Cookin' It Up In Texas: 2015

After a long lapse in posting, We're baaaacckkkk!
I thought after the long break that we would start off with the very first recipe we ever posted. Our soup we came up with on a cold winter night. It hits the spot and warms you up in the best way! Spicy, cheesy, chickeny rice soup!
This is updated and revised with photos and better directions. Another change that had to be made is the southwest philadelphia cream cheese cooking creme, its no longer available. But no worries, we worked around that problem!

Ingredients:

3-4 Chicken Breasts

3 Cups Chicken Broth or Hot water with 3 Cubes of Chicken Broth Boullion Cubes
1/2 Cup Water

1 Small Can of Tomato Sauce

1/2 to Whole Can of Rotel

1 Tsp Ground Cumin

1 Tsp Salt

Whole pack Taco Seasoning

1 Small Yellow Onion, Chopped

2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

Jalapeno Pepper 1/2 to 1, Seeded and Chopped

2 or more Dried Chili De Arbol Peppers, Whole

8 oz Velveeta Cheese

1 Philadelphia Cream Cheese 8 oz tub

1/2 C Each Monterey Jack and Mild Cheddar Shredded
1 Package of Mahatma Saffron Yellow Rice 5 oz

1 Can Mexicorn (You can find this in the canned corn aisle)

8 Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Strips

2 Tblsp Oil
Mexican Seasoning for tortilla strips

To start, place 3 cups of hot water or chicken broth in your crock pot. If you use water add 3 cubes of chicken broth boullion. Add an additional 1/2 cup water.

Add to crock pot one small can of tomato sauce and half a can of rotel, you may put the whole can if you wish, i always like to save the other half for salsa. Here's one of my favorite Salsa Recipes- Quick n Easy Salsa

Next, add seasonings, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and a pack of taco seasoning.

Add one chopped small yellow onion, 2 cloves of garlic, minced and half of a jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped. You may add more if you prefer, depending on how spicy you want it.

Add 2 or more depending on your preference, dried chili de arbol peppers, or any type of dried red chili pepper. Do not chop these up, you'll remove them in a little while.

Place 3-4 chicken breasts in your crock pot. I like to cut up into large chunks. Cook on High for 4 Hours or Low for 6 Hours.

In the meantime, prepare your Saffron rice as stated on package, i use the Mahatma brand its called, saffron yellow. Set aside.

After your chicken is done, remove from crockpot along with the dried peppers.

Discard peppers and place chicken in bowl to cool. You'll be shredding the chicken once it cools.

Now you have a wonderful broth left over.

To broth, add all the shredded cheeses, velveeta and tub of philadelphia cream cheese. Add cooked rice and mexicorn.

Once your chicken cools shred it, add about 2 cups to soup. Reserve the rest to make some Baked Flautas or whatever you would like.

Heres a link to the recipe i use for Baked Chicken Flautas -Baked Chicken Flautas

Put crock pot on high, cook until cheeses have melted, around 30 minutes.

While soup is finishing up, let's prepare the crispy tortilla strips. When purchasing tortillas for this recipe, try to find as thin of a tortilla as you can. You want to cut 8 corn tortillas into strips. Place them in a gallon size freezer bag and add 2 Tablespoons of oil, seal and shake well.

Next add seasoning to bag, i use mccormick mexican season, but you may use garlic, chili powder, squeeze a lime in or even taco seasoning to flavor them, shake well. I like to sprinkle some on strips, shake bag, keep repeating the process until they are seasoned to my liking.

Place in a 13x9 pan and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20-35 minutes (depending on thickness of tortilla) until they are lightly browned and crisp. Stir every 10 minutes during baking time for extra crispiness!

Once heated through and cheeses are melted, your soup is done.

Top with crispy tortilla strips when serving.