Cheater Chicken Soup

So I was craving chicken soup.  Here in Houston - in November - it finally dropped below 60 for a daytime high.  It will be warm again in 24 hours but for today I wanted some cold weather comfort food.  I did not have good roasted chicken or chicken stock in the freezer (which is a sin in my family, btw) so came up with a "cheater" version of down home goodness!

Ingredients:
3 boneless, skinless, frozen chicken breasts
1 T + 1 T + 3 T butter
1 T thyme
A few dashes of garlic powder, salt & pepper
1/2 C chopped onion
3 stalks of celery, diced
3 carrots, diced
4 T flour
3 C chicken stock (in a pinch use a good chicken base & water, NOT the bullion cubes)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place the 3 chicken breasts in a foil-lined baking dish, spread a tablespoon of butter & sprinkle the thyme, garlic & some salt & pepper over them.  Bake for 45 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, chop your veggies, melt 1 T butter in a medium sized pot & throw in your onions, celery & carrot, cooking until onions are turning translucent.
4. Add the other 3 T butter, let it melt, then add flour.  Stir it all up & cook for several more minutes, stirring a few times to cook the flour.
5. Add chicken stock to the pot, stirring well, bring to a simmer.
6. Take the chicken out of the oven & let it rest while your soup is simmering.
7. When the soup starts to thicken up, chop up the chicken - don't worry if it's a little pink still. It will finish up in the soup.
8. When the soup is thickened (after about 15 minutes simmering) stir in the chopped chicken & simmer it a few minutes more.  Salt & pepper to taste.
9. Serve your soup over your favorite biscuits or noodles!  Enjoy!

Green Chili Pork Stew

This is a spin on Chuy's Green Chili Chicken Stew.  Mine calls for pork and a crock pot!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
4 chiles roasted, peeled & seeds removed (instructions below), chopped
    **I used 1 poblano & 3 Anaheim peppers
4 tomatillos husked and quartered
3 garlic cloves minced
1 onion chopped - a heaping cup or so
1/4 C flour
4-5 large carrots chopped to 1/2" pieces
1 28oz can diced tomatoes, drained
2 C chicken stock
1 tsp cumin
    **I was out so used Penzey's Bold Taco Seasoning!
About 1 C chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
About 3 pounds of pork loin cut into 1" cubes
Salt & Pepper
Sour cream & corn tortillas for serving

Instructions:

1.  In a heavy skillet heat a few tablespoons of oil & toss in tomatillos.  Sauté for a few minutes then add garlic.  When garlic is fragrant add the onions.

2.  After sautéing a few more minutes add flour, stirring it in to make a roux.  Put all of this into your crock pot along with the peppers, carrots, tomatoes & seasoning.

3.  Wipe out the pan if needed & return to a medium high heat with a little oil.  Sear pork in batches, add to the crock pot.

4.  Pour in stock and stir all together.  Set crock pot on high, cooking until carrots are soft & pork is tender (About 3 hours).  Throw in the cilantro & salt/pepper (if needed) during the last hour or so of cooking.

Serve topped with sour cream, fresh cilantro & freshly heated tortillas.

For some extra variety you can add some black beans, corn and diced potatoes for an even heartier stew.

To roast your peppers put them under your broiler or on your grill.  Watch closely & turn as needed to blacken them all over.  Immediately put them in a ziplock and let the steam do it's thing.  Once they're cool enough to handle you can peel off the skin & remove seeds then they're ready to chop up.