{Organic} Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Hi friends!

I have had a {severe} craving for tortilla soup lately. I have eaten it maybe a handful of times in all of my existence, but for some reason, I cannot live without having some. And soon.

So I Googled some recipes and even texted a friend about a tortilla soup I ate with her like three years ago! I don't even remember what that soup had in it, I just remember it was good. And I wanted some... right then.

After some research and a return text with a basic list of ingredients, I got the general idea that tortilla soup can range from pretty basic {maybe even bland} to a full on authentic meal!
I decided to venture without a recipe and put some ingredients together for something in between.
Easy. Right?

Anyways, off to the races... I mean the recipe:

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe {Serves 5}

Shopping/Ingredient List:

1.5 lb organic chicken breast, shredded
4 cups organic chicken broth
1 {16oz.} jar organic black bean and corn salsa
1 can {15oz} organic black beans, drained
1 can {14.5oz} organic diced tomato
1/2 cup frozen organic corn
1 tsp organic cumin
1 tsp organic ground garlic
1 tsp organic paprika
1 tsp organic onion powder
salt and pepper {to taste}
1 Tbsp fresh organic cilantro leaves, no stems

{Additionally} Some Topping Ideas:

Tortilla chips, crunched or tortilla strips
Fresh organic cilantro leaves
Monterrey Jack or a Mexican blend cheese
Jalapeno, diced or sliced
Organic sour cream
Organic avocado, diced



Directions:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the shredded chicken, broth and salsa. Stir.
Next add the black beans, tomato and corn. Stir.
Add the cumin, garlic, paprika, onion powder and salt and pepper. Stir.
Toss the fresh cilantro over the mixture and give another stir.

Simmer to a low boil. Turn down the heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve with your favorite toppings!

For a crockpot:

Pour chicken broth, diced tomato and corn into slow cooker. Add the cumin, garlic, paprika, onion powder and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken breasts and cook on low for 6 hours.

Remove chicken and shred, then return to slow cooker. Add the black beans, and cilantro. Stir. Allow to cook another 30 minutes until heated all the way through. Top with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!

{I purchase affordable organic ingredients at Meijer, Kroger and Costco. It is simply a family preference. You can use conventional ingredients if you prefer for this, and any other recipe, found on this blog.}

{Organic} Chicken Pot Pie

Winter is for staying warm. From the inside out.
That's just my opinion.
But don't get me wrong! I love a good snowstorm. And building snowmen. And skiing down the slopes of Michigan with the cold wind against my face too!

But onto the keeping warm part of this post...
Chicken pot pie is a staple for executing a warm {full} belly in our house. And it's a great way to incorporate vegetables under a flaky, buttery, perfectly golden brown crust. Can you guess my favorite part?

So, anyways, here is your shopping/ingredient list:
{I choose organic products for a couple dollars more, but you don't have to.}

2 organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts- shredded
1 10oz. frozen bag of organic mixed vegetables
1/2 organic onion diced
3T organic butter + 1 1/2 frozen butter sticks for pie crust = 2 sticks of butter
3 cups organic chicken broth
1/4 cup organic all purpose flour + 2 1/2 cups for pie crust = 2 3/4 cups
salt and pepper to taste + 1/2 teaspoon for pie crust
6-8 T ice cold water for pie crust

Now here is how you throw it all together.

First, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Next, if your chicken is raw, you will need to boil the breasts in water until it is ready to shred. This process should take no longer than 30 minutes on med-high heat. Shred chicken with a fork.

Set the shredded chicken aside.

For the filling:

In a skillet over medium heat, melt the 3T organic butter. Add the diced onion, and frozen mixed vegetables. When the vegetables are not thawed but starting to get tender {about five minutes} add the chicken.

Cook for another minute before you sprinkle the 1/4 cup organic flour over the vegetable/chicken mixture. Stirring until it is all combined.

Pour the chicken broth in. Stirring until combined.

Continue to cook on medium heat until the sauce is thickened, then add the salt and pepper. Cover and then turn off the heat.

For the pie crust:
{I do not own a food processor. So my method for pie crust has always been done by me. And by that, I simply mean the two hands God gave me. It doesn't take a lot of work for this all butter crust though. Rule to remember: too much water will make this dough tough, not flaky.}

First get a measuring cup and fill it to 1/2 cup water. Add ice cubes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, pour the 2 1/2 cups organic flour, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in.
Now, remove the stick and a half of organic butter from the freezer and with a fork begin to chip away at it using the side of the fork on one end, to create flakes. Immediately put the flakes into the flour mixture.
With your hands, begin to combine the flour and butter. Turning it over onto itself and pinching the pieces of butter with your fingers in the flour until they are roughly pea size.
It should look crumbly at this stage.
Now take a tablespoon and ladle the ice cold water {without ice} one by one into the bowl. Starting with 3 Tablespoons. Mix with your hands. Add another 3 Tablespoons of water. Mix again with your hands.
At this stage of the pie crust, if you pinch some of the crumbly dough, and it holds together, then it is ready! Too much water, again, will make for a tough dough. So try to keep it to a minimum.

Finishing touches:

Flour your surface area. It's time to get this chicken pot pie rolling!

First divide your dough into two equal parts.
Sprinkle the first half with a little flour and use your rolling pin to roll out the dough to about 1/4 thickness.

Spread over a 9 inch pie plate. Gently press down the dough to line the sides and top. Leave an inch overhang and cut off the rest. Take a fork and poke a couple holes in the bottom of the crust.

Put the shell into the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. It will look glossy and be warm.

While that is baking, roll the second dough to same thickness.

After the shell has pre-baked , pull it from the oven and pour the warm filling into the pan. Remember to use caution, since the plate will be HOT.
Cover the filling with the second layer of pie dough. Pinching the sides to meet the pre-baked crust.
You can get fancy and twist it, braid it, press it with your fingers... whatever. Just make sure the crusts meet.

Put back into the oven and bake for 40 minutes on the middle rack, or until golden brown on top! I use a cookie sheet on the rack below because as it bakes, it starts to bubble.

Remove from oven. Scoop generous sized portions, and enjoy!

Six! Holy cow that happened fast!

*old post that was never published

Six. 

How can it be that you are now six?

Nolan,

It is getting harder to find the time to sit down and look at your life in review of the last year, because you are becoming increasingly busier as you get older. Which in turns makes things busier for me.

But here goes:

You are such a good example for your younger siblings. 

I am so proud of who you are. 

You treat the girls with kindness and respect. And at the same time, enjoy tricking them or wrestling with them like they were one of the guys. 

You are funny. 

Witty. You think on your feet.

And have a heart of gold. 

You are wild with creativity. 

And love to build.

Recently we have been enjoying board games. 

You can actually beat me at checkers!

You love it when I have to king you. And when you jump one of my guys.

You are always black. I am always red.

It's the "rules".

But I also like to play kerplunk, and marbles with you.

You are usually the one who wins, and are not the best at losing.. but after being on the coach pitch baseball team this summer, you are getting more used to it :)

You love to be outside. 

Play. Get sweaty. 

Kick a ball. 

Swing a bat.

Ride your bike. Or Razor scooter.

Get pushed on the swings, to include a couple "short stops" and "underdogs".

Or play "Giant" on the playset, where I have to chase you and the girls around and call out "fee fi fo fum" as you try and outrun me. You are quick. But sometimes I am sneaky, and will run under the playset and meet you on the other side. To which you scream, and then laugh, as I tickle you. 

And then it's your turn to be the Giant.

You wear shoes without socks.

Have stinky boy feet.

And often refuse a shower. Or bath. 

I have to remind you to brush your teeth. 

And to put your clothes in the dirty laundry.

You love to unwind on the couch, just like your daddy. And love a good "movie theater" at home.

Complete with a barrage of treats.

You have a soul that is on fire for our Creator, and it astounds me how many bible stories you can relay. I love to hear you tell the girls bedtime stories from the bible after we have read our book and said our prayers, and you are supposed to be sleeping. I love that you were brought to inconsolable tears one night because you told the story of Jesus dying on the cross for us. And you were so overcome with gratitude that you hid under the blanket and just wept. It was a beautifully, soggy moment. And I will always remember it.

You talk about moving to Florida. Often.
Saying that you are going to live on the ocean.
But not go swimming very deep, because there are big squid in there.
And you always let me know that we will still live together.
Unless I make you mad. Then you say that you will be like Kevin in Home Alone, to which you will start jumping up and down and saying, "When I grow up, I'm living alone. Do you hear me? I'm living alone! I'm living alone!" And I of course pretend to be sad, and then you try to hide smiling about hurting my feelings, and then we usually end up in a tickle fight, and you finally agree that I CAN live with you again.

You start a full day of school this year, and I hate that half of your day will be with someone other than me. But I am excited for you to learn to read and make new friends, since your preschool buddy for the last two years, Matteo, is in the other kindergarten class. You are not overly enthused about school as is, preferring recess over any real homework or learning duties. But I do think you will enjoy the accomplishment that comes along with learning new things.

Since your birthday has just recently passed, there is already talk about next years party.
Your imagination and zest for life is beautiful.

I love you.
To the moon and back, my boy.

~Mama