Slow Cooker Recipe

Hello Friends! Hope everyone is enjoying their snow day! It is crazy out there.  In light of the cold I thought today would be the perfect day to share another soup recipe with you.  This is a weight watcher friendly recipe as well. I personally count it as 6pp for a 1 cup serving.  This should make approximately 6-8cups of soup. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

Ingredients

• 2 heaping tsp of mined garlic
• 1/2 cup diced sweet onion
• 2 -3 chicken breasts (about 5oz each)
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes with liquid (if you don't like chunks throw this in a food processor and puree.
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth,  low sodium
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (15.5 ounce) can pinto, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15.5 ounce) can Kidney beans, drained and rinsed(totally could get away with 1/2 a can)
• ¼ cup reduced fat cheddar cheese for garnish (optional)

Directions

Combine all the above ingredients in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 8 hours or high for 3-4 hours in a 4-6 quart slow cooker. When soup is almost ready pull out chicken and shred.  It should shred easily and then put it back in with the soup. Spoon into bowls and garnish with a little cheddar cheese and diced onion, if desired.

Note: My chicken was frozen when going in the slow cooker. If you already have cooked chicken, just add it about an hour before the end of cooking time. 

I adapted this recipe from HERE. Feel free to check it out.

Of course we paired ours with some amazing corn bread, but I highly recommend making some cinnamon rolls to go along with this.  Yes, I am one of those who loves cinnamon rolls with chili. <3 br="br">

***What is your favorite soup for cold days***

Pinterest Recipe of the Week

I don't know if any of you remember me saying I would like to try one recipe a week from Pinterest and blog about it.  We all know I love to cook and any excuse to use my Rachael Ray stuff works for me.

This week we tried a recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup.  I picked this one because the point value was fairly low.  You could have one cup for only four points.  That is a winner in my book.  Anyway, how was it? Fantastic!!!! There is a Mexican restaurant where I'm from and they buy chicken tortilla soup by the bag and this was so close to the real deal it was unreal.  Now I will give you a heads up as you are pouring all the ingredients into the pan you will be grossed out and it will look mushy and gross. .Give it a chance though, you will be so glad you did!  I did take a picture on my iPhone, but lets face it that picture is horrible so I used a photo from the original source up top.

Now for the recipe:
(adapted from Emily bites, which she adapted from food.com)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:
6 oz cooked chicken breast, shredded or chopped
1 cup water
1 (15 oz) can fat free, low sodium chicken broth
1 can Campbell’s 98% Fat Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can Campbell’s 98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can Campbell’s 98% Fat Free Cream of Celery Soup
1 can Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese Soup
½ can of Rotel Tomatoes & Green Chiles I did not use this because the family is not big on tomatoes
½ cup chunky salsa (I used Medium)
½ onion, chopped Did not use this either, although only because I didn't have it.
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped Did not use. We do no like cilantro in our house
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ t red chili powder I didn't add this in the soup, but did add red crushed pepper flakes to my personal bowl, since I have 5/6 year old eating this it couldn't be spicy.
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
12 T of tortilla strips (the type found in bags by the salad toppings) – I prefer New York Texas Toast brand in Chili Lime, but Fresh Gourmet also sells something similar

Directions:
1.    In a large pot, combine all ingredients except the tortilla strips and stir until mixed. Bring to a boil and then simmer covered for one hour. When serving, sprinkle 1.5 tablespoons of tortilla strips over each cup of soup.

It says that it is 4pp per 1 cup serving (if you are keeping track) I personally always add a point to soups unless I have plugged it in myself, which I haven't had time to do with this one.

Now a picture: courtesy of EmilyBites.com

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Who has their week planned out!?!

I have worked on our weekly planner for a LONG time this weekend.  Needless to say, when you live in a small town and by that I mean village, there are not many options at the 5 isle grocery store.  I have been incorporating weight watchers into our diet pretty heavily so this week was tough.  I did two weeks in advance so that I could make a grocery list for when we go into the city next week.

Here is this weeks.

Monday: Chicken Tortilla Soup

Tuesday: Crock-pot Chicken Chili with Cornbread

Wednesday: Left Overs

Thursday: 3 Cheese manicotti

Friday: Beef Enchilada's with Spanish rice (This is my cheat meal)

Saturday: Clean out the Fridge

Sunday: Chef's choice... which will either be leftovers or chicken wraps

Lunches I usually throw together leftovers and wraps of some sort these days.  Breakfast is always oatmeal or eggs.  I'm pretty boring around here.  What are you having this week?!

My DIY list so far...

This week I'm searching out my DIY projects for the year.  I am working on a list of 12 items (1 a month) that I want to try out.  The list so far?

1. Homemade Laundry Detergent
2. Homemade Dishwasher Detergent
3. Clay Impressions of ALL the kiddo's.  I mean how cool are these!

 

4. Family plaque of some sort 

5. A scrapbook cookbook.
6. Homemade Wheat thins.
7. Homemade Marshmallows
8. Bake Artisan Bread in 5 min.
9. Homemade Cheez-it's (total kids recipe ;) )
10. Make Homemade Hot Chocolate
11. Make all real baby food(sort of an ongoing DIY for 2013)
12. YOUR CHOICE!

AND.... that is where I'm at! Notice I left 12 blank!! Make sure to comment with something you would like to try, but want me to do it first. 

Booking it with Becca

BOOKING IT WITH BECCA 2013

My 2013 reading list is finally here. 

Redeeming Love

The Good Girl

Atrisian Bread in 5 min. a day

100 Thing Challenge

Million Miles in a 1,000 Years

Love Does

Thunder Dog

Calm my anxious heart

The Red Gloves Collection (4 books)

Husband Project

Rekindling Romance: Loving the Love of Your Life

Nineteen Minutes

The Bridge

The Big Miss

Blackberry Winter

Near to the Heart of God

 

Tell Your Time

 

First Time Bakebook

 

Simple Living

 

Long time Coming

 

Les Miserable

 

There ya have it!  I am sure I will add more as I see new ones pop up throughout the year.  One other series I would LOVE to get my hands on it the Francine Rivers Mark of the Lion series.  Our little village doesn't carry it in the library here!

 

What books are YOU reading in 2013?!

2013 Goals

Happy New Years!  Hope you all had a safe and fun NYE.  Our family headed out to some new friends house.  Of course the women were all upstairs in the kitchen and the men were downstairs watching some sort of sports.  The kids, they played and played and played!  There was a mix from ages 6months to 17years old.  All the kids 5 and up were outside most of the night. It was freezing, but there were also fireworks involved so it helps!

Now, the goals I have made.  I usually have the same NYR as everyone. Lose weight, get healthier, etc.  This year I actually came up with a list of goals for different areas of my life.

Goals for 2012

Personal:
Read through the Bible in a year.
Read through the 24 books on my list. (To be posted soon)
Run/walk in at least one 5K race.
Tackle 12 DIY projects

Marriage:
Go on one Marriage Retreat (overnight trips sans children).
Have monthly date nights.
Read 2 books together.
Read at least 2 books on marriage.

Children:
Continue regular dates/outings with each of the children individually.
Go on at least one family vacation.
Read aloud 12 books.

Ministry/Friendships/:
Write at least two handwritten notes every month to encourage someone.
Find a church. We just moved and the pickings are SLIM around here.
Attend a bible study group.

Blogging:
Blog at least 3 times a week.
Plan blog posts out.
Write and schedule blog posts.

Health:

Continue to eat healthy and set an example for my children.

Financial:
Tithe 10% of our income.
Pay off hubs school loan (this is our big audacious goal)

Pay cash for a family vacation AND a mom and dad only vacation.

These are just a few of my goals I have for the year 2013. Obviously I didn’t share all of them, but this is a start!  What are your 2013 goals?  Stay tuned for my DIY projects and Books Lists!