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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Recipe Review: Crock Pot Spicy Chicken Soup

I REALLY love Chicken Tortilla soup. Like, REALLY LOVE it. There is just one problem: Every recipe I have found has green chilies in it. Now, for ME that is not a problem, but for my boyfriend it is a HUGE problem. To put it delicately, he says Chicken Tortilla soup (or anything with green chilies) is a really good "cleansing" meal for him.

So, with all of that in mind, I decided to make up my own recipe that just might, if I am lucky, be close to my favorite Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe. And luckily, it was delicious!! It was also very spicy, as in my nose was a bit runny, so adjust your spices accordingly. I already adjusted it to half the Cheyenne pepper that I originally used.

Please note that I do not eat beans. I have a strange aversion to EVERY type of bean so any recipe that would normally have beans is cooked without for me. That mean I do not use them in Chicken Tortilla soup and did not use them in my substitute recipe. If you like beans feel free to experiment with that and leave comments in this post!


When I experiment with recipes I rarely measure so most of my measurements are approximations and can be adjusted to suit your taste.

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast (I prefer thin cut because it cooks quicker and is easier to shred)
3 carrots or 8 baby carrots, sliced thin
4 large celery stalks, sliced thin
½ large yellow onion, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
2 C (approx.) chicken stock
1 C (approx..) water (milk can be substituted if you prefer a creamier soup)
2 T (approx..) chopped garlic
¼  t.* (approx.) Cheyenne pepper (this is enough to give it spice but not heat, add more if you like heat)
Black pepper to taste



  • In a 2 Qt. crock pot add chicken (it can be thawed or frozen) and fill with stock until chicken is covered.
  • Add tomatoes, vegetables and spices, fill with water until covered.
  • If chicken is frozen set on high for 6-8 hours. (It will be cooked in 6 but more tender in 8).
  • If thawed set on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4. For best results cook on low heat. If you do not have 6-8 hours you can cook on low for 3 hours then set on high for 1-2 hours.
  • When food is finished, use 2 forks to shred the chicken. It should come apart easily.

*I tried ½ t of Cheyenne pepper when I made this and it was pretty spicy, not HOT, but had a kick. 





Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Recipe Review: Yummy Beef Tips

I hit the jackpot on this one! I have to say that this is THE best recipe I have found online and I will be making this over and over and OVER!!!

My Pinterest "Noms" board is full of recipes I would like to try, but most are a bit more complicated and I have been putting them off. And if you have been reading this blog you know that they don't always turn out so great. (See Crock Pot Lasagna)

This recipe comes from Mommy's Kitchen and she has a lot of what appear to be great recipes. This one seems to be her most popular so I am not overly surprised that it is so delicious. I am a bit surprised that I managed to pull it off so well, however.

First of all, as I have mentioned,  I don't always do things by the book. This was no exception. In fact, I messed up a few things and now I have basically invented an entirely different recipe. I still want to promote the Mommy's Kitchen recipe, because it looks amazing, but I can't personally attest to it since I am so inept that I couldn't even follow the recipe.

  • Stew meat (1 lb, but can double that with same ingredients)
  • 1 pkg brown gravy mix
  • 1 pkg ranch dressing mix
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup (I used an organic soup with low sodium)
  • 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
  • Broccoli
  • Garlic powder and black pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 tsp each)




  • Preheat over to 300 degrees
  • Place the meat, broccoli and onion evenly in casserole dish 
  • Sprinkle with garlic powder and pepper
  • Mix all other ingredients together in a bowl then pour on to meat and veggies
Make sure the dish is well sealed. I have a covered casserole dish, but tightly covered with foil is all you need. 

This dish will cook for 3 hours. DO NOT CHECK IT. Just leave it and in 3 hours it is tender and amazingly delicious!!

I had this over white rice, but over egg noodles or mashed potatoes would probably be just as delicious. 
Pretty much the BEST meal ever!

I plan to try this in a crock pot as well. I think on low while I am at work will do fine. And add a few paper towels under the lid to capture the extra moisture. I will let you know in comments when I give this a try. It will be cooked again soon!