Good Food + Good Book = Fabulous

One thing about Southerners is that we love good food! A delicious meal feeds the soul, and just as we need nourishment for our body, we also need it for our mind. Reading a good book feeds the soul. I love savoring a good meal and capping it off with a good book. With winter winding down (come on springtime!) I wanted to share two of my favorite things--food and books.

Here's a quick and easy recipe for delicious Southwest Chicken Soup, and information about a good book (which happens to be my upcoming novel) Secret Indiscretions. I hope you will enjoy both!

Southwest Chicken Soup

Ingredients:
1 tsp. olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely minced
2 cans chicken broth
Frozen or fresh corn
1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 can whole tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes w/green chiles
2-3 cups shredded chicken 

Heat one tsp. olive oil in a pot. Add chopped onions and minced garlic. Saute until translucent (2-3 minutes). Add next 6 ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes. Garnish with cheese, cilantro, and tortilla strips. Delicious!

Secret Indiscretions
Coming July 28, 2015- Click here to pre-order

Two couples, two unhappy spouses--one shocking solution. . .

Five years into her happy marriage, Geneva Mayfield is devastated to find that things have taken a turn for the worse. Her husband, Johnny, is suddenly hard to reach, distant, and works late too often for Geneva not to be suspicious. Is it because she's been pressuring him about having a baby? Feeling lonely and neglected, Geneva bonds with Samuel Owens, a colleague who is having marital trouble of his own. Soon, their relationship blossoms into an uncontrollable affair.

Bored with her husband, Samuel, and dead set against having a child with him, Vivana Owens is biding her time until she's ready to leave--and she's spending it with Johnny Mayfield. It's just a fling--until Vivana becomes obsessed with Johnny, especially once he tries to win back his wife. But affairs don't end easy--and soon one of the unfaithfuls will end up dead, one will end up in jail, and one just might get away with murder. . .

Happy Eating and Happy Reading...Stay Fabulous!
Trice Hickman

Recipe of the week: Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

 The mild weather that much of the country experienced during the holiday season is a thing of the past. The first full week of 2015 roared in with blistery winds and frigid temperatures. Even in the South, folks are bundled up from head to toe in coats, scarfs, boots, and gloves...oh, the accessory possibilities *sigh*...but that's for another post!

When it's cold outside, nothing warms you up like a bowl of hearty soup. And just like our trademark hospitality, soup is a southern staple. Every Southern Belle worth her salt (that's totally southern lingo!) knows how to make a good pot of soup. Soup is easy and delicious, it can feed a multitude of people, and it holds up well in the fridge for tasty left-overs. I love chicken noodle soup, and I have a recipe for a creamy concoction that will have everyone asking for seconds.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Veggies and Savory Herb Seasonings (it tastes as delicious as it looks).

Ingredients:

·       1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

·       1 small yellow onion

·       1 small bag carrots

·       4 celery stalks

·       2 garlic cloves, minced (I use the kind in the jar, or you can use garlic powder)

·       all-purpose flour (I don’t measure, but I’d say about ¼ cup or more)

·       salt (to taste)

·       ground pepper (to taste)

·       poultry seasoning (to taste)

·       fresh thyme (to taste)

·       7 cups chicken broth (I use low sodium)

·       2 cups water

·       shredded chicken (I use half a rotisserie chicken)

·       1 1/2 cup fat free half-and-half (you can use whole milk if you prefer)

·       uncooked wide egg noodles (I use ¾ of a 12 oz. bag)

Directions:

Heat the butter until melted in a large pot or dutch oven. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté until veggies become soft. Add flour and other seasonings. Stir and cook. Add broth and water and bring soup to a boil without stirring, and allow to boil for 3 minutes (this will help thicken the soup. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot with lid and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.  Next, add the chicken, half-and-half, and noodles. Cook until the noodles are tender and the soup has thickened. Taste and add more seasonings if needed.

You can serve this delicious soup with oyster crackers, or a nice, crusty french bread. Either way, it will be a hit! After you devour your soup, curl up with a good book to cap off a great day. Food for the stomach + Food for the soul = Fabulousity (I made that up!).

Happy eating and reading, and stay warm!

Blessings,

Trice

Delicious. Quick. Easy...who wouldn't want to make this!

If you're like me, your days are filled to the brim, spilling over into late evenings most of the week. Between work, family, and the demands of everyday life, finding time to prepare a meal, or even a tasty snack, can be challenging. It's so easy to just grab something on the go. But oftentimes that can be expensive, not to mention it tempts you to make choices that aren't always healthy.

One thing about Southern women; we know how to make find ways to juggle it all. Here's a quick and easy recipe that's delicious, quick, and inexpensive to make. The recipe for the mixture below is easy, and leftovers can be stored in the frig for a few days.

The dish can be served as a meal or curl up with a good book and enjoy it as a snack!

Be fabulous and enjoy!

Black bean and corn Quesadillas. Yum!!

Ingredients: (I don't measure, so just judge according to your taste)

8 inch flour tortilla (I use whole wheat. The taste is richer than the white)
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained and rinsed (or small bag of frozen corn)
Salsa (I use half a medium size jar)
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
Generous pinch of brown sugar (I use Sugar in the Raw)
Cheese (I use Kraft shredded Mexican cheese blend)
1 tablespoon butter
Olive oil (enough to lightly coat the pan)

Pour olive oil in skillet and heat. Add onions and saute. Stir in black beans, corn, salsa, and sugar. Cook until thoroughly heated, then remove from pan and put mixture aside. Melt butter in a large skillet (medium heat), then place one tortilla atop melted butter. Sprinkle with cheese. Top black bean mixture evenly on cheese. Place another tortilla on top. Make sure to press the edges down with the spatula you're going to use to turn it. Let tortilla cook for a about two minutes on each side. Cut into rectangles and voila! Yummy!