Eat your heart out, Taco Bell


By Rosalyn Santerre
Feast your eyes on the Best. Soup. Ever: -áSuper-easy, super-fast and super-delicious.
There are only so many days during the week you can use "it's been a hectic dayGÇ¥ as an excuse to feed your kids fast food for dinner. Don't make eyebrows at me, we've all been there. It's truth-talk time. I'd like to pretend I have my life together; admitting is the first step. I'm a realist.
Time to bust out the crockpot with this basic recipe. I like to call it the "dump-and-goGÇ¥ dinner.
If you happen to have leftover chicken in the fridge, this would be a great time to use it. If not, take a few chicken breasts out of the freezer, chop them up into cubes and throw them in the pot. On the rare occasion that I do, in fact, have my life together, I'll take a few extra chicken breasts out and prepare them the night before. This is rare. Don't try to be Super Mom guys, remember, we're being realists.
In any case, chuck your chunked up chicken in the crock. (Say that five times fast.)
Throw in your chopped onions, garlic, tomato sauce and a tiny splash of olive oil.
Drain your beans and give them a good rinse. You don't want all that starch added to your food. Pour in your can of diced tomatoes, or chop up two fresh ones. I used fresh because mine were getting soft.
Add the chicken broth. My husband likes soup a little thicker, aka "stoupGÇ¥ so I usually use less.
Add the seasonings and adobe goodness. I usually pull the adobes out early since I have two children who think black pepper is too spicy.
Chop up some cilantro and add your corn.
Put the lid on, set it on high for five hours or low for 10 ... and walk away. Yes, you heard that right my friends. Walk far away. Don't look back. Go paint your nails, take a shower and use conditioner, just get crazy.
It's now 5 p.m. At this point, you're usually sweating, trying to multitask dinner, kid's homework, last-minute house cleaning, tripping over the dog GÇô you know how it is.
Husband walks in the door. There you are GÇô all calm, peaceful, jeans on (not three-day-old sweats), showered.
And dinner, is totally, completely, done. BOOM!
Pour some of that delicious gold into a bowl, top with cheese, sour cream and cilantro.
You just owned a weeknight dinner. Get it, girl. Get it.
INGREDIENTS:
" 2 tsp olive oil
" 1/2 an onion, chopped
" 3 cloves garlic, minced
" 3 cups low-sodium fat-free chicken broth
" 30 oz can of tomato sauce
" 3 tsps chipotle chili in adobo sauce (this
stuff is SPICY, but gives it great flavor)
" 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (plus more
for garnish)
" 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and
drained
" 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes (or 2
fresh tomatoes diced)
" 2 cups frozen corn
" 1 heaping tsp of cumin
" 1 tsp -áof dried oregano
" 16 oz skinless chicken breasts
" 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
" fat free sour cream (optional)
 

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