Taco Soup

I have found the time to once again grace you with my presence
and recipes!

The rainy season has started here in Seattle,
so that means I will be depressed and gloomy until May.

To help combat the winter blues I needed a little comfort food.
I tried a new recipe from my friend Margaret.
I have always planned on trying taco soup sometime, but never have before.

It was really yummy and even Eli loved it.I loved that we all got to top with with whatever we want.
I put everything in the crockpot and forgot about it, love it!
Give it a try, I know you will love it!

Taco Soup

1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can corn
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 pkg. dry ranch dressing
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes-(I used (2) 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes)

1. Brown meat and add 1/2 taco seasoning to meat.
2. Add all ingredients into crockpot, including second half of taco seasoning.
3. Heat on high for 4 hours.
4. Top with sour cream, grated cheese, lime, avocado, green onions, cilantro, whatever!

Crock-pot Southwest Black Bean Chicken

Good Monday morning!

We had a very busy weekend and now I am ready to tackle another busy week full of Christmas activities and baby preparations. As things are getting busier and closer to the arrival of our little man I am searching for more ways to save time. One of the best ways I have found to free up time is to let the crock-pot do the cooking for me. I love the idea of tossing the food in and letting it cook all day, and not having to worry about it.

This is one of our favorite crock-pot recipes. We have tried several variations of this recipes, some involving cream cheese, some involving shredding the chicken and other things. After trying them all this is our favorite, it is the right combination of everything. It is so delicious and so easy, and we are always so excited about how yummy it is.

Picture courtesy of The Sister's cafe


Crock-pot Southwest Black Bean Chicken

1 small bag frozen corn or 1 can of corn
1 can black beans
2 large frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups of salsa-if you want spicier, add a hotter salsa
shredded cheddar cheese
tortilla chips
sour cream
chopped cilantro
diced avocado
diced tomatoes

If you are using frozen corn place it on the bottom of the crock-pot, then place chicken on top. If you are using canned corn place the chicken on the bottom of the crock-pot, and then the corn on top of the chicken. Then add drained black beans and salsa. Cook on high for 1 hour, and then on low for 4 hours. Shred chicken with forks, mix back in with black bean mixture. Serve with tortilla chips and add toppings to individual servings. Eating with tortilla chips really gives it the best taste, it is the salt and the crunch.

We have a small crock-pot, so we down size the recipe for our needs. It is not an exact science, so we do several small chicken pieces that fit in the crock-pot and the regular amount of corn, black beans and salsa. The little crock-pots only have an on/off setting, usually about 4 hours is the perfect amount of time to cook.

Bajio Chicken Chile Salad

I am sure that you thought that I had fallen off the face of the earth, nope I've just been sick. The only thing I think that is worse than being sick, is being pregnant and sick. It seems that as soon as I start thinking I'm better, the next day I am feeling horrible again. So feeling better or worse I was determined to get something posted this week.

This recipe comes from a site that I love. Leigh Ann at Your Homebased Mom is amazing! She has yummy recipes that I love and tons of fun decorating and holiday ideas.

There are 2 reasons that I wanted to try this recipe. First, I have heard great things about the Chicken Chile Salad from Bajios. Sadly I have never had it, but my friend and favorite neighbor from Rexburg loves it. The second reason, it is a crock-pot recipe. With our baby coming soon and the weather cooling off, nothing seems easier and nicer than dinner making its self on the counter. This recipe was so easy that I actually gave it to my husband and he put it together while I finished getting ready for church.

This Chicken Chile was so wonderful. Having never tried the real Chicken Chile I have nothing to compare it to, but Leigh Ann says it's right on with the real thing. And as far as I am concerned, even if it doesn't taste like the original, it tastes so good, why would it matter? Leigh Ann used the chicken as a topping on a salad, like at the restaurant. I found that my lettuce was looking a little sad, so we made burritos for dinner and quesadillas the next day with the leftovers. I am pretty convinced that you could put it on just about anything and it would be great.

So without further ado, here is the recipe. Try it out, and let me know what you think.



This is out burrito. Sorry it's not as beautiful as Leigh Ann's picture.

Bajio Chicken Chile Salad

5 chicken breasts (I only used 4 large ones)

1/2 cup salsa

1 Tbsp cumin

1/2 cup brown sugar (more to taste)

1 4 oz. can diced green chilies

6 oz. Sprite (1/2 can)

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Return to crock pot and cook 1 more hour. Thicken the juices with a little cornstarch mixed in water.

Serve with flour tortillas, lettuce, cheese, black beans and any other taco fixings.

If you want it spicier rather than sweeter add a hotter salsa and more green chilies.