Tag Archives: Diced Tomatoes

Easy Savory Cornbread

I like all kinds of cornbread—traditional cornbread is great, but it’s also fun trying out different add-ins. This Easy Savory Cornbread starts off with some corn muffin mix and gets its’ savory flavor from a can of diced tomatoes and green chilies, along with a cup of cheddar cheese mixed into the batter. Pretty easy, right?

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Easy Marinara Sauce

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Good, simple recipes are the best, especially when they don’t take long to make! I found a lot of recipes like this in my review copy of Simplify Supper, by Krista Numbers (softcover). There are lots of Italian and Tex-Mex-style dishes, as well as all-American classics like BBQ Ribs, Southern-Style Baked Beans, and Chicken Noodle Soup. And great color photos of the recipes too. Overall, it’s a great cookbook to have when you want to make a delicious dinner that’s quick and easy.

The very first recipe in the book, and the one I tried out, is Homemade Marinara Sauce and it is really good! It’s great served over pasta, but it also makes a wonderful dipping sauce (I enjoyed dipping my favorite store-bought Rosemary Sea Salt rolls in it!). This marinara sauce has a rich, tomatoey flavor and is thick and chunky. The seasonings, onion, and garlic all give it a great flavor. Here’s the recipe if you want to try it out:

HOMEMADE MARINARA SAUCE from Simplify Supper

Makes 6 servings

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon sugar

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and stir about 5 minutes until evenly caramelized. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook another five minutes until garlic is fragrant.

Add chicken broth and use to deglaze bottom of pot.

Add sugar, tomato paste, and undrained diced tomatoes. Stir to combine all ingredients. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally until sauce reaches desired thickness. Add salt and pepper to taste.

I love tomatoey-flavored dishes–and this sauce is perfect for tomato-lovers! And it’s always nice when you can make homemade sauce. Do you make your own homemade pasta sauces?

Sharing this recipe at Fiesta Friday, Meal Plan Monday, Weekend Potluck, Inspire Me Monday.

Beef or Chicken Tex-Mex Soup (and a Meatless Version)

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I like eating soup in the cold winter months, and this is an easy soup recipe I came up with the other day. It’s a thick and chunky soup with ground beef, beans, and veggies in it, and you can make it without the beef, too, substituting chicken or more beans in place of the meat. Jalapenos give the soup a little spiciness, along with the taco seasoning you mix in. Make it in a big pot and you’ll have enough soup to serve 6 to 8 people. Serve it with some bread or rolls–it makes a nice hot lunch or dinner on a cold day!

BEEF OR CHICKEN TEX-MEX SOUP by NancyC

Makes 6 to 8 servings

2 (14.5-oz.) cans diced tomatoes (regular or no salt)

1 (14.5-oz.) can beef, chicken, or vegetable broth

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1 (1-ounce) packet taco seasoning

1 lb. ground beef, cooked, crumbled, and drained of excess fat OR 1 lb. chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or cut into chunks (you could use leftover rotisserie chicken in this, too); if you want to make this meatless, substitute an extra can of pinto or kidney beans for the meat

1 medium-size onion, diced

1 (15.5-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (10 to 12-ounce) package frozen corn, thawed

1/2 cup sliced jalapenos (from a can or jar, or fresh, with seeds removed)

sour cream for garnish (optional)

sliced green onion stems for garnish (optional)

In large stockpot, over medium heat, add diced tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, and taco seasoning, blending well. Add in cooked ground beef or chicken, diced onion, beans, corn, and jalapenos, stirring everything well. Turn heat high enough to heat to boiling, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately and garnish with sour cream and green onion slices if desired.

Do you have a favorite winter soup you like making?

Black Bean Chicken Chili

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I was searching for a chicken chili recipe and couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for, so I came up with this recipe. I really love this chili! It tastes great and it’s healthy, too! It’s a little different from your typical chili…with chicken instead of beef, and lots of tasty ingredients like onion, garlic, tomatoes, corn, black beans, and fresh cilantro. I think this recipe could work with ground beef, too, if you prefer that over chicken. This chili is so nice and thick… it’s thick enough to serve over rice if you want. And it’s great when you top this bowl of chili with a heaping helping of fresh cilantro and shredded Monterey Jack cheese or Cheddar cheese…yum!

Here’s the recipe…hope you like it!

BLACK BEAN CHICKEN CHILI by NancyCreative

Makes 4 servings

1 Tablespoon olive oil or canola oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 (1 lb.) package boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, uncooked and cut into chunks (about 1/2″ or a little smaller)

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

1 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon lime juice, fresh-squeezed or bottled

1 (15 oz.) can corn, well-drained

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (4.5 oz.) can chopped green chiles

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

dash of salt, if desired

2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese, for garnish

finely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

In a large saucepan (a 4-quart size works well), heat olive or canola oil over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion, garlic, and chicken chunks in oil for 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center (if you’re having trouble cutting the chicken before you cook it, you can cook it first and then cut it into chunks).

Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth, and lime juice; stir until mixture is well blended. Add corn, black beans, and green chiles, stirring until blended. Next, add ground cumin, chili powder, red pepper flakes, and a dash of salt if desired, stirring until blended. Then stir in 2 Tablespoons of the chopped fresh cilantro, stirring until it’s well blended in the chili mixture.

Heat chili to boiling, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve in bowls and garnish with finely chopped fresh cilantro and shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese.