WEDNESDAY

{Slow Cooker} Chicken Tortilla Soup  |  “The Best Guacamole You Will Ever Have”  |  Homemade Tortilla Chips

Good Morning!   Yes, another morning post.  After months of hammering away at my keyboard, posting about dinner, until the late hours each evening I have decided to give morning posts a go.   Longer days, combined with warmer weather are drawing us outdoors in the evening…leisurely strolls after dinner, sitting on the deck with candles glowing as the moon rises over the Bay…so much beauty to enjoy!  So, as I sit down with my morning cup of coffee to recap last evening’s dinner, I hope you will join me…

Temperatures here in the Bay area are making it feel more like Summer than Spring lately.  Yesterday, our “cool spot” by the water in Belvedere saw the mercury rise to 90°!  A summer favorite of ours, this tortilla soup simmered away all day in the slow-cooker and was served with a cool, refreshing guacamole with salty, oven-baked chips.  We enjoyed a late dinner, following baseball, outside on the deck.  Michael & I enjoyed a glass of crisp, dry fumé blanc {Dry Creek Vineyard, Reserve ~ Sonoma County} while the children drank homemade ginger beer {recipe to follow soon in a separate post}.

Chicken Tortilla Soup {adapted from Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Cookbook, by Beth Hensperger & Julie Kaufmann}

• 1 {28-ounces} can diced tomatoes, with their juice
• 1 {10-ounces} can red or green enchilada sauce
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 {4-ounces} can chopped green chiles, drained
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 cups {homemade} chicken broth {can substitute a 14.5 ounce can store bought chicken or vegetable broth}
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano {preferably, Mexican oregano}
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts ~ poached, drained & shredded
• 1 {10-ounces} can Mexican corn, drained

1. Combine the first 13 ingredients {through and including the oregano} in a slow-cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.
2. Add the shredded chicken and corn, cover and continue cooking on low for another 45 minutes.  Discard the bay leaf.  Serve with finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese and or cold sour cream.

As for the guacamole…I spotted this recipe over at A Cup of Jo  and with the tagline “The Best Guacamole You Will Ever Have”, well I just had to give it a try.  The addition of the mango {I used fresh} & pomegranate seeds {since pomegranates are not in season, I used frozen seeds} really gave this version a refreshing taste, perfect for the hot days of Summer…the girls loved it!  But, I have to admit, I prefer a traditional {read no tropical fruit added} version such as this one adding tomato ONLY if it is the height of heirloom tomato season.

Mango-Pomegranate Guacamole {click here to view the recipe at A Cup of Jo}

Making healthier, oven-baked tortilla chips at home couldn’t be easier…click here to view the technique at The Kitchn.  Note:  I used two different types of corn tortillas…organic, sprouted yellow corn and a traditional, white corn variety.  Hands-down, the sprouted, yellow corn tortillas produced amazing chips, so much better than  the traditional white tortilla chip.  Also, I brushed the tortillas with grapeseed oil & baked the chips on pans lined with parchment paper {parchment paper absorbs excess moisture and this helps with crisping the chips in the oven}.

Oven-Baked Tortilla Chips {click here to view the recipe at The Kitchn}

And the final dinner plate…

Are you inspired yet for Cinco de Mayo this coming Sunday?