Mmm D'licious: Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

So it's been cold in San Diego. Today it barely reached 50 degrees, and I'm colder by nature I guess, so much so that my husband (and sometimes mother in law) give me a hard time about always being cold while they are sweating bullets...I guess they are cut out of the same cloth. A thicker, more suitable for winter, cloth (wink). But it has been colder than normal for January in San Diego; usually we have a heat spell and its about 80 degrees on New Years, but cold blooded or not, I have actually enjoyed the winter-like (for San Diego) weather, and it definitely gave me a hankering for some warm, hearty Chicken Tortilla Soup! So go to Trader Joe's, get your ingredients, get your crockpot out and your sweat pants on (but don't go to Trader Joe's in your sweat pants) and enjoy!

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

3-4 half Chicken breasts
Chicken broth
1 can Trader Joe's Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes
1 can Trader Joe's Organic Black Beans
1 can Trader Joe's Diced Fire Roasted Chilies 
I box Trader Joe's Creamy Corn and Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Taco Seasoning {I use Lawrys- but Trader Joe's has one too}

Directions:

Cook Chicken in Crock Pot 4-5 hours on low either covered with Chicken broth or water with a sprinkle of seasoned salt (lawrys), garlic powder, and a little Caldo de Pollo.

Once it is done- shred it. It should literally just pull/fall apart {the beauty of the crock pot}.

In a large pot combine soup, tomatoes, chilies, beans (drained), and shredded chicken. 
Sprinkle taco seasoning to taste. 
Bring to a low boil.

Garnish with tortilla chips, grated sharp cheddar cheese, and avocado slices. 

Or just enjoy plain. 

Either way- this is a perfect rainy day comfort food!

Serve with Trader Joe's Cornbread!!

*substitute the oil in the directions on the box for a 1/2 cup apple sauce. Healthier, and tastier!!


Don't you love Trader Joe's? I do.

Mmm D'Licious: Teriyaki Pineapple Chicken

Are you as obsessed with Trader Joe's as I am? I started shopping there shortly after I got married because they have yummy frozen, super easy dinners for 2 (ish). We got married young, so before that it was mainly quesodillas, mac n cheese and turkey sandwiches.  I was new at cooking, so it was something of an introduction to cooking for me. Thanks Joe. I've come a long way in 5 1/2 years, and now I really enjoy cooking and even "inventing" my own dishes. By inventing I simply mean...cooking without a recipe :-)
{I also don't buy the frozen meals much anymore....its much tastier when you make the dish yourself...although, it can be nice in a pinch!}

I've been craving Teriyaki Chicken, so tonight, I made it. And it was good....although next time I think I'll marinade the chicken and have Sean BBQ them with the pineapple, onion and bell pepper on skewers.

Ingredients:

3 half chicken breasts
1 onion
1/2 red bell pepper
pineapple chunks
teriyaki sauce
rice

Chop and saute onion and bell pepper
Cut chicken into pieces
Add to veggies
Season with a little garlic powder
Pour teriyaki sauce over chicken and veggies
Cook until chicken is white throughout
Add pineapple chunks
Serve over rice {I use trader joes Organic Brown rice...its microwavable...rice in 4 minutes? yes please!}

The end. That's it. Super quick, super easy...and it tastes good too!

Mmm D'Licious: Chicken Marsala

 Since most of my Mmm D'licious posts have been desserts [eek] and we are not making desserts right now...I'm trying to post more entrées! Here is one of my favorites and a staple around here!

Chicken Marsala

Ingredients:

3-4 half chicken breasts
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs olive oil
Knorr Turkey Gravy packet [or Williams Sonoma Turkey Gravy Base (available during the holidays) + 1/2 milk]
Sprinkle Lawrys Seasoned salt
Sprinkle Garlic powder
3 Tbs Yoshida sauce
1/2 C Sweet Marsala Wine

Cut chicken into pieces, cook in pan with butter and olive oil until white all the way through.
Sprinkle chicken with salt and garlic powder
Cook gravy as directed
Add to cooked chicken
Add Yoshida & Marsala wine
turn on the heat for a couple minutes

*this is also good with sautéed veggies {onion, bell pepper, squash] in it or as a side*

Serve over rice or noodles [I usually do noodles] with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

A Very Vday Tradition

For most couples, Valentine's Day means reservations at the most expensive steakhouse you can afford {or that is still taking reservations that day- since I heard a statistic that something like 70% of men forget to make their reservations early enough} red roses, perfume, conversation hearts, a box of chocolates, and maybe diamonds jewelry. 


While I am a self proclaimed hopeless romantic, Hallmark holidays just don't really strike much of a cord with me, so we have never made a huge deal out of it.  A couple of years ago we decided that staying home and cooking dinner together was just more "us."  And that is just what we did.  I made garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus, parmesan toasted rolls, and Sean grilled fillets for us.  And so it became our little Vday Tradition.  


Sidenote: in case you were worried...we go out to dinner A LOT. Sometimes to fancy, expensive dinners, other times to one of our 5 "go-to" choices, but we do go out.  Matter of fact- we are going  OUT on a date tonight!! Our last one for a little while, since Claire will be here on Tuesday!!! Yay!


Here are a couple of pics of our Valentine's Dinner :-)

"It's so simple and it's so true- I love us...and I love you"

{ba-you-ns that Daddy brought home for Jack- he LOVED them}

The view from my seat. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.

Of course no meal is complete without some sort of yummy dessert. Usually I try to come up with something delectable and special, but this year good 'ol brownies and ice cream were the winners. And it was good.
                                                      xo