This Chicken Tortilla soup recipes is one of my FAVORITE Recipes, its super easy and tastes amazing!  I made this for dinner tonight and it was so yummy I pulled the recipe out of the SaveTheCoupons Archives to re-post it =)

Heres this super simple recipe:
1 Can Rotel
1 Can Chicken Broth
1 small can Tomato Sauce
1 medium onion
1 Garlic Clove
Cilantro (as much as you like)

Top with Sour Cream, tortilla strips, cheese and avocado

This recipe is so easy, just chop up the onion, garlic and cilantro and simmer in a kettle until onions are tender…then add in the chicken, broth, tomato sauce and rotel and simmer for about 40 minutes.  Pour it in a bowl and top with Sour Cream, Tortillas, Cheese and Avocado!  (I also added all the dripping for the chicken I baked which was about an additional 1.5 C of broth)

First off a big thanks to all of you who gave me suggestions on how to use up my 2 huge containers of Oats!  Last night we made a bunch of Chewy Bars, and they turned out awesome!  I found a recipe online and then modified it…if youve never seen me post a recipe before, please know that its kinda my thing to change it up…Im not a good direction follower…

We made Chocolate Chip Chewy Bars and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Chewy Bars, they both turned out really good and DD12 who is a Quaker Chewy Bar Fanatic actually said mine were better…yep, Im that good;)

Heres the recipe:

Preheat oven to 350

Put oats on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes stirring several times

Remove oats from oven and let them cool completely

In a big bowl mix oil, honey and vanilla (if your making Peanut butter choc chip add the peanut butter now too…I used half of a 17oz jar)

Add the cooled oats, krispies and chocolate chips stir it all well

line a 9×13 pan with parchment, spray the parchment with a little oil or pam

pour in the mixture and cover with a second piece of parchment

Press down the mixture with the palm of your hand until it is flattened, and then use the bottom of a cup and press it down as much as you can!

Remove top parchment and bake bars for 20 minutes

once cool cut into bars and eat em up!

*Most of the ingredients I had in my stockpile to make these, because I made them in bulk (I tripled the recipe) I had to buy a jar of honey…I bought store brand for about $4 but I figured that to make all 3 batches it cost me about $8 and I cut them into about 90 bars, so it would be like paying about $0.72 per 8 bars (which is how many are in a box of pre-made bars.)  If you left out the peanut butter you would be at even less cost per box!

Last night DH and the Kids helped me make tons of Lasagna…its what I wanted for dinner and the freezer is pretty much empty of pre-made meals…so we decided that as long as were making one pan we might as well make 4 or 5 =)

I make my own sauce but you can also use canned sauce and the lasagna will turn out just as good!

1 box lasagna noodles
12 oz Ricotta
16 oz Cottage cheese
2 Cups Italian blend cheese
Sauce of choice
Tomatoes
Onions
Garlic
Italian Seasonings
Hamburger or Italian sausage

Preheat oven to 375

boil the water for the noodles

Saute tomatoes, onion and garlic in a pan until tender.
Add hamburger and seasonings to taste (I add basil, oregano, parsley, garlic salt and pepper)  If I have fresh herbs I use those…but it turns out just as good with dried.
Brown Hamburger/Sausage and then drain off  drippings
add sauce and let simmer a few minutes

In a bowl add Cottage Cheese, Ricotta and Italian blend together, stir it up till its mixed good!

Coat the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan with sauce, then layer noodles, sauce and cheese then noodles sauce and cheese…you get it…until you reach the top.  Then add sauce and a little shredded cheese.  Put it in the oven and bake 30 min or until the sauce & cheese is bubbly!

TIPS:

• You can also make 2-3 small pans of Lasagna and freeze them.  I often double the recipe and make 4-5 pans to freeze.
• To speed up the cooking time I microwave the cheese to melt it, that way if you are eating it right away, it doesnt take so long to cook in the oven because everything is already warm!
• Try this with Italian sausage too..or a mixture of hamburger and sausage!
• I use the same recipe for Manicotti, I just fill the shells with the cheese mixture and pour the sauce over the top!  If you do this, use a pastry bag to pipe the cheese into the shells.

Want to make my garlic bread too?

Slice some French bread and spread on a mixture of butter, garlic salt, parsley and parmesan cheese…pop it in the oven and bake till the edges are golden…YUMM!

I always feel like the Resurrection story gets forgotten for so many people at Easter.   And its so important…like beyond important! This is a fun activity I love to do with my kiddos to get them involved and remember the story of Our Savior, what he went thru and how he brought us all salvation.  Easter Story Cookies are fun to make and they teach a lesson too…here’s how you make them:

Ingredients:

1 cup whole pecans
3 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Place pecans in a zip lock bag, close the bag, and let the children beat the bag with a wooden spoon to break the pecans into small pieces.
3. Explain to the children that after Jesus was arrested, the Roman soldiers beat him.
4. Let the children smell the vinegar.
5. Put the vinegar into a mixing bowl.
6. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink.
7. Add egg whites to the vinegar.
8. Eggs represent life.
9. Explain that Jesus gave his life to give us life.
10. Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hands.
11. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl.
12. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our sin.
13. So far the ingredients aren’t very appetizing.
14. Add 1 cup sugar.
15. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us.
16. He wants us to know and belong to him.
17. Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until the stiff peaks form.
18. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sin have been cleansed by Jesus.
19. Fold in Broken Nuts.
20. Drop by teaspoons onto a cookie sheet covered with wax paper.
21. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid.
22. Put the cookie sheet in the oven and turn OFF.
23. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door.
24. Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed.
25. Go to bed.
26. Explain to the children that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight.
27. Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.
28. On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie.
29. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite.
30. The cookies are HOLLOW!
31. On the first Easter Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.
32. He has risen!

Have a very Blessed Resurrection Weekend!
thanks, Food.com