Tasty Tuesday

Hello! I hope this week is treating you well. Have things begun to calm down now that school has started? Have you found your routine, your schedule, your groove? We are slowly settling into our weekly niche. I’m working hard to plan my meals 2 weeks ahead, and cook at least 3 times a week (with leftovers and a frozen pizza usually filling in the spaces in between. Ok. That and takeout. Once in a while. Don’t judge me).

We’re continuing to add to our Meal Rotation recipe catalogue. I hope you are enjoying these quick and simple weeknight recipes. I hope they are making your life easier, without sacrificing the taste. I hope you are finding a way to make dinner do-able, even on crazy weeknights.

Last week I added a soup into the rotation. It yields a lot, so we were left with more than enough for dinner the following night (and lunch for several days). Soup is a great weeknight meal. Often, you can make it ahead of time (weekends, days off, etc) to have it ready for the week. Even better, you can make it way ahead of time and freeze it! Soup also creates a blank canvas for a weeknight meal. Pair it with a simple partner (grilled cheese? a fun and hearty salad? a big hunk of crusty bread?), and you are set for a ridiculously simple meal.

A friend of mine passed this recipe along to me last year, and I’ve really enjoyed having it in my repertoire. Hubby likes it because it is spicy. I like it because it’s actually really healthy AND I can make it in my slow cooker! (Don’t worry – if you aren’t a slow cooker fan, it’s easily adapted to stovetop as well).

Do yourself a favor. Grab the ingredients for this soup during the week. Cook it up on Sunday (or throw it in the slow cooker Monday morning), and have dinner ready for one night (if not 2! And a few lunches!) next week….

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Chicken Tortilla Soup

•1 1/2 pound boneless chicken — cooked and shredded

•1 can whole tomatoes (15-oz.)

•1 can enchilada sauce (10-oz.)

•1 medium onion — chopped

•1 can chopped green chilies (4-oz.)

•1 clove garlic — minced

•2 cups water

•1 can chicken broth (14 1/2-oz.)

•1 teaspoon ground cumin

•1 teaspoon chili powder

•1 teaspoon salt

•1/4 teaspoon black pepper

•1 bay leaf

•1 package frozen corn (10-oz.)

•1 tablespoon dried chopped cilantro

•2 tablespoons vegetable oil

•Grated Parmesan cheese — (garnish)

Directions:

In CROCK-POT Slow Cooker, combine shredded chicken, whole tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chilies and garlic. Add water, chicken broth, cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover and cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH 3 to 4 hours.

Remove and discard bay leaf.

Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly brush both sides or tortilla with vegetable oil.

Cut tortillas into 2 1/2 x 1/2-inch strips. Spread tortilla strips onto baking sheet. Bake, turning occasionally, until crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle tortilla strips and grated Parmesan cheese over soup. Serve immediately.

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Did I also mention it’s DE-LISH? I have been too rushed to make the tortilla’s that top the soup, so don’t feel bad if you skip that part. Or, do it the simple way, and crush some tortilla chips over your bowl!

See you next Tuesday for another Tasty Tuesday post!

You can read more about Steph’s life and recipes at her blog, Confessions of a Stay-At-Home Mom.