Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

I was first introduced to this version of soup a couple of years ago when my cousin Dina made it for us at a party she hosted.  It was so good that I requested her recipe to make it for a party I was hosting a few months later.  It was a hit again.

For the most part, my children are picker eaters. Christopher has gotten better and will eat more but when it comes to soups, neither of them will venture past good ole Chicken Noodle Soup.  I can't blame them really. It was fed to them at a very early age so they were destined to love it like the rest of our family. Perhaps if I pureed all the vegetables in this soup, they might give it a try.  I doubt it but it might be worth a shot.  I'm not sure how corn would puree though (insert weird face look).  I decided since the babies were at their dad's for the weekend and wouldn't be home until after supper Sunday, this was my perfect opportunity to make CTS.

So here is the hit recipe for super simple Chicken Tortilla Soup...

1 lb. shredded cooked chicken
1 can (15 oz) whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 can (10 oz) enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chili peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 oz) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas
vegetable oil

Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chilies and garlic into a slow cooker.  Pour in water and chicken and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper and bay leaf.  Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

As you can see above, the recipe also calls for corn tortillas and vegetable oil.  It instructs you to cut the tortillas into thin strips, lightly brush with vegetable oil and bake in a 400 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes until crisp.  These are to sprinkle over your soup.

I totally went the lazy route and bought a package of these tortilla strip at the grocery store.  They work just as well.

Ta daaaaaaa.....

I added the store bought tortilla chips and some cheese to my bowl of soup.  The only thing missing for me was avocado.  I thought I had some but realized close to supper time I did not and I was not about to get back out in the crazy wind just for avocado.  My soup was still delish and hit the spot for me.  

Coffee, Chocolate and PW's Cookbook

Sunday afternoon I sat down with a cup of coffee, a chocolate bar (one that I may or may not have hidden from my children) and Pioneer Woman's latest cookbook.  I was determined to finish reading it that day.  I've had PW's cookbook for a few weeks now, okay maybe two, and had made my way to Easter but had to stop.  I'm a mom to the busiest 4 year old who has no off switch and always wants mommy for this, that, then some and more. 

In between everything I was looking at Instagram and see this...

 

This is my cousin Caryn's collection.  I asked her a few years ago how many books she had, her reply was a lot.  I never dreamed this but isn't it fantastic?!!?  I'm so totally jealous.  I just thought I had a nice little collection of my own.  Ha! Mine covers one shelf!  I have a wish list that I let Amazon keep track of.  Right now, I have 12 cookbooks on that wish list, another 7 books that aren't cookbooks and 3 more books for Bella.  There would probably be more if I took the time to really look but I started this list a long time ago.  I'll hear about a book or read about one somewhere and this just seemed like a good place to keep up with it. Added bonus is if the price changes, I get notification from Amazon and most times, its easier on the pocketbook and myself to order from them instead of purchasing in a bookstore. 

 

Anyway, I made it to Thanksgiving in PW's cookbook and had to stop again.  I read each recipe and story as if I'm reading a book.  I will say that PW stole borrowed had the same idea I have for the family cookbook I will eventually do (how many years have I been talking about this damn book?) in that she has a story with each recipe.  This is the idea/plan I've had from the beginning.  I think it makes the book more personal and you get a glimpse inside the family and the story behind the treasured recipe.  In talking with my other cousin Dina, I decided I'm going to purchase a spiral notebook and begin writing this book as time allows.  Keep it with me so I can tell the stories as they come with the recipes.  Might even do the same for my Bella Stories and Canton Adventures.  We'll make a writer out of me yet! 

 

So yes, made it to Thanksgiving and will finish this book by the end of the year.  I'm not going to dare say Christmas because I know I'd probably be shooting myself in the foot on that one.  Its been a great read so far and I can't wait to try some of the new recipes I've come across.  You should go pick up a copy for yourself! 

 

Y'all have a good one!

So Not Ready For School To Start

My son and I agree that neither of us is ready for school to start come Monday morning.

My work days have been so busy that when I get home in the evening I am plum tuckered out.   I certainly haven't been cooking a lot.  I have had peaks where I would cook a lot, especially while my nephew was here but that pretty much came to a stop when he left.  I'm horrible.  I know this.  I have been flipping through crock pot recipes trying to find some things that my children might eat.  Christopher has gotten better with age (don't we all?) about what he will eat and try but the resident four year old, Lord help us all.  As of late, this child has become picky about her chicken nuggets!  I am trying but my patience is running thin in the "what can I feed my children" department.  I really want to introduce some new menu items but most of what I suggest receives a turned up nose.  Often times, if I am able to throw a dish together without the children around and it smells yummy while its cooking and/or baking, they are ready to try when it comes out.  Not always the case.  Would be awesome if I were a SAHM and could have it going by the time they got home. No go for that.  I'll figure something out.  In the meantime, I am going to keep perusing recipes for new ideas and try to get into the swing of things for the new school year.  I'm moving forward thinking positive that this will be a great school year!  I hope it is for y'all as well. 

Have a good one!

 

Oven Woes

For those who haven't heard by now, I have been without an oven for about 2 1/2 weeks and let me tell you, it hasn't been fun...at all.  Let me just say, you never truly know how much you use something until you can't. I will spare you the details of why I'm still without but it boils down to my forgetfulness in the first week, the parts store not calling me back in the second week and more of my forgetfulness and me hem-hawing on what to do after that. 

Buy a couple parts and hope the oven works vs. buy a beautiful new gas range

dilemma...my current gas range measures 36" instead of the normal 30" = more $$$.

I have decided to go with the new range and (sigh) the basic model as opposed to what I call the cadillac model.  Maybe someday when my dream house/barn is built, I'll get to put in a cadillac gas range.  Someday.  I'm still looking at the best deal but hopefully will make my decision this weekend and get the thing ordered and delivered real soon. 

I hate not having an oven.  Its a pain. I'm already trying to cook more and this just isn't helping that goal.  And I've been wanting to bake!  I'm still not sure if its because I don't have an oven that I have these urges to bake or if I really do want to bake?  Ha! I'll let you figure that one out. 

Y'all have a good one & happy Friday!! 

Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Casserole

you.must.try.this. 

This dish is so delicious and so very easy to throw together, and I haven't even thrown it together.  BUT, I have eaten this dish and I know two peeps who have thrown it together and they have both told me their kitchen smelled so delicious while it was baking and even went back for seconds when they are not seconds type people. SO, if you have understood all that rambling then you know you really should try this dish.  :)

I would show you a picture from Pinterest but I can't upload pictures at this point in time.

Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Casserole

12 oz spaghetti
1 (28 ounce) jars prepared spaghetti sauce
1 lb lean ground beef
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.

In a skillet, brown the ground beef until cooked through; drain fat and stir in spaghetti sauce. Set aside.

Cook spaghetti according to directions on packet. Drain and place cooked spaghetti in bowl. Add cream cheese, Italian Seasoning and minced garlic. Stir until cream cheese is melted and the spaghetti is thoroughly coated.

Lightly grease a 9x13" pan. Spread a small amount of meat sauce in the bottom of the dish. Put spaghetti on top of sauce and top with remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.

Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly.

Black-Eyed Peas and Cabbage

Did you have your share of BEPs and cabbage New Year's Day?  I did.  I always do.  But what I really want to know is how many years do you have to eat BEPs n cabbage before they actually work?  I mean I suppose the BEPs are working because my kids and I are healthy and we live a blessed life.  Sure we have struggles but heck, who doesn't?  And really, when you look at other folks situations, we are truly blessed indeed.  But the cabbage...the nasty smelling cabbage that will never, ever, ever, ever be cooked in my house...how much of this blasted stuff must I consume for the money to kick in?  Again, I guess it has because I have a job, I have a check coming in and I'm able to provide for myself and my children.  But seriously...I wouldn't mind a little more padding there.  Obviously, the cabbage Gods are getting my bank account confused with my ass and hips because the padding ain't in the right bank!  Am I the only one this confusion is happening to? 

I was reading a post from fellow blogger Laura at Cowboy Boots and Baby Booties about her goals for 2013 and decided I liked her term better than resolutions as well, so I'm gonna steal borrow her terminology of goals for 2013 vs. resolutions.

Cookbook
Get my dadgum family cookbook going...see here for what I wrote last year.  That's basically it in a nutshell. 

Internet
Of course, in order for me to actually be able to work on the cookbook,  I need internet because the program we talked about using is online.  Yeah, that would help, dontcha think?

Cooking
Get back in the kitchen more and continue to try new things, even if my son and daughter turn their noses up to new dishes (deep sigh). 

Save More, Spend Less
Always, always, always!  And again, if the cabbage Gods would quit getting confused with my ass and hips, this would work out much better for me in the long run.  Just saying.

That's it.  I don't want to give myself too many hurdles to overcome.  I'm going to continue to improve on what I made progress on last year and keep moving forward, trying very hard not to look back. 

And I STILL have no idea what my word is gonna be for 2013.  Nothing sounds good....ugh!