It's all because of the weeone...

Many posts could probably start out with that title, but this is most definitely accurate for this post. I haven't been cooking. There. I said it. We've been eating sandwiches and in restaurants and I've been generally very blah about food as of late. I guess we all get a moment, right? But today the weeone isn't feeling well. She's a bit under the weather, or she's hoodwinked us all again and just wants an evening tucked away in my bed watching tv and being doted on. Either are serious possibilities.

Anyway, when I arrived home from work her sad little eyes looked up at me and said, "Momma," yep, she calls me Momma and I hate it although secretly love it, "you haven't cooked for me in a long time. What's for dinner?". That's a guilt trip that will get you to do just about anything, right? So I busted out a soup recipe that I love. It's called Tomato-Tortilla soup, but I really think it's just a tomato soup that has some Mexican flair to it. It's yummy, quick and easy and despite the fact that it's not cold in H-town anymore, I'm making it.

So, like most good food, you start out with onion, garlic and cumin. =) Yep...my own version of the trinity!

Add in the chicken stock (by the way, I LOVE when you need exactly 4 cups of chicken stock. That's the exact amount that comes in a carton. I believe all soup recipes should be built around the inclusion of 4 cups of stock!), tomatoes, oregano, jalapeno and boil then simmer.

After all the work is done, you add some fresh lime juice, puree and voila! You've got a great tomato soup!

I got this new immersion blender for my birthday - thanks, Mom!- and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! It makes recipes like this a snap! If you're a soup fan and you don't have one....RUN, do not walk, and go invest a little $ into this little friend.

So...here's the final product...YUM!

Tomato-Tortilla Soup

by Ellie Krieger

Ingredients

• 2 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans no salt added diced tomatoes. with juice
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Brush both sides of each tortilla with oil, using 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cut the tortillas in half, then cut each half into 1/4-inch wide strips. Arrange the strips on a baking sheet, sprinkle with the salt, and bake until crisp and golden, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoons of oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic, jalapeno, cumin, and oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the broth and tomatoes, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice.

Remove the pan from the heat and puree with an immersion blender or in 2 batches in a regular blender until the soup lightens in color but chunks of tomato remain, about 30 seconds. Serve the soup topped with the tortilla strips, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkle of cilantro.

Per Serving:

Calories 270; Total Fat 10g (Sat Fat 2g, Mono Fat 3.5g, Poly Fat 2g); Protein 9g; Carb 36g; Fiber 4g; Cholesterol 8mg; Sodium 335mg