Chicken Enchilada Soup

This soup was a hit! I made this for a family dinner this weekend and everyone loved it! And it was pretty easy to make too. I saw this on Studio 5 and have been anxious to try it ever since. Hope you like this one!

The only comments I have on this soup is that I don't really think it's necessary to blend it up. The corn tortillas kind of dissolved on their own and it would have been good, too, with tomato chunks. There is also a little too much Velveeta for my liking so I would half that. And also, regular canned tomatoes worked fine. Roetel tomatoes aren't really a must. So, here's my version.

 

Ingredients:

• 3 carrots chopped
• 2 ribs celery chopped
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 T. oil
• 8 c. chicken broth
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 pkg. taco seasoning
• 10 small corn tortillas ripped a bit
• 2 T. corn starch stirred into 1 c. cold water
• 1 c. cream or half and half
• 1/2 lb. Velveeta Cheese (has to be the name brand. The other stuff doesn't melt well.)
• 3 c. chopped chicken ( I love using a rotisserie chicken)
• 1 can black beans rinsed (optional)
• 1 can corn rinsed (optional)

Directions:

Saute veggies in oil until transparent. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, seasoning and tortillas. Bring to a boil and boil gently for 20 mins. Use a wand blender if you have one and if not use your regular blender to puree all the ingredients together.

Add the corn starch/water combination and bring to a boil. Then add the cream and cheese. **It helps to melt the Velveeta in the microwave for a couple of minutes before adding to the soup. Don't boil the soup again once you add the cream and cheese. It will curdle. Add your mix ins.

Top with tortilla strips, fresh salsa or tomatoes, sour cream, avocado, and chopped cilantro!

Yule Log

There were surprisingly not many recipes to be found on this. And most of them have coffee in it and I think that is what is so different about the Yule Log. But here is the original I found. Mine definitely wasn't as pretty as the one in the picture but it was pretty good. And it did take some time to make.
A quick definition of the Yule Log:
A Yule log is a large wooden log which is burned in the hearth as a part of traditional Yule or Christmas celebrations in several European cultures. It can be a part of the Winter Solstice festival or the Twelve Days of Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or Twelfth Night.
The expression "Yule log" has also come to refer to log-shaped Christmas cakes, also known as "chocolate logs."

So anyway. I had to alter the mocha butter cream frosting part. There is a lot of butter and without the coffee I think it would have been okay to omit some of the butter.  So here's my version of the recipe.

Yule Log
5 eggs, room temperature, separated
2/3 cup sugar
2T flour
3T unsweetened cocoa
FILLING:
2 1/2T flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 t vanilla extract
BUTTER CREAM FROSTING:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1T unsweeted cocoa

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks at high speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until mixture is thick and light-colored. Add flour and cocoa, beating on low speed. 
2. In another bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; fold into batter. mix until no streaks of white remaining. 
3. Grease a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. pan; line with waxed paper(a MUST!), and grease and flour paper (LOTS!). Spread batter evenly in pan. 
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly. Cool completely on wire rack. 
5. Remove paper; roll cake onto an 18-in. long piece of waxed paper (or damp towel) dusted with confectioners' sugar. Trim edges from all four sides of cake.
FILLING: Combine flour and milk in a saucepan. Cook over low heat; stirring until thick. Cool. In a mixing bowl, cream sugar, butter and vanilla. Add flour mixture; bet until fluffy. Fold in walnuts if desired. Spread on cake; roll up, jelly-roll style, starting from one short end.
FROSTING: Beat butter until fluffy in a small bowl. Beat in sugar and cocoa. Spread over cake, using a fork to create a bark-like effect. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and nuts if desired.