Chicken Fajita Tortilla Soup & Cupcakes with a Heart!

Monday Munchies...

My very sweet neighbor fed me dinner the other night-

{she was watching my daughter for me and when I went to get her, my neighbor had just finished making this soup and insisted I try a bowl...}well it ended up being a bowl for me and 2 for my daughter, an hour of fun conversation, and a traded recipe.

It's a Rachel Ray and it was fantastic! Going to try it on my own later this week...

Chicken Fajita Tortilla Soup

photo via Food Network

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 packages chicken tenders, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds
• 1 tablespoon coriander, a palm full
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, 5 to 6 sprigs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
• 1 large bell pepper, quartered and thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 (28-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 bag white corn tortilla chips
• 1 cup shredded pepper Jack or sharp white Cheddar
• 1 ripe avocado, diced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 4 scallions, chopped
• Handful fresh cilantro leaves or fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

Heat a large skillet with extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add chicken, begin to brown 4 minutes, add coriander, thyme, salt and pepper, to taste, onions, bell pepper and jalapeno, season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes and stock, heat through.

While the soup is working, lightly crush some tortilla chips and divide among 4 bowls. You need a couple of handfuls per bowl. Top the chips with a little cheese. Toss the avocado with lime juice. Top the chips with ladles of soup. Garnish soup with avocado, scallions and cilantro or parsley.


With Valentine's Day quickly approaching I've been on the hunt for a fun treat for my girls' classes.
I think I found the one...


How CA-UTE are these? And they look SOOOO yummy!
Alison's Wonder Scraporium
has the recipes for the cupcakes and frosting, {as wells links to print them!}
and a beautiful picture tutorial of the entire baking process, start to tasty finish.
My kids are going to think I'm so cool...

Happy Eating!