Southwestern Turkey (well, chicken...) Soup

I was not scheduled to babysit today, but since I was done with work early today, my babysitting services were called upon.  That meant finding a recipe to make!  We originally planned on doing something with turkey as a “modified Thanksgiving,” so we considered turkey stir fry and a southwestern turkey soup.  We opted for the soup.  Mainly because we wanted cornbread. 

I met Jami at the store after work to pick up ingredients.  That’s when we decided to make the soup with chicken instead of turkey.  One, because Jami had chicken at home, and two, we didn’t want to get burnt out on turkey before Thanksgiving.

This recipe, like our other recipes, was easy.  We threw the ingredients in a crock pot and let it cook for a few hours while Jami was at work.  It turned out delicious!  It was pretty liquid-y, but that could be because we didn’t drain the corn or the black beans.  Oops.  Still turned out great.

Babysitting wasn’t as easy as the last time.  Harlee passed out pretty soon after Jami left, so I got some knitting done.  He only slept for about a half hour and then he woke up.  I didn’t think he’d be hungry, since Jami fed him before he left.  So I changed his diaper, but he was still fussy. I tried bouncing him, rocking him, walking him around the house, but he was still fussy.  So I decided to feed him.  That made him happy.  Unfortunately, what I gave him wasn’t enough, so I had to make another bottle.  While he was eating, I heard the tell-tale noise of a dirty diaper.  After eating, I cleaned his messy, stinky diaper, and then we laid on the floor and made noises and faces at each other.  I even got him to giggle.  Yay!

After some bouncing, he went to sleep again, which gave me time to prepare the cornbread before Jami got home.  Once that was done, it was back to knitting and “Wheel of Fortune.”  Soon, Jami and Justin returned, and it was dinnertime. Here’s the menu.  Take note that we made some modifications on the soup.  We used chicken instead of turkey, although this will be great for Thanksgiving leftovers. We also omitted the avocado and the cilantro (we thought there was some at the house) and added a can of corn and can of black beans.

Tonight we’ve also whipped up an almond pear torte, but that’s for Thanksgiving at Granny’s tomorrow.  Hopefully it turns out yummy!

Southwestern Turkey (aka Chicken) Soup
     adapted from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/southwestern-turkey-soup/detail.aspx

1 1/2 cups shredded cooked turkey (or 3 chicken breasts, in our case)
2 cups vegetable broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 roma (plum) tomato, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon lime juice (we just used a whole lime)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced (which we left out)
1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro (didn't have any, whoops!  Instead we used basil and oregano)
shredded Monterey Jack cheese to top it off

In a large pot over medium heat, combine turkey, broth, canned tomatoes, green chiles, fresh tomato, onion, garlic, and lime juice. Season with cayenne, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
Stir in avocado and cilantro, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until slightly thickened. Spoon into serving bowls, and top with shredded cheese. 

That was the original recipe.  With our modifications, we combined our ingredients in a crock pot, set it on high, and left it for about 2.5 hours.  Along with the cheese, we mixed in a spoonful of sour cream.  Turned out great!

Best Cornbread Ever
     (we're not kidding)

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp baking powder

Combine the ingredients and either pour into a 9" pan or a muffin pan.  Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes for the 9" pan or 10-15 minutes for the muffins.