Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Kitchen Proof

Since I was MIA for almost 3 months with alleged "kitchen repairs", I feel like its only right if I show you my new and improved kitchen makeover!  Unfortunately, I don't have a before picture to show you, but the after pics should wow you enough to forgive me.  Lets do this!


Here's the wide shot.  I know, close your jaw.  Its beautiful.  Seriously though, we tore up the floors, cabinets, counter tops, appliances, lights, and repainted.  So its really a brand new kitchen.


Close up of the stove.  Yes, thats an electric stove top with a warming drawer below.  Yummy.


Kitchen sink shot.  Exciting!


Dishwasher (and my coffee mug that I think matches because it too is stainless steel)


Fridge...sorry, flash went a little crazy here!

And there you have it folks.  Tour de Felcher's kitchen.  More food fun to come.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Aaand, I'm back!

Well hello!  I know, I know, its been a while.  I know you missed me but I've been insanely busy which left very little time for good old home cookin'.  Post marathon, my kitchen went under construction.  We tore up the floors, cabinets, appliances, lighting, everything. (I'll post pics later)  Needless to say I was utilizing my microwave quite a bit more than normal.  Mixed in with the construction was crazy amounts of travel.  Some of the highlights include trips to Kentucky (that's right ya'll), Los Angeles, NYC, Austin, Colorado, and Tampa.

Anyways, I'm back at it in the kitchen and obviously my first project was soup.  Since I've made just about every other kind of soup that there is, I decided to go with a tortilla soup.  Let's just call it a belated Cinco de Mayo festival in the Felcher household.



Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:
2 cans diced tomatoes (with juice)
1 can black beans
1 large onion
1 green pepper
leftover diced chicken breast (you can definitely get away without adding this)
1 package of frozen corn
4 - 5 cups of low sodium chicken broth
2 minced gloves of garlic
1 diced jalapeƱo pepper
Various spices...I used:
1 tbs cumin
2 tbs of chili powder
a few solid shakes of red pepper flakes
1 tbs of garlic powder
1 tbs of oregano
salt
pepper
cilantro
lime

Garnishes
avocado
tortilla chips
lime
shredded cheese
sour cream (I didnt use any bc I didnt have any but it would have been delicious!)



Directions
In large soup pot, heat olive oil and saute onions and peppers and garlic until soft.


Add spices and let sit for a few minutes until it smells delicious


Add chicken broth, tomatoes (I used the juice of one of the cans too), corn, beans, jalapeƱos and simmer for a half hour.



Add in cilantro and chicken and a few squeezes of lime juice.


Serve this beauty up and top it with cheese, tortilla strips, avocado, and a lime.



EAT and REPEAT.