Albondigas Soup

Albondigas Soup, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

I love soup. There's nothing more comforting than a pot of soup simmering on the stove, creating wonderful smells wafting throughout the house. This is one of the best albondigas soups I've had; better than most restaurants. The chorizo and cilantro give it an authentic flavor. If desired, add some chopped zucchini during the last 10 minutes.

This recipe was posted on RecipeZaar by RuizA. It has a 5 out of 5 star rating based on 19 reviews.

BEST ALBONDIGAS SOUP
Serves 8

2/3 pound ground beef, 95% lean
1/3 pound chorizo, casing removed
2 egg whites
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 carrot, minced
1/2 cup cooked white rice
1/2 cup cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin

6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup onions, chopped
3 stalks celery, cut in chunks
2 carrots, sliced
2 roma tomatoes, 2-3, diced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup cilantro
salt
pepper

Make the meatballs first: Combine everything and mix thoroughly. Form meatballs and roll between your palms (Otherwise, meatballs will fall apart in the soup). You should make around 20 to 24 meatballs, set aside.

Combine chicken broth, onion, celery, celery, tomatoes and their liquid, cumin, oregano and cilantro leaves in a large pot. Bring to broil, and reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Drop meatballs in the soup (Make sure the soup is slightly boiling, the meatballs need to be cooked quickly). Return to simmer and cook another 20 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

The broth becomes a little greasy from the chorizo. If possible, strain the broth, degrease, and return all to the pot.

You could top the soup with cooked rice, or serve it just by itself.

Per Serving: 319 Calories; 9g Fat (31.7% calories from fat); 21g Protein; 23g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 27mg Cholesterol; 841mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1 Fat.

Cheese Enchiladas

Cheese Enchiladas Blue, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

The key to luscious enchiladas is to leave some of the oil on the tortillas. Don't press the tortillas between paper towels to squeeze out the oil, but you can blot off the excess oil if desired.

CHEESE ENCHILADAS
Serves 6

12 corn tortillas, thick tortillas, if possible, available at Costco
1/4 cup canola oil, or more, for frying
1/2 white onion, finely minced
1 pound Monterey jack cheese, grated
1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated
28 ounces enchilada sauce
Garnish:
sliced olives
green onions, sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with foil and spray with non-stick spray.

Heat 1/4 cup or more of canola oil in a skillet. Add the tortillas, one or two at a time, and fry until softened but not crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain.

Place the enchilada sauce in a large pie plate or casserole dish and heat in the microwave.

To assemble the enchiladas, place about a tablespoon of onion on a tortilla. Add about 1/4 cup of cheeses in a long strip on the tortilla. Roll the tortilla tightly around the cheese and place with the seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

If desired, sprinkle with the sliced olives and green onions.

Nutrition Facts:
Per Serving : 473 Calories; 37g Fat (68.7% calories from fat); 21g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 95mg Cholesterol; 554mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 5 1/2 Fat.

Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

This is a family favorite. It's very similar to tortilla soup, except it uses masa as a thickener instead of tortillas. Brandon loves this and that's saying something!

CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP
Todd Wilbur, Top Secret Recipes
Serves 6

1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 clove garlic, pressed
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup masa harina
3 cups water
1 cup enchilada sauce
16 ounces Velveeta Light
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Garnish:
Fried tortilla strips
Grated cheddar cheese
Diced avocado
Sour cream

Saute´onion and garlic for about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth.

Combine masa harina with 2 cups of water in medium bowl and whisk until blended. Add mixture to pot.

Add remaining ingredients (except chicken) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until thick.

Add chicken for the last few minutes to warm. Serve in cups or bowls with garnish.

Makes 12 2-cup servings.

Nutrition Facts:
Per Serving (excluding garnish): 505 Calories; 20g Fat (37.2% calories from fat); 44g Protein; 33g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 104mg Cholesterol; 3565mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 5 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.