Soup's on

By Rikki Hall

process

Ingredients:

2 Chicken Breasts 2 Long Carrots 1 Zucchini Squash
1 Yellow Squash 1 Yellow Onion 2 Celery Stalks
2 Bell Peppers 28 oz. Diced Tomatoes 14 oz. Tomato Sauce
8 Cups Chicken Stalk 1 tsp Cumin

Chicken tortilla soup is enjoyable throughout the year, summer, winter, spring or fall. The soup can be served with a side salad or as a main course. Tortilla soup is a delicious, easy-to-make meal the whole family will enjoy.

To make the soup, you will need either a large pot or a crock pot. Timing makes the difference in the two ways to prepare the soup. If you have time to monitor the stove, the soup cooks at a faster pace on stovetop. But, if you are scheduled to work or need to run errands, it is best to cook the soup in the crock pot. There is not a noticeable difference in taste between the crock pot and stove, so choose which method works best for your timetable.

The first ingredients in the soup are two chicken breasts, diced. Place the diced chicken pieces in the pot raw. The recipe calls for the following vegetables: two long carrots, two small yellow squash, one zucchini squash, one small yellow onion, two celery stalks, and two bell peppers of any color. Cut and dice all vegetables into bite size pieces and add them to the pot. Next, open one large 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes and pour the tomatoes with juice into the pot. If you prefer your soup spicy, use a can of diced tomatoes with onion and green chiles. One small 14 ounce can of tomato sauce is the next ingredient that you will add to the pot. Two boxes or 8 cups of chicken stock (broth) gives [^give] the flavor to the soup. Once all vegetables, broth, and chicken are added to the pot, stir all ingredients together.

The spices needed are chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Add 1 teaspoon of cumin and 2 teaspoons of chili powder to the soup. (Adding extra chili powder will increase the spiciness of the soup.) Add salt and pepper as desired for taste, but usually a couple of dashes of each will do. Stir the spices and turn the heat to medium-high on the stovetop or low on the crock pot. When cooking the soup on the stove top, bring the soup to a boil and boil for approximately thirty minutes. Then, reduce the heat to low and simmer for one to two hours or until the chicken is white and the vegetables are soft. If the crock pot is your preferred method to prepare the soup, add all ingredients together and cook on low for six to eight hours.

Before serving, garnish each bowl with shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, and sliced avocado. I prefer to use the shredded Mexican blend cheese atop my soup. Often I toss a side salad with ranch or cilantro pepito dressing and serve it with the tortilla soup.

Chicken tortilla soup is simple to make because everything is basically thrown into a pot to cook all day. As a parent, I enjoy feeding this soup to my family because of the nutrients contained in the chicken and vegetables. As a mom, I value the additional time I am able to spend with my family by preparing a meal that cooks by itself. When my day entails a full schedule, the greatest pleasure is a dinner that has already been cooked. Tortilla soup is a fast, nutritious, delightful meal that anyone will love.