting about smelling sausage or bacon waffling (yes, I meant to say that) throughout the house late in the evening. Let's face it, sometimes it's also the only way to get dinner on the table when the day gets away from you. I admit, I make breakfast for dinner every couple months weeks. My husband's egg sandwiches and breakfast burritos are amazing as well, gives me a night off of cooking too!

Cinna-bites

No knead to get out the rolling pin for this one yawl! Cinnamon rolls need no introduction; sticky, sweet, sinful and utterly delicious. I wanted them homemade and I wanted them now! I do not know about you but I turn into an unleashed insane woman when I want to bake and don't have everything I need or more importantly time on a Sunday morning.

Snickerdoodle Blondies

It is official… my life of being a stay AT home mom is now over. Instead, this week began the back to school hustle and bustle, with the boys on totally different school schedules. Running from the time the alarm goes off at 6:00 a.m. My job now is to get everyone moving in the morning, get the house in order, plan meals and and be ready for tutors to come to my house almost immediately after school for 3-5 hours everyday. I will say this though, now that Colin is driving, it's been nice not having to rush my little guy in the morning and it also gives everyone time to focus on the day ahead.

Braided Pizza Bread

I was watching something on TV one night and saw a chef making something very similar to this… and I thought “hmm I can do that” This is so easy you really don’t even need to know how to cook, other than operating your oven. I decided to make it pretty basic the first time I made it, using the ingredients the boys like on their pizza. In my house, the boys would/could eat pizza everyday,

Pulled Pork Sammys (Crockpot)

Another hot day in California today. The perfect time to get out the crockpot and let it do most the cooking while I enjoy the pool with the boys. I decided to make Pulled Pork Sammys and have played with this recipe long enough. Sometimes I don't post recipes because I make them all the time and they seem so basic to me. Recently a friend asked if I would share my technique for my BBQ Pulled Pork Sammy!

Italian Chicken Sub Sandwiches!

I am rediculously hooked on sandwiches lately. Could be the heat outside.. the convenience, the time... who knows, all  I know is this is one of my creations that is requested all the time in my house! Seriously, to all my foodies out there, do you eat some fast food every now and again, and think to yourself 'omg, I could seriously make this, and make it BETTER' okay, that's what I'm talking about.

Mexican Standoff Challenge: We Have a Winner!

I recently entered a competition on Food2.com for a Mexican Standoff! Trying to shoot down the competition I entered my Mexican Lasagna with a Philly Twist Recipe.  After battling it out with some very talented cooks, I was pleasantly surprised to have been named "Fan Favorite"

V's Creamy Biscuits - Happy Father's Day!

For Father's day I got up early to make a big ole batch of these big, rich biscuits. They are my go-to recipe and are a real treat, they are crunchy on the outside but on the inside they are tender, creamy, light and fluffy. Get your favorite jam out and make some. Serve with scrambled eggs and bacon.  Oh-my what a treat!

Kraft 'Real Women of Philadelphia' Video Contest a Hit With Home Chefs - ClickZ

The number of women are AMAZING! This has been so much fun! Can't wait until the next phase. Be sure and tune in on June 30th for a live broadcast from Savannah! 5:00 PST You know I'll be watching and cheering on the girls I've come to know and love!

Spread the Philly!

Kraft 'Real Women of Philadelphia' Video Contest a Hit With Home Chefs - ClickZ

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner! Eggs!

Looking for a recipe on the internet, I came across One Year Project. This family took on a year-long endeavor to cook every single recipe in the Rachael-Ray-365-No Repeats- and they did it. In order even. Which, as the author writes, included eating mac and cheese four nights in a row because that's the adore they came in the cookbook.


I'm not sure if I think they are admirable for taking on such a project and sticking to it or if I think they are crazy! I mean, what about leftovers? A lot of Rachael's recipes SAY they serve 4, but they end up serving 6-8 and out of this family of four, two were small children. And expense! Trying a new recipe every single day for a whole year would probably get pretty costly I imagine. Anyway, it makes for an interesting read and certainly an it's interesting concept.

The review on that site wasn't at all favorable to the recipe I'm going to share next. In fact, she called it "ridiculous" and "rubbish" but then again, she also admits to hating eggs, so take that review for what it's worth.

Quick and Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

I reviewed this recipe for a friend of mine ages ago. This brownie is rich, thick and perfect without any frosting! I often make these for the football team on Friday nights or when we go out on the boat. Seems like at the end of the day, everyone wants something sweet!

Upsy-Downsy

This year I've decided to try The Upsy Downsy Tomato Planter. I read it allows tomatoes to grow in their best position- upside down. Just fill the Upsy Downsy with potting soil and your favorite tomato plants. Now I can prune, harvest and fertilize without kneeling or bending. Shouldn't need stakes or cages. And, because it never touches the ground, you won't be troubled by DOGS, cut worms, slugs, or fungus. Says it works great for peppers, cucumbers, petunias and other plants also. Growing two kinds -big beef delicious and grape tomatoes. Fingers crossed. Just in case? I planted my favorite Roma tomatos in a planter along side my serrano peppers. Woo hoo Salsa!

Hoping for the best! I think I should post a before and after photo!

V's Tri-Tip Marinade

This year is flying by, isn't it?  Seems like February was just a week ago and here it is June. Well in spite of the fact that I seem to be living in a time warp, I have been one busy bee! The boys only have a couple more days of school left and then home for the summer! woo hoo.... My oldest, my marine, came home for the long Memorial Day weekend and all he wanted to do was spend a lazy day at the lake.

Shrimp With Spicy Bloody Mary Sauce

This is no ordinary shrimp dip. the sauce is a zesty blend of diced tomatoes, worcestershire sauce, paprika and garlic, spiked with a touch of vodka. This recipe was created with the popular Bloody Mary drink in mind. Taking the ingredients I like in the drink, adding some consistency to the blend with the canned diced tomatoes and bottled chili sauce.

Philly Peanut Butter Balls

Real Women of Philadelphia

It's Challenge Week 4

We're making DESSERTS yawl!

DESSERT #1

Opens Noon PT Monday, April 19, 2010.

Closes 6:00 PM PT Sunday, April 25, 2010.

I went back and forth on this one. (Desserts spelled backwards STRESSED!) Wow there are some talented women out there I'm competing with. Everyone is so wonderful though and so supportive on the website. I've made a ton of Philly phriends! Yawl check it out if you haven't already.

~V's Mexican Lasagna

Real Women of Philadelphia

Week 3: ENTRÉE #1
(No doubt in my mind what I'm making for this category!)

Opens Noon PT Monday, April 12, 2010.

Closes 6:00 PM PT Sunday, April 18, 2010.

I'm so proud of this recipe yawl! My original was actually featured in Taste of Home's Simple & Delicious I was so honored! This publication actually is what got me excited to share my recipes!

I tweaked MY ORIGINAL!!!! AND IT WAS AMAZING - Probably won't make it any different EVER! Taking Philadephia Cream Cheese and adding it in the sauce made it creamier, richer and over-the-top PHAB! Then I added whipped Philadelphia in with the ricotta mixture - OMG, amazing! What's not to love here yawl.

I have taken my signature dish which I created by accident when I was going to make Enchiladas and realized I didn't have tortillas. I found no-boil lasagna noodles in my pantry and decided to whip something else up. I added a whole new dimension thanks to cream cheese! Imagine layers of a creamy enchilada sauce with shredded chicken, creamy ricotta and cilantro mixture and layered into a lasagna and you have a scrummy Mexican Lasagna that gets rave reviews all around.

V's Creamy Mexican Lasagna

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes | Total time: 55 minutes | Servings: 8

3 tbsp. of Olive Oil
1 cup(s) of small onion chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
56 ounce(s) of (2 28 oz cans Red Enchilada Sauce
3 cup(s) of cooked chicken (shredded)
4 ounce(s) of Philadelphia Cream cheese, softened, cubed
15 ounce(s) of ricotta cheese
1 large egg
4 ounce(s) of Whipped Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1/4 cup(s) of cilantro chopped
16 ounce(s) of Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese (jack/cheddar)
12 uncooked, no boil lasagna noodles

Steps

Preheat Oven 375*
In a 12 inch skillet over medium high heat, add 3 Tsp olive oil and add onion and garlic, cook for 2 minutes or until translucent and tender. Add 2 28 oz cans red Enchilada sauce, reserving about 1 cup. Add 4 oz block Philadelphia Cream Cheese cubed and stir into sauce to combine.

Add Shredded chicken, carefully fold into sauce and continue to cook on simmer while you prepare the Ricotta Mixture.

In a small bowl, combine the egg, ricotta cheese, 4 oz Whipped Philadelphia Cream cheese and chopped cilantro. Mix until combined.

Spread about 3/4 cup chicken mixture into bottom of a sprayed 13-in. x 9-in.baking dish. Layer 6 No- boil lasagna noodles

Place about 3/4 cup chicken sauce mixture, dollop ricotta mixture on sauce, add half cheddar/jack cheese, Layer with 6 more noodles, repeat chicken mixture, ricotta and rest of shredded cheese, pour remaining enchilada sauce over top.

Cover with foil and bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Did someone say Appetizers?

Yay, love appys. We have one night dedicated to the lil morsels. I've decided to make my... Bacon wrapped cream cheese appys!

Anything wrapped with bacon is good,

Cream Skillet Corn

My First Video! Can ya tell.... O-My, this was too fun! I've entered the RWOP Real Women of Philadelphia Contest with my girl Paula Deen. If you love to create your own recipes, get on over there and submit a video and recipe!