Tortilla soup, Good cheese bread, Italian pull-apart bread

Here’s soup to help you keep warm and two types of bread you could serve with it.
Tortilla soup
6 6-in. yellow corn tortillas
4 TBS high smoke point oil such as rice bran oil, canola oil, or peanut oil
1 C chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced, about 2 tsp.
1 chipotle chili, minced
pinch of ground cumin
6 C turkey stock or chicken stock
1 15-oz. can of crushed tomatoes (use fire roasted if available)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt (more to taste)
2 C cooked, shredded turkey meat
Garnishes:
1 avocado, cut into cubes
1 C shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or mild cheddar)
chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges
The first step is to fry strips of corn tortillas. Somewhat dry corn tortillas work best for this, so you can either leave the tortillas out overnight on a rack, or put them in a 200-degree oven for 10 minutes. (If your tortillas are too dry, you can soften them by putting them in the microwave for 30 seconds.) Slice them into 1/4-inch wide strips, and then cut the longer strips in half.
Heat oil in a 4 to 5 quart, thick-bottomed pot on medium high heat. When oil is hot, working in batches, add tortilla strips. Fry them until lightly browned at edges, a minute or so. Use tongs to remove them to a paper towel-lined plate. Add chopped onions to pot with remaining oil. Cook on medium high heat until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and minced chipotle chili and cook for 2 minutes more. Add crushed tomatoes, turkey (or chicken) stock, and salt. Increase heat to high. Bring mixture to a simmer. Lower heat and cook at a gentle simmer for 15 minutes.
Add shredded turkey and cook until just heated through, a minute or two.
To serve, divide half of fried tortilla strips into individual serving bowls. Top with soup. Sprinkle with chopped avocado, shredded cheese, remaining tortilla strips, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.
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Good cheese bread
1 12-oz. can refrigerated biscuits
2 TBS margarine, melted
2 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 C Shredded Italian Five Cheese with a Touch of Philadelphia
1/2 C tomato and basil pasta sauce
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Separate biscuits; cut into quarters. Mix margarine, Parmesan and seasonings in medium bowl until blended. Add dough pieces; toss to coat. Place in 9-in. round pan sprayed with cooking spray; top with shredded cheese. Bake 20 to 25 min. or until golden brown. Cool 10 min. Remove bread from pan to wire rack; cool slightly. Warm pasta sauce; serve with bread.
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Italian pull-apart bread
1 sourdough bread loaf
1 pkg. (8 oz.) mild cheddar cheese slices
6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1/4 C butter, melted
2 TBS zesty Italian dressing
1 green onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Use serrated knife to make vertical cuts, 1 inch apart, in top of bread loaf, being careful to not cut through to bottom of loaf. Turn bread 1/4 turn; repeat cuts. Cut each cheese slice into thirds; press into cuts in bread along with bacon. Place loaf on large sheet of foil.
Mix remaining ingredients; drizzle over bread. Wrap bread with aluminum foil; place on baking sheet. Bake 25 min. or until heated through, unwrapping bread after 15 min.
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Thought – The answer may not lie at the bottom of a bottle of wine … but you should at least check!
If you would like to share a recipe with me, just email it to me or send it to the JT.
(Melanie Behrens – melb@marysvillejt.com)