Tags: For the Colder Months Quick Recipes Weekday Meals
It’s October and the weather is finally changing. It’s changing slow as molasses here in Vegas, but it is changing. We’ve gone from an average of 110° to an average of 85°. Doesn’t seem like Fall, but when you’ve had 110° since the beginning of May, it’s practically an Arctic chill. I woke up yesterday to a flash flood warning on my phone. I jumped out of bed, ran to the window looking for dark skies and was sorely disappointed to see beautiful blue skies. Apparently, the storm clouds were hiding just behind Mount Charleston and by noon we were enjoying torrential rainfalls…it was wonderful! My point is, IT’S FALL!!
Fall means Starbucks is selling Pumpkin Spice Lattes, every store you go into has holiday decorations out, and pumpkin patches are going up all over town. I’m sitting here on the couch snuggled up with a fuzzy blanket and fuzzy socks (with the AC on) and enjoying the pitter patter of rain I hear outside. The arrival of Fall means one more important thing in our home…SOUP SEASON!!
I love soup season. So many delicious varieties—vegetable, potato, lentil, lemon rice, broccoli cheese, French onion, bisque. They can be cream based, broth based, or even Miso based. You can serve it with freshly baked bread, biscuits, or gooey grilled cheese sandwiches. And let’s be real, you literally throw everything into one pot and call it dinner. It’s magic.
If you were to ask your typical family of four what their favorite soup is, you’d likely get four different answers. That is not the case in our house. Everyone’s favorite “mama made” soup is Chicken Tortilla Soup. The soup itself is “knock-your-socks-off” delicious, but what really pushes it over the edge are the toppings. They just take it to the next level. Sounds totally cheesy, but it’s true. In addition to being yummy, it’s super easy to make.
CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP:
64 oz. chicken stock
1-2 cups water
30 oz. can green enchilada sauce
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups frozen corn
Chicken breast, cooked and shredded (optional. This soup is just as yummy without the chicken)
Place all ingredients in a heavy bottom stock pot over med-high heat and let cook until rice is fully cooked. About 30-40 minutes.
NOTE: I’ve used a store-bought rotisserie chicken on more than one occasion, so don’t think you have to go all out and make this more complicated than it is.
Toppings:
Tortilla chips, smashed up a bit
Cilantro
Radish, sliced
Shredded cheese
Salsa
Avocado
Sour cream
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with whatever your little heart desires. The above list is what we do, but you could really add just about anything. Well, not anything, but you know what I mean. This soup is a crowd pleaser as well. If you have guests coming over, but don’t have a lot of time, this soup is the perfect solution! Put your toppings into individual bowls on the table and your meal becomes interactive and fun. Your guests will be impressed with the massive flavor explosion and think you put much more work into it than you actually did. Win/Win!
