Week 198: Tortilla Soup

Happy Thursday!

I hope everyone had a great summer, hard to believe it's already the middle of August. As I've been fielding some questions recently about when I was getting back into the kitchen, I knew it was time to put on my apron and start cooking. One caveat, I'm dropping my oldest off at college this weekend, so I'm only able to make a small batch of soup and bread this week. So get your orders in quickly, these favorites will not last long and supplies are limited!

On the menu for TUESDAY, AUGUST 23RD is TORTILLA SOUP with ITALIAN HERB BREAD. My tortilla soup is always a crowd-pleaser ... it's flavorful, filled with a ton of fresh veggies, and satisfying without being too heavy in this late-summer heat. And the fresh herbs from my garden rolled into the bread is just delicious!!

The soup begins with sautéing onions, red & orange peppers, garlic and zucchini in olive oil with cumin and chili powder. Once softened, fresh corn and black beans are added. Next, homemade chicken stock, fire-roasted tomatoes, and tomato sauce are added. The soup simmers until all the flavors are blended and it's garnished with cilantro, shredded cheddar cheese and tortilla strips.

My bread companion this week is Italian Herb Bread. This delicious bread is filled with garlic, butter and fresh herbs. This tasty bread is a fan favorite and is a perfect compliment to the soup.