{body} White Pork Chili

I hate being sick. I used to never get sick (at least not the typical colds and flus)...until I came to pharmacy school. Now I feel like I am sick every other week. I think it's because my brain is so focused on the material in class and then I stay up studying till around midnight every night. Now that doesn't seem late to most of you night owls but then I wake up around 5:30 am. I am an eight - ten hour of sleep a night girl. That is how I function! So this whole pharmacy school thing is messing with my beauty sleep.

This soup is the perfect cure for the sicklings in the world. It is very easy to make and is just as good as the typical chicken noodle soup. It has the mexican flare that you all know I love to add to my recipes. This soup will warm your soul and fix you up in no time flat!

The recipe originally calls for chicken "White Chicken Chili" but we made a pork roast in the crockpot for pork tacos early that week and have TONS of leftovers. If you haven't discovered the $3.99 pork roast at your grocery store...check it out! It is so cheap and will feed you for DAYS! It is amazing too because all you do is sear it in a pan and then pop it in the crockpot. It should be illegal how easy it is to make.

Make this soup on a rainy day, when you are feeling sick/sad/lonely/happy, or on a chilly night. It is sure to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I promise!

White Chicken (or Pork) Chili

Recipe credit: How to Simplify Blog

Ingredients:

•   1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

•   1 medium onion, diced

•   2 cups cooked chicken (I used shredded pork I made in the crockpot earlier, most people posted that they used rotisserie chicken to save time), shredded

•   2 cans Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed

•   1 can corn, drained

•   1 can (4 ounces) green chilies

•   1/2 teaspoon cumin

•   1/2 teaspoon oregano

•   1 box (32 ounces) chicken broth

•   Kosher salt (to taste)

•   Pepper (to taste)

•   1 lime, juice

Directions:

1.       In a large pot, saute the onion and cook until it starts to become translucent.

2.            Once the onion is done, add shreds of chicken, Great Northern Beans, corn, green chilies (with juice from can), cumin and oregano to the large pot. Stir to combine all of the ingredients and then add the chicken broth.

3.            Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes to allow the broth to reduce. Add salt and pepper (to taste) and juice from one whole lime. (You can add 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro if you desire. I personally don't like cilantro so I serve it as a side.)

4.            Leave simmering on stove until ready to serve.

*Serve with sour cream, chopped cilantro, shredded Pepper Jack cheese, avocado or tortilla chips.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

This is by far one of my favorite holidays. I love anything and everything mexican. Its true, most of the dishes I make at home and the drinks I drink are mexican inspired. I am what you call a mexican-junkie.

Over the past couple years, cinco de mayo has become a huge holiday among my friends. Boating, bubba kegs, island hoping, and sun. Its the holiday we look forward to most after a long year of school - Cinco de drinko. Yes, this holiday has a lot of historical meaning but we use it as a celebration of good friends, food, and drinks. Its a holiday were the only stress is running out of limes or getting sunburned. Its a holiday were you just stop and relax. Like I said - it's my favorite.

I hope you all enjoy a fantastic holiday! Eat great food, drink a margarita, and lay in the sun with friends! Here is a recipe to my favorite margarita - the Mandarita. Its perfect by the pool or beach any day of the week!

The Mandarita

Ingredients

1 can of frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate

1 can of tequila

1 can of sprite

Ice (depending on if concentrate is thawed)

Salt

Lime wedges

Directions

1. Empty frozen concentrate into blender. Use empty can to measure tequila and sprite. Add ice if needed.

2. Blend until frothy.

3. Use lime wedge to coat rim of a margarita glass. Coat the rim by dipping the glass into plate with salt.

4. Pour margarita into the glass and enjoy!

This year I am celebrating this wonderful holiday in Texas with my family. My dad and I went to this local mexican meat market called La Azteca. Its a local market that sells mexican products, produce, baked goods and marinated meats. IT IS DELICIOUS. The moment you walk into the market you can smell the freshly baked goods, cilantro, and delicious cooked meats. 

My dad picked up marinated fajita steak and chicken. Tonight, we are making fresh steak tacos on homemade tortillas! We made our own salsa and guacamole too! My little sister Lauren works at Chipotle, and she whipped up some delicious secret recipes, she didn't tell me the recipe so I just had to watch her make it! Sneakyyyy! Below are a loose versions of the classics!

Lauren's (chipotle mock style) Guacamole

Ingredients:

4 Avocados

Cilantro to taste

1 TBS Salt

1 cup Red Onion

1/3 cup Lime Juice

Directions:

1. Put lime juice and salt in the bottom of the bowl before you put in the avocados.

2. Cut the avocados in half and scoop out the inside. Make sure you use ripe avocados!

3. Mince the red onion. Add to the avocado mixture. Mix well.

4. Add cilantro to the mixture and loosely mix in. 

5. Enjoy with some chips and salsa!

Mom's Pico de Gallo

Ingredients:

Roma Tomatoes

Red Onion

Kosher Salt 

Cilantro

Lime Juice

Directions:

1. Seed and dice the tomatoes.

2. Dice the red onion.

3. Chop the cilantro.

4. Add equal parts cilantro, onion, and tomato into a bowl and mix well.

5. Add lime juice and salt to the mixture.

6. Enjoy!

Have a great holiday! Ole!

Amanda