Foodie is Just a Fancy Word for "Holy Shit, I Love to Eat!"

Gluttony. Indulging. Overeating. Awesomeness. Call it what you want. All I know is that I really enjoy being a foodie and today has definitely been a foodie's dream come true.

Okay, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration. It was a really great day though. Part of that had to do with the office pot luck that I was somewhat of the unofficial secretary for. By somewhat, I mean that I just want a fancy title for rewriting a list where people signed up to bring stuff. It's all about the title, dahling.

I have honestly never been to a potluck where people actually tried and the product was delicious. This may have something to do with the fact that most of my potlucks have been at my mom's apartment complex. Let's just say that the laziness is very present with this group. Boxed stuffing and instant mashed potatoes are just not something I'll subject my own family too, much less people that I'm going to try to impress with my cooking.

There was a wide array of different foods. I had tortilla soup, poblano soup, chips, dip, 1/4 of a tuna sandwich, mexican cornbread, 7 layer dip, chicken alfredo, a piece of chicken, chicken alfredo, meatballs, a deviled egg, death by chocolate pudding, brownies and soda. 

I only ate a smidgen of each thing but I can honestly say that everything was so great. I took Chicken Tortilla Soup and it received rave reviews. I seriously thought that I had already posted the recipe for it in here, but apparently I forgot to add it. If I believed in having a weekly routine, this dish would be in the mix. I like to switch things up too much though, but I have been known to serve this twice a month. That's a big deal for me. This recipe is so cheap, easy and full of Latin flavor that it could be renamed Melanie Griffith's Vagina with the only difference being that people will actually want to eat the soup.

Too much? Yeah, I'm stopping. Here's the recipe.

Again, I apologize for the lack of pictures. I did find a picture of Melanie Griffith though. Yes, THIS is Antonio Banderas's wife. Mrs. Puss in Boots. Are you crying yet? Great! It will add salt to your soup . Cry into your own bowl though. Nobody wants your bodily fluids, sicko.

Okay. Now I'm really stopping. Promise.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

• 1-5 lbs chicken (this part varies depending on how much chicken you want or whether you want white or dark meat. I usually use about 4 skin on, bone in leg quarters.)

• 1 (15 ounce) can Original Rotel

• 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce (my favorite is Las Palmas)

• 2 tsp cumin

• 2 tsp chili powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 tsp garlic powder

• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn

• 19.75 oz can Whole Black Beans

• 1 bundle of cilantro, chopped with 1/4 reserved

In a large pot boil chicken without any seasoning in about 1 quart of water. Once chicken is boiled, remove from pot and cool. Leave broth in pot and set aside.Take cooled chicken, remove skin and shred the meat into large chunks.Take chicken and all other ingredients and pour them into the pot of chicken broth. Feel free to strain the broth using a colander or cheesecloth.Heat soup for approximately 10-15 minutes until corn is no longer frozen and soup is hot.Top with crumbled tortilla chips, reserved cilantro, chopped green onion, cheese, sour cream and/or sliced avocados.

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Bacon Lover's Dinner

Thursday's dinner was a huge hit with my family. Who doesn't love a bacon themed dinner? This meal dedicated to the salty, crispy, strips of Heaven featured Baked Potato Soup with a BLTE.

I've heard of a BLT, but what's the E, you might ask. The "E" is a fried or poached egg set on top of the sandwich that, once popped, distributes the runny yolk throughout the different layers and adds an added delicious component to an otherwise pretty drab sandwich. When paired with a chunky, bacony, creamy baked potato soup it is absolutely amazing.

                               BLTE                                                        Serves 5

1 lb of bacon, fried crisp with grease drained and reserved

5 rolls of good, hearty bread (I usually use sourdough rolls, but the picture below is a small bolillo roll)

5 eggs

2 large tomatoes or 4 Roma tomatoes, sliced

leafy greens such as romaine lettuce, spinach or arugula

Take the rolls and split them in half. With a brush apply a very small amount to the halves and set them in a hot pan or an indoor grill. Toast on both sides. 

Once all breads are toasted, take the five eggs and fry or poach them individually until the whites are solid and there is no longer any cloudy liquid. 

Place both halves of the rolls on a plate and layer it with your choice of leafy green, a few slices of tomato, a few slices of bacon and one egg on top. Serve open face with the other half of the roll on the side. Repeat 5 times.

                              Baked Potato Soup                       Serves about 10

5 large potatoes
1 quart of chicken stock
1 C half and half
1/4 cup of bacon lardons fried with grease reserved
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbs butter
1 tsp salt

Bake all five potatoes until tender. Cube up four potatoes into about 1/2 inch pieces. Peel the skin off of one potato and set to the side.
 In a large pot add the butter and saute the garlic until soft and aromatic.
Add in the peeled potato and mash as if making mashed potatoes.
Add into the pot the chicken stock and half and half.
Stir in the lardons, cubed potatoes and salt along with about 1 tbs of the reserved bacon grease.
Top with chives, cheese, bacon crisps and/or sour cream.