Ground Beef (or Turkey) Stroganoff

Things have been so busy around here, and there never seem to be enough hours in the day. And, okay, I admit that most of my free time goes to the baby - he's so much fun now as he's gotten bigger and loves to play! I have been cooking, because of course we're trying to get off on the right foot and save as much money as we can - not only in case something bad happens (i.e. a layoff; I am a print journalist, you know), but we're also putting a heavy emphasis on saving for college. No better time to start than at the beginning of his life, right? (I'm hoping it will become a habit for us as long as we're financially able to make it a habit.)

Saving money? Eating at home? Looking for comfort in an uncomfortable world? Enter Ground Beef (or Turkey) Stroganoff. Yes; it does have Cream of Mushroom Soup in it. But I'm no food snob, and I am short on time, and I happen to have a husband who adores the stuff. While I know there are recipes out there to make the soup from scratch, and believe me I have plans to try doing so, this meal hits the spot when you have a bit of time, a hungry family, and a huge to-do list. It's in our meal rotation because like I said Brad loves it. Plus it can be made with ground turkey, which I often use in recipes that call for ground beef because it's less fatty and better for us. And the best part? When all is said and done you can't tell the difference in this dish.

Ground Turkey Stroganoff
Adapted from Cooks.com
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Ingredients
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup milk
1 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Brown ground turkey and onion in olive oil over medium-high heat. Drain off fat. Add seasonings, soup and milk. Cook over medium heat about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Add sour cream and heat through. Serve over egg noodles, rice or mashed potatoes.

Chicken and Avocado Soup with Fried Tortillas

We got our first real snow of the season last night; yes, in March! I don't think it was quite the walloping that the forecasters first tried to scare us with - we Southerners scare easily when it comes to the white stuff. It paralyzes us. We aren't used to it. And unless you're 17 and younger, also known as school age, you'd just rather it pass us by. Well, let's just say that the 17 and younger crowd was very happy today.

We've had a strange winter - it's really been quite mild - and I don't know about you, but I only crave soup when it's coooold outside. Like today. A high of 38 might not seem cold to you, but to us it's downright bone-chilling. Brrrr. I'm staying inside as long as I can and cuddling up with the remote, maybe a book, and a nice big bowl of this chicken-and-avocado soup.

Chicken and Avocado Soup with Fried Tortillas
Food and Wine
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3 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
4 6-inch corn tortillas, halved and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
1 clove garlic
1 jalapeño chile, seeds and ribs removed
2 ripe avocados, preferably Haas, skin and pit removed
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, plus more to taste
3 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 onion, chopped
3 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3), cut into approximately 1 1/2-by-1/4-by-1/4-inch strips

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately high heat. Add the tortillas and cook, stirring frequently, until brown and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the tortillas from the pot and drain on paper towels.
2. In a blender, combine the garlic, jalapeño, avocados, lime juice, Tabasco, 1 1/2 cups of the water, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper. Puree until smooth.
3. Heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in the pot over moderate heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and the remaining 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer. Stir the chicken into the pot; cook until just done, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the avocado puree. Heat through, about 2 minutes. Serve the soup topped with the crisp tortilla strips. (Note: Even easier - Use broken-up tortilla chips in place of the fried tortilla strips.)