Jennifer's September Fall Soups & Cupcakes

Jennifer hosted Bunko this past September, and she treated us to some very yummy fall soups and delicious cupcakes. Here are her recipes:

Italian Sausage and Pasta Soup: Recipe here. The only change she made was to boil the pasta separately, and then add the pasta to the soup.

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup (Jen doubled the recipe, as it makes small servings)

2 T vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 1/2 oz canned green chilies, chopped
2 t minced garlic
15 oz canned stewed tomatoes
13 3/4 oz beef broth
10 3/4 oz canned cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 t salt
1 t sugar
1/2 t lemon pepper
2 t Worcestershire sauce
1 t chili powder
1 t cumin
1 t Tapitio (or Tabasco)
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
4-8 corn tortillas, in strips
2 avocados, in chunks
2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

In a large pot, heat oil. Saute onion, chilies, and garlic, Add tomatoes, beef and chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, salt, sugar, lemon pepper, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, cumin, and Tapitio. Simmer 1 hour.

To serve, combine 1/4 cup chicken, tortilla strips as desired, and several avocado chunks in each of 8 soup bowls. Pour soup into bowls. Top generously with grated cheese and serve immediately.

Beautiful Bean Salsa

2 28-oz cans of Bush's Boston Recipe Baked Beans
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
2 2.5-oz cans of chopped black olives, drained
2 10-oz packages of frozen corn, thawed
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup lime juice
1 T chopped jalapenos
1 t cumin

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate 1 hour to let flavors blend. Serve with tortilla chips for dipping.

Pink Champagne Cupcakes: Recipe here. She used strawberry champagne and only 1-2 drops of food coloring.

Vanilla Almond Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream: Recipe here.

Good-bye lunch for Shannon Crain

We are having a good-bye lunch for Shannon Crain tomorrow @ wingers @ 11:30.  Everyone from Bunko is invited.  We will be so sad to see her go! 

Ugly Sweater Bunko and Jaime's Bloomin' Onion Bread, Spinach Lasagne, and Taco Soup

Jaime went all out for her ugly sweater party, including making a fabulous meal AND ugly-sweater brooches for us to wear. Check out the pictures on her blog here!

Here are her recipes!

Bloomin' Onion Bread: Click here

Healthy Spinach Lasagne Rolls: Click here

And here are the soup recipes that she made for Sarah's shower:

Taco Soup:

Cook 1lb hamburger like you would if you were making taco's w/ a packed of taco seasoning. When done and drained combine it with 1 can corn, 1 can black beans (drained), 1 can diced tomatoes in a pot. I add a half cup or so of water cause I like it to be a little thinner. When it is all stirred together and heated throughout, serve on a bed of tortilla chips and top with sour cream, and cheese.

Stacia's Skinny Recipes

Stacia hosted November Bunko. We got fabulous prizes from Pampered Chef, and enjoyed some yummy and healthy treats. Her recipes are below!

Skinny Taco Dip

	8 oz low fat cream cheese
	1 cup(s) Nonfat, plain Greek yogurt
	3 Tbsp reduced-sodium taco seasoning
	2 cup(s) Iceberg lettuce
	2 large tomato(es)
	1 cup(s) low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
	2 1/4 oz olive(s)
	16 oz pico de gallo

In a large bowl combine cream cheese, yogurt, salsa and taco seasoning and mix well with an electric mixer. Spread on the bottom of a large shallow glass dish. Top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese and black olives. Serve with baked tortilla chips. I used my Homemade salsa instead of Pico de gallo. 

Lemon Cheesecake Yogurt Cups:  Click HERE!

Halloween Bunko: Leslie's Tri-Tip Roast, Autumn Veggies, and Chocolate Tart

Leslie went all out for October's Halloween Bunko! She had some amazing hand-carved pumpkins, creepy pictures that followed you around the room, and we played by candlelight :) Everyone came dressed up, and we all had fun!

She also made a fabulous fall meal. Here are the recipes you've been waiting for!

Pumpkin Fruit Dip: Click here.

Tri-Tip Roast 
The meat is the marinated tri-tip roast from Dick Howards. I cooked it at 450 for 10-12 minutes then turned it down to 325 for about 30 min. For medium rare, you want the meat thermometer to read 130 degrees. Then take it out and let it sit for about 10 minutes..the temp will rise 10 degrees.

Roasted Autumn Vegetables with Olive Relish
1 1/2 lbs medium carrots (around 8)
1 1/2 lbs medium parsnips (around 6)
8 shallots. If large, then halve
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Olive-Herb Relish (recipe follows)

You can peel the carrots and parsnips. I didn't. I washed them and cut them to all the same size. Preheat oven to 450 degrees with the racks in the upper and lower thirds. In a large bowl, toss all vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Divide mixture between two rimmed cookie sheets in single layer. Roast, turning sheets from front to back twice during cooking time and rotating from top to bottom once, until vegetables are golden brown and tender about, 35 minutes. Remove shallots if they cook too quickly. Transfer hot vegetables to a bowl and toss with Olive Relish and serve.

Olive Herb Relish  
20 green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped (I used Fred Meyer brand with pimentos)
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 TB white wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
2 TB coarsely chopped fresh mint (I did not use this in the veggies we had that night- it sounded weird to me)

Mix all ingredients EXCEPT mint. Put in air tight container. Can be refrigerated up to a week ( I made mine that morning and let the flavors meld.) Bring to room temp and stir in mint right before tossing in autumn vegetables. Again I did not put mint in the relish..it sounded weird..if someone does let me know how it tastes.

Cheesy Garlic Dip 
2 tsps O Taste and See "Simply Garlic Pesto" (You find this in the produce section at Sherms, by the garlic. Get the green pesto. The white stuff is pesto with monterey jack cheese in it. This is the secret to the amazing flavor of this dip.)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
2 cups grated white cheddar (You can use any cheese really, but the white cheddar gives the best flavor in my opinion.)

In saucepan mix sour cream, mayo and Simply Garlic Pesto until heated through and smooth. Add grated cheese until smooth. Serve with bread (Warm torn french bread is amazing!), toasted baguettes, crackers, veggies, potatoes..pretty much anything, I toasted baguettes one time, added a thinly sliced piece of steak and drizzled the cheese sauce on top..yum! Also the pesto is really great to use in anything you want garlicky. Spaghetti sauce, in butter for garlic bread, etc.

Rich Chocolate Tart 
1 1/2 cups of crushed guingersnaps
6 tbs butter
3 Tbs powdered sugar
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
15 oz bittersweet chocolate (can also use semi-sweet. I used bittersweet)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir first three ingredients. firmly press on bottom and sides of 9 inch tart pan (I used spring form) Bake 8-9 minutes or until fragrant. Cool on wire rack (in pan) for 30 minutes.  Bring cream to a boil over medium high heat. Process chocolate in food processor or blender till finely ground. With Processor running, pour hot cream and vanilla down the food chute in steady stream till smooth. Scrape sides as needed. Pour mixture into cooled crust. Chilled, uncovered, 3 hours. Garnish if desired.

Jennifer's Mexican & Fruit Tart Recipes: September Bunko!

Jennifer made a fabulous Mexican feast with a fancy fruit tart for us this month and it was delicious! Her recipes are below:

Mexican Layered Dip

20 oz refried beans
16 oz guacamole
16 oz sour cream
6 oz bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 large tomato, diced
1 can olives, sliced
1/2 package taco seasoning mix
3 green onions, sliced
8 oz colby-jack cheese, grated
1 bag tortilla chips

In a 9x13" pan, put down a layer of refried beans. Follow with a layer of guacamole, then a layer of sour cream. Sprinkle taco seasoning mix over sour cream. Cut and fry bacon, drain and put on top of sour cream and seasoning mix. Dice tomato and sprinkle over bacon. Top with sliced olives, then sliced green onion. Top with grated cheese. Chill and serve with chips.

Green Chicken Enchiladas

1 18-oz package flour tortillas
1 cup cheddar, grated
2 cups monterey jack, grated
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
3/4 tsp freshly-ground pepper

Sauce:

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk mixed with 1 small can of cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 small cans green enchilada sauce
1 10-oz package frozen spinach, cooked, drained, and coarsely chopped
2/3 cup sour cream
4 tbsp green chilies, chopped OR 1 small can green chilies
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 tsp cumin

Garnish:

Additional shredded cheese, lime slices, and tomato slices

Preheat oven to 350 F. In large bowl, mix cheeses, chicken, onion, olives, sour cream, parsley, and pepper. Set aside. In sauté pan, heat butter over low heat. Add flour and cook a few minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in milk / soup mix and 1/2 cup of the chicken broth. Bring to a boil; while stirring, boil for 1 minute. Add remaining chicken broth, cook, and stir until hot and thickened. Add green enchilada sauce, spinach, sour cream, green chilies, onion, garlic, and cumin.  Dip each tortilla into sauce, coating both sides. Spoon 1/4 cup filling onto each tortilla and roll it up. Place seam-side down in un-greased 9x13" baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and bake at 350 F for 20 minutes, until bubbly. Garnish with shredded cheese, lime, and tomato slices.

White Chocolate Fruit Tart

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Filling:

1 10-12-oz package vanilla or white chips, melted
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 8-oz package of cream cheese, softened
1 20-oz can pineapple chunks, undrained
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
1 11-oz can mandarin oranges, drained
2 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
1 small package raspberries
1 small package blueberries

Glaze:

2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp lemon juice

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Gradually add flour; mix well.  Press into an ungreased 11" tart pan or 12" pizza pan with sides. Bake at 300 F for 25-30 minutes or till lightly browned. Cool. In a mixing bowl, beat chips and heavy cream. Add cream cheese and beat till smooth. Spread over crust. Chill for 30 minutes. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/2 cup juice; set juice aside. Arrange berries, pineapple, oranges, and kiwi over filling. In saucepan, combine glaze sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and reserved pineapple juice. Bring to boil over medium heat. Boil for 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Cool; brush over fruit. Chill 1 hour before serving. Store in refrigerator.

Bunko Moved to Shannon's!

Hi Everyone!

Don't forget that this month we switched Bunko to Shannon's house. So this Thursday, August 11th, please show up at her house. Thanks for covering, Shannon!!!