Garlic Toasted Bread

This is a Drennan family favorite!  Goes nicely with the Meatball and Spaghetti, Fettuccine Alfredo and so many Italian dishes I will post in the future.. Oh and the Tomato Basil soup (if you havn't tried the Tomato Basil, you really need to)!

It's best right out of the oven because it's all hot, crispy and buttery!  It's hard to eat just one!  On days you make this you just don't count the calories or fat ;)

If you don't have Lawry's garlic salt with the green lid......ya need to get it!  It has sea salt, garlic and parsley.  I buy it in the big container at Sam's then I fill bottles like the one below  and I probably go through the large one 2 or 3 times a year!  I use it in just about everything I cook.  I always say it's my little secret! 

 

If  I am making the whole loaf I will ask the bakery at the grocery store to cut the bread for me when I am buying it.

They just put the whole loaf in their cutter and it's done in no time!  You can also cut it yourself just make sure you don't make the slices too thick and make sure and use a serrated knife

Melt about a tablespoon of butter then sprinkle some Lawry's garlic salt

onto the butter.... Sprinkle lightly just to where you can see it

The hotter the pan gets the butter just starts to bubble like it's doing in this pan!  I will just place the sliced bread on top of all the bubbly goodness!

Oven on high broil...keep an eye on it... see the butter bubbling on top of that bread!

You can always turn the broil on low if you want

Watch the back ones because sometimes they get done faster! 

Make sure to flip and toast on each side

Oh my it's so buttery and has this crispness when you bite into it!

 

1 loaf of French bread  (most stores will cut it for you in thin slices if you want )

Real Butter (about 2 sticks)

Lawry’s garlic salt (with green lid)

In a pan melt butter and some garlic salt once it get bubbly add bread

making sure both sides gets the butter & garlic. 

Turn the broiler on low or if your careful on high  (I'm guilty of burning a batch or two ;)

Place on cookie sheet and toast on both sides.  Keep a good eye on it so that it doesn’t burn! 

Bread can be sauteed the night before (or a couple of days before) and stored in bag then toasted next day.. If the slices stick together (from being cold) just place in microwave for 30 sec and it will come out nicely.

Fettuccine Alfredo

So I have never been a white sauce kinda girl so Fettuccine Alfredo was not on my food list!  I was catering a rehearsal dinner once and they wanted Fettuccine Alfredo!  I called my sister Julie because I knew she makes it alot and her family raves about hers!  I made some at home (a trial run) and told myself I would not eat any but would ask someone to try it.  I love garlic so much that the smell was making me want to try it.  To my surprise I liked it!  It has a buttery garlicky taste to it!  I'll admit that I probalby add more butter than it ask for and only add one and a half cups of cream but that's because I like it that way.  I still don't eat Alfredo anywhere else...still don't like creamy things... but I do love this recipe!

Oh, and on the parmesan cheese it works better with the Kraft kind that is kinda powdery... the freshly grated cheese melts and makes a mess and the other seems to help thicken it... but do top it with freshly grated parmeasan cheese!

1 1lb fettuccine

2 T butter

2 garlic cloves minced

2 cups whipping cream

½ cup grated parmesan cheese 

Salt & pepper to taste

2 T parsley

Cooked chicken sliced or chopped  ( I grill or saute' in a pan)

Melt butter in sauce pan add garlic cloves when sautéed add cream,

Parmesan cheese and parsley stir and simmered about 15 minutes.

add salt & pepper to taste.

Add cooked chicken then drain noodles and place both chicken And fettuccine in bowl pour in cream and toss well.

Salad Dressings

I have gotten to where I never buy salad dressing anymore.  Its so easy to just make and only takes minutes to do so!  It taste so much better and it's so much better for you.....no preservatives!  My favorite is Creamy Italian, Honey Mustard and Balsamic Vinaigrette. 

Now with catering I know that RANCH is the favorite dressing of Texas.  I make it quite often and always get asked where did you get that dressing?   I use the Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning and salad dressing mix.  You can buy the packet at the store or I buy the 16 oz container at Sam's Club over by the regular salad dressing.  It's under $7 and makes alot of dressing so in the end it's cheaper than the packets. You can also use it to season different things.

Ok, I'm going to put my two cents in... Don't buy bagged salad it's just not the same.  Has that weird under taste and smell to it and I hear there is a bit of bacteria in most bags... oh thats the taste I was talking about (bacteria).  A nice Greenleaf or Redleaf head of lettuce is only about $1.69 ( I know cause I buy many of these a week for catering) and in the end you get more than that pre-bag of lettuce and it's so fresh!!!! Just my opinion but thought I'd throw that out there!  I mix my greens alot when making a salad too.  I use greenleaf or redleaf with iceburg...sometimes I use all three!


Creamy Italian Garlic Dressing

1 cup Hellman's Mayonnaise
3 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Blend in food processor or blender for 2 minutes- makes 1 1/4 cups


Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

1 cup Hellman's Mayonnaise
5 Tbsp honey
5 Tbsp mustard

Mixed all ingredients together and store in an air tight container in the fridge.

Balsamic Vinaigrette  ( I got this from my good friend Charlotte Lanham years ago)

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup balsamic vinegar  (I use the Tom Thumb brand…Safeway Select Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, one of the few TT brands I enjoy)

Fresh lime juice…1/4 of a lime

1 tsp sugar or 1 pkg of equal or sweetener

Salt and pepper 

Mix ingredients with a whisk until well blended.  Store in a glass jar.  When you use it again, it will be separated, so you will have to whisk again or shake the bottle real good. 

Notice that the ratio for olive oil and balsamic vinegar is 2-1.  So to make a larger batch, always have double the oil as the vinegar. It keeps a long time in the fridge. 

In addition to using this on salads, I use it a lot when I make roasted tomatoes, asparagus, etc.

Ranch Dressing

1 cup milk

1 cup Hellman's Mayonnaise

1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch  or 1 1/2 Tbsp out of the container

Mix all the ingredients with a whisk and let it congeal for about 30 minutes (it will thicken up some).  If you feel it's to thick just add some milk to thin add some more mayo!

Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake

I have always called this "Mom's" Chocolate Sheet Cake and I bet I have made this cake more than 200 times!  Always comes out perfect and pairs perfectly with Blue Bell's Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.  There are 3 versions listed for icing.  One is the fudge icing which is divine for all us chocolate lovers!   Then Rocky Road which you just add marshmallows and pecans and top with the warm fudge icing.. Lastly one is "Matti's" icing my grandmother Queenie's favorite!  The icing sinks into the cake and makes it oh so moist (if it can get any moister!) it has a kinda caramel taste to it.

Oh and the best thing about this cake is you don't have to use a mixer!!!  Just stir by hand!

                              Mom’s Chocolate Cake

                                  (Texas sheet cake)

2 Cups of flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 stick of butter

3 T cocoa

1 cup water

½ cup of Crisco

2 eggs

½ cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Grease and flour pan set aside

Step 1

Sift together flour, sugar and baking soda place in large bowl.

Step 2

Bring to boil

Butter, cocoa, water and Crisco

Pour over flour mixture and stir

Step 3

Add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla stirring until well blended.

Pour into greased and floured pan bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees

Fudge Icing

1 stick of butter

3 T cocoa

1/3 cup of milk

1 box of powder sugar  (16 oz)

1 cup of chopped pecans (optional)

1 tsp vanilla

In a pan add butter, cocoa and milk until thickens like pudding then add

Powder sugar a little at a time stirring well.  Add vanilla

Pour over hot cake and enjoy

Alternates for cake

Make a rocky road cake

Right when cake comes out of oven pour mini marshmallows on top of cake and some pecans then add icing.

Mattie’s Icing

2 cups of sugar

1 small can of pet or carnation milk

1 stick of butter

In a sauce pan add sugar then pour pet milk and cook until it starts to boil put

In butter let boil to soft boil take off burner and beat in vanilla and a dash of salt.

Pour over hot cake…

Lemon Angel Pie

 I had this when I was in Minnesota for vacation.  My friend Shari brought it to the lake to share with the family.  Oh my it was heaven!  I'm such a sweet lover anyway and oh how I love lemon!  I got the recipe and came home and made 3 or 4 of these for different things.

Don't skimp and buy the tub of  whip cream (like cool whip)  because it would change the taste of this delightful dessert!   It's the little things like making your own whip cream that makes you stand out with your desserts!            

Bottom Layer

4 egg whites

1  cup sugar

Butter 9” pie pan.  Beat 4 egg whites in 1 cup sugar and beat until smooth and stiff.

Put meringue in pie pan and depress center.  Put pie in cold oven, immediately set

Time for 60 minutes then turn oven to 270 degrees.  When oven reaches 270 turn it to 300 degrees.  Meringue will bake for a total of 60 minutes.

Lemon Filling

4 egg yolks

½ cup sugar

4 T lemon juice

Beat 4 egg yolks and add the ½ cup sugar gradually then the 4T lemon juice.

Cook in double boiler till thick (like pudding).  Cool-cover with foil if not using

Right away.

Whip Cream  1 pt whipping cream- sweeten to taste  (I use about a 1/3 cup of powder sugar and  1 tsp vanilla)

Layers

1.      Meringue

2.     ½ of the whipping cream

3.     Lemon filling

4.     1/2 of whipping cream

Cheese and Onion Enchilada's with Tex-Mex Gravy Chili

I found this recipe on Pinterest several months ago!  I have been looking for the recipe for years!  It's just your basic cheese enchilada with basically chili con carne sauce!  It has no meat but if you wanted to you could add some cooked ground beef or shredded chicken when you roll up the tortilla with cheese...    I like it just the way it is though because I love Cheese Enchilada's!

Makes 8 enchiladas - I usually double this recipe


Ingredients

The Chili Gravy; yields 2 cups
1/4 cup veg oil
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 cups chicken broth

Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat.
Stir in flour and continue stirring for 3-4 minutes, or until it makes a light brown roux.

Add remaining ingredients and continue to cook for 1 minute, constantly stirring and blending ingredients.

Add chicken broth, mixing and stirring until the sauce thickens.

Turn heat to low and let sauce simmer for 15 minutes. May add water or chicken broth to adjust thickness, if necessary.

For the enchiladas

8 white corn tortillas
3 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese (reserve 1/2 cup or so to top enchilada)
1 medium onion  (I saute' it before putting in tortilla)




Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Pour 1 to 2 tbsp of oil into a small or medium skillet and heat tortillas. one at a time, on each side. Layer on plate and blot with paper towel.  Or you can heat tortillas in microwave for about 15 to 30 sec instead.

Pour half of the chili gravy to the bottom of a 7X9 baking pan.  (or I just pour it over the top)
Put a 1/4 cup cheese and 1 Tlb onion in the center of each tortilla, roll up, and place seam down, in baking dish.
Pour remaining chili gravy over rolled tortillas, top with remaining shredded cheese.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted. Serve Hot!

Creamy Tortilla Soup

This is a great soup and is super easy to make!  My friend Paula made it for us when I was moving about 5 yrs ago.. We scarfed it down it was so good, I have made it ever since! 

I use half and half to cut out some of the fat but it calls for heavy cream.  You can go either way.  You can also add some chicken (rotisserie even would be good) to this if you want. I like it mostly without but have had it both ways... I'm just one of those who when I go to Taco Bueno and order tortilla soup (theirs is good) say can you put more broth and less chicken... I think it's just me!

This soup makes a lot and it's really so very good!

Chop up the onions

add rotel, cream of chicken, green chilies, chicken broth and half and half and let simmer about 15 to 20 mins.  This picture is before the cream of chicken, broth and half and half was added.

Cut flour tortillas into strips then fry in a little oil till golden brown and salt to taste

place on a paper towel to absorb any grease

You can top with tortilla strips, shredded cheese or hot sauce!  I just eat it with the tortilla strips!

 

Creamy Tortilla Soup

¼ cup butter

½  onion, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

3 chopped green onion (cut up to part way of green)

½  lg green pepper, chopped

¼ c diced green chilies

1 cans rotel tomatoes

1 ½ T chopped fresh cilantro

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp white pepper

3 c chicken stock

3 cups heavy cream or half n half  

2 family-size cans cream of chicken soup

2 cups shredded cheddar

8 (10-in) flour tortillas

1 cups commercial sauce

In a large saucepan, add butter,  onion, red onion, green onion, green pepper and chiles and sauté until tender.  Add rotel tomatoes, cilantro and Spices.  Cook 1 minute.  Add stock, cream and soup.  Cook over medium low heat until hot. 

Cut tortilla into ¼ strips.  Bake in a single layer on a baking sheet in 350 Degree oven until golden brown. About 10-15 minutes. Garnish with shredded cheese tortilla strips and salsa.

Refrigerator Yeast Rolls

About 7 or 8 years ago I was determined to find "the" best yeast roll recipe!  There is a place here in Dallas called Bubba's (fried chicken;) and oh do they have some good food and the BEST rolls!  In surfing for a recipe I came across an article in Southern Living which had featured Bubba's. In that same issue that month they had this recipe!  I feel like I hit the jackpot!

This dough is sooooo versatile!  You can make rolls, cinnamon rolls (oh mamma!), savory rolls filled with  herbs, cheeses, garlic and etc...   Also makes great bread knots just roll a ball of dough onto a counter kinda in a snake form then tie it up in a knot... brush with garlic butter when they come out of the oven!

You can keep this dough in your fridge for up to 5 days!  So you pull out however much you need when you need it! 

The only thing I do different is when I activate the yeast I add 1 tsp of sugar.... it helps activate it faster and it leaves you with the peace of mind that the yeast is good because it

activates faster right before your eyes!

Also I add some butter to the icing for the cinnamon rolls.. I think it gives it a richer flavor... You can use this same icing to top pound cakes, turnovers and etc... it's a keeper!  I just looked at recipe and found I had changed the recipe to add butter.. lol

Fyi... when I am making cinnamon rolls I often after the dough has risen (after the 4 hrs or over night) I go ahead and roll out the cinnamon rolls as below and place them in a pan uncooked  and covered back in fridge.. Then when I want to bake them I just pull out the pan and let the them rise.   Which takes about 30 mins to an hour depending on the temperature of the area you place them in.   

Remember the dough last 5 days in fridge!   So if you are baking them for something Saturday morning for example you can have them ready on Thursday uncooked in fridge then you just pull them out to rise and bake Saturday!  That is why I love this recipe not to mention they are sooooo good!!

Here are some pics of making cinnamon rolls 

Roll out dough

Pour melted butter cover every inch of dough then add cinnamon, sugar and brown sugar

Start rolling the dough.   Roll at the longest side

 (which is normally facing you) so you get more cinnamon rolls per log. Then cut the roll in 3/4 " slices.

         

Rolls have risen and ready to bake

Just out of oven and icing has been topped on each roll ;)

Ready to eat!

1 cup shortening
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup boiling water
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 (1/4-ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (105° to 115°)
6 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in 1 cup boiling water. Cool. Stir in eggs. Combine yeast and 1 cup warm water in a 1-cup glass measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes. Stir into egg mixture. Gradually add flour, stirring until blended. Cover and chill at least 4 hours.

Cover and chill remaining dough up to 5 days, if desired.


Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut with a 2-inch round cutter. Place 2 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Brush with melted butter. Let rise at room temperature 30 mins to 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.


I also make clover rolls by making three small balls and placing them in a buttered muffin tin.   Brush with melted butter. Let rise at room temperature 30 mins to 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

Bake at 375° for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden.  Cinnamon rolls take about 18 to 20 mins...check the middle to make sure they are done....some ovens vary.


Cinnamon Rolls: Roll one-third of dough into a 14- x 10-inch rectangle. Brush with 1/2 cup melted butter; sprinkle with 1/4 c sugar, 1/4 c brown sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Roll up, starting at a long end; cut crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Place in 2 lightly greased 9-inch round cakepans. Let rise and bake as directed above. Stir together 1/4 cup melted butter  1 cup powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons milk (or water) and 1 tsp vanilla; drizzle glaze over warm rolls. Yield: about 1 1/2 dozen.

Herb Rolls: Follow procedure for Cinnamon rolls, substituting 1 tablespoon each chopped fresh chives, chopped fresh basil, and chopped fresh rosemary for sugar and cinnamon. Omit powdered sugar glaze. Yield: about 1 1/2 dozen.

Yield:  1 1/2 dozen per portion

Blueberry Muffins

 My friend Adriane gave it to me, she said you have to try this recipe!  I replaced my old recipe (Martha Stewart's :) and starting using this one!  Really good Blueberry Muffins!!  They are so moist and delicious and freeze well!

I like the way they round at the top.  Using 2 cups of sour cream really make these extra moist!  Normally I use fresh blueberries but recently I used frozen because for some reason blueberries went up in $ over night!  They did just as good, I put the blueberries in frozen...just fyi. Bake them for today and freeze some for tomorrow!

 

Really good Blueberry Muffins!

Blueberry Muffins

4 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups sour cream
2 cups blueberries
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 24 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
2) In a large bowl, beat eggs. Gradually add sugar while beating. Continue beating while slowly pouring in oil. Stir in vanilla. In separate bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking soda.
3) Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture alternately with sour cream. Gently fold in blueberries. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.
4) Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Makes 24-30 muffins.
The only thing I did different was to take a couple Tablespoons of the flour and roll the fresh blueberries in it so that they didn’t spread out and make purple batter.

Waffles

These are my favorite Waffles!  I got this recipe from my Aunt Carolyn years ago and they still remain my favorite.  In this recipe my Aunt says she sours the milk... 1 tsp of vinegar to the 1 1/2 cups of milk and let it sit for 3 or 4 minutes or you could use buttermilk.. Original recipe calls for milk so you can go with that too.. I sometimes use buttermilk and other times I sour milk it with vinegar.

Waffles

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons of sugar

4 teaspoons of baking powder

1 1/2 cups milk ( I sour the milk with vinegar)

2 eggs

1/4 cup oil or butter melted

Mix dry ingredients; mix eggs with milk; then add oil/butter...

Add as much to your waffle as your machine instructs.

Can make ahead…freeze then pop in toaster oven!

Helpful tips

Life can be busy and really alot of these recipes are truly so easy.  There will be some that take more time but for the most part you can fix most of these in 30 minutes!

Now my rules for cooking.. what I tell my cooking class and people who ask is......

Only use real butter, I prefer unsalted but that is up to you.. as "Martha" says if you use unsalted then you control how much salt you use and are eating.

A must have for my kitchen Lawry's Garlic Salt with the Green Lid  it's my secret!  It has sea salt and parsley so it just enhances your food.  I use it for almost everything!

Grate your own Cheese- truly it taste so much better and it's sooooo much better for you!  That package cheese has so many preservatives and saw dust... yep you heard me saw dust..thats what keeps it seperated!  I buy my cheese ( I love colbyjack)  then grate it in a large bag so when I need it there it is already grated in a bag... just my bag ;) !


If you have a favorite recipe post it on here!  We can all use a great recipe!

Easy White Gravy

I've never been the greatest at gravy until now!  When you first melt the butter and add the flour you think oh no!  It looks like pie crust but once you add the milk and stir it with a whisk it just finally dissolves so nicely then thickens up!  You will need to add alot of salt and pepper but when you get it to your perfection you will love it! 

If you think it's to thick add some more milk...if it's to thin...take a bit out in a bowl or cup and add a tablespoon of flour ..stir then then pour back in...

Easy White Gravy

4 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. flour
Salt
Pepper
2 1/2 c. milk

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt and pepper; cook until smooth and bubbly. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling on medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir and boil 1 minute.

La Madeleine'S Soupe A L'Oignon Gratinee aka-French Onion Soup

 The key to the recipe lies in the slow cooking of the onions.. really!  Once they caramelize they flavor the soup so nicely! 


1 tb extra virgin olive oil
     2 md onions; peel & thinly slice
     1    whole bay leaf
    1/4 tb freshly ground black pepper
     2    cloves garlic; chopped
     1 qt beef stock
      1    baguette; sliced and toasted
           - --one
    3/4 c  gruyere cheese; grated or mozzarella even munster cheese works!

Instructions

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a heavy, large saucepan. Add onions,
bay leaf and pepper. Sauté‚ over low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring
occasionally. The secret to making a great onion soup lies in the slow
cooking of the onions. The flavor comes from the release of the sugars
in the onions, cooked until they begin to caramelize. The onions should
be a golden brown.

Add garlic and stir well. Cook for two minutes.

Pour beef stock in and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for
30 minutes, covered. At serving time, ladle soup into individual
ovenproof terrines or soup bowls. Slice a baguette on top of the soup
and sprinkle with cheese. Place the terrines, on a baking sheet, under
a broiler to melt the cheese and brown the top (gratinee

Seasoned Crackers

This is so easy it's almost too easy!  You just have to have patience to let them sit and absorb all the goodness!  I have never baked these and I have made them for years!!   Once you put the oil in they start turning brown the longer they set and they look as if you baked them!  I knew someone who baked theirs and after a while they get stale these honestly will last for months tasting totally fresh as long as you keep them in a air tight container.

1 box or bag oyster crackers  (I buy Kroger's brand in a box and Nabisco in a bag)

1 pkg ranch dry ranch dressing

¾ cup vegetable oil

In an air tight container mix all together and shake well then let soak in

For at least 4 hours but over night is best.

You might give them a shake every 30 minutes or so the first couple of hours so they all get coated evenly….. I turn the container upside down then back right side up just here and there when I think about it.  Once they are ready no more turning cause they are done!

Enjoy on salads, soups or just as a snack.

fyi.. the original recipe calls for 1 cup of veg oil but 3/4 a cup is plenty and we just saved 1/4 cup of calories!

La Madeline’s Tomato Basil soup

4 cups (8 to10) can tomatoes in juice

2 cups of tomato juice

2 cups of chicken broth

12 to 14 washed fresh basil leaves (or that tube I showed you which you get by the fresh basil)

1 cup of heavy cream  (or I use half and half instead)

1/4 lb unsalted butter

Salt to taste

¼ t cracked black pepper

Combine tomatoes, juice & stock in saucepan; and simmer for 30 minutes.

Puree, along with the basil leaves in small batches in blender, food processor (or better yet, one of those handy hand held

Blenders right in the cooking pan (that is what I do)).

Return to saucepan & add cream & butter, while stirring over low heat.

If you see little what spots from the cream just use your hand held blenders to blend and it one more time it will incorporate it nicely... (or your blender)!

Garnish with basil leaves and serve with favorite bread or Seasoned Crackers which I will include in the next post!

Several years ago I changed to half and half.. I think I like it better and it cuts out alot of fat!  win win!

Taco Soup with Cheese Tortellini

1 lb ground beef

½ cup chopped onions

1  chopped garlic clove

1 lg can stew tomatoes

1 can of Rotel

1 8oz can tomato sauce

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp Lawry's Garlic Salt (with green lid-has sea salt and parsley)

1 pkg taco seasoning

Salt pepper to taste

2 cups water

1 pkg Cheese Tortellini's (in the fridge section usually) 

In a skillet add meat and onions and cook till meat is brown.  Drain if needed.  Add the next 7 ingredients and simmer on medium heat for about 20 minutes.  In a separate pan cook Tortellini as package suggest.  When tortellini’s are cooked drain and add tortellini to soup.   Cook and additional 10 minutes.