Tortilla Soup///Broccoli-Rice Bake

It's time for me to catch up!!! I haven't posted anything in a couple days...I've been lazy. :\ Yesterday I made Tortilla Soup, and the day before I made Cheesy Broccoli-Rice Bake. The former recipe was given to me by my Aunt, way back when I first got married. I haven't tried it until now, but it's really good! The latter recipe I had to test out. I had one version from my Mamaw, and one from a Betty Crocker cook book. There were things I liked about both of them, but I've combined what I liked into one recipe!

First:
Tortilla Soup

3-4 Chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
6c water
1 can kidney beans
1 can ranch style beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
1 can whole kernel corn
2 cans rotel
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 pkg ranch dressing mix

Boil the chicken breasts in a 4qt pot or saucepan. The recipe said 30-45 minutes but I think my chicken was done in about 20-25. Check to make sure it's done by cutting them open and making sure there's no pink in the middle. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Dump out the water you boiled the chicken in, and fill the pot with the rest of the ingredients, including the cut-up chicken. Stir together and warm for 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream, if desired.

I actually put this all in the refrigerator before heating it and whenever I'm hungry I just scoop out a bowlful and heat it up in the microwave. You don't really even need the tortilla chips or anything else. This stuff is good on its own! Also, it could feed so many people it'll be awhile until it's all gone. I should have halved the recipe, but I didn't want to only use half of a can of everything. I wouldn't know what to do with the other half.


Next:
Cheesy Broccoli-Rice Casserole

I made both recipes, one from my Mamaw on one side of the pan and one from Betty Crocker's cookbook on the other side. I liked the topping of one, but the thickness of the other, and I liked the seasoning of one but not the extra ingredient it had, and I didn't like how cheesy the other one was. I ended up combining the two recipes to what I thought would be the best of both sides.

1T butter (or Canola oil if you'd rather)

1 large onion, minced (so picky eaters can't tell they're in there)
1 sm. jar cheese whiz
10.75oz can cream of mushroom soup
1/2c milk
1/4tsp pepper
1/4tsp garlic powder
1/4tsp salt
1lb bag of frozen, chopped broccoli, thawed
3c. cooked rice (brown rice is better for you)
1c fine, soft bread crumbs
1T butter

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13x9 glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 10in skillet, melt 1T butter over medium-high heat. Cook onion in butter, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender; reduce heat to medium. Stir in cheese, soup, milk, pepper, salt, and garlic powder and broccoli. Cook, stirring frequently until broccoli is warm, cheese is melted. Add the rice and mix well. Spoon into baking dish. In a small bowl, mix crumbs and 1T melted butter; sprinkle over rice mixture. Bake uncovered 30-35 minutes or until light brown on top and bubbly around edges.