To Commemorate the Suture Removal...

All it took to remove the stitches: a doctor, RN, hospital tech, frazzled mommy, Dove chocolate treat, and a glass of lightly chilled Chardonnay (complete with screw top open). I'll let the blog reader figure out what was used where and for whom (or is it who? I don't know. Any feedback is welcome).


Anyway, they're out, and we have a much happier kiddo. She is healing nicely and seems to feel like her old self again. A big thank you to the family members (grandparents and uncle) as well as the wonderful doctors, nurses, and emergency room workers who helped our little girl and her parents through this experience.


So, to commemorate our first (and hopefully last) emergency room visit, I am providing the tortilla soup recipe mentioned in the first stitches post. It was given to us by friends, and it was passed on to them by a colleague. While I don't consider it worthy of medical emergencies, I have written it down at wedding showers for the bride elect. It is comfort food during the winter and an easy way to feed a group of people in the fall or spring.

Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 stick of margarine

1/2 cup of oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 or 2 fresh jalapeno peppers seeded and chopped

2 carrots diced (we don't tend to use the carrots)

6 stalks of celery, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 lb of boneless chicken, cut into small pieces

1 tsp of each: cumin, chili powder, salt, lemon pepper

3 tsps. Tabasco

1 can of chopped tomato (some variation of Rotel is recommended)

1 tsp. cilantro

1/2 cup of flour

4 cans of chicken stock

1/2 cup of cream

Heat margarine and oil in a large pot. Saute onions, jalapenos, garlic, carrots (if used), celery, and chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes (or until chunks of chicken are cooked). Mix all seasonings with the flour. Add flour mixture to veggies and chicken. Add chicken stock and tomatoes. Simmer for one hour. Just before serving, add 1/2 cup of cream. For garnish, add tortilla chips, cheese, and/or avocados.

This soup is one of the most appetizing variations of taco/tortilla soup I have had. It almost seems tastier the next day (after the flavors have had a chance to "mix" together). Enjoy! (Note - It also tastes much better when you do not have to worry about watching an almost four year old "come down" from Versed.)