I'm back.....Soup-er :-)

Okay, I'm terrible. It's been almost a solid year and I haven't updated this blog a single time. That's because I haven't cooked in a year...JUST KIDDING, G-d forbid :-P It's been a year since I moved to New York, which means a year of cooking and baking and new recipes and experiments on new friends. What did I ever do before Pinterest, where I've been diligently pinning a ton of amazing recipes that I've stumbled upon on my own, or that I've repinned from friends - recipes like this crowd-pleasing Asian slaw, these amazing swear-you're-eating-a-Reese's-peanut-butter-cup brownies, or this once-you-start-you-can't-stop cake batter popcorn. I guess there haven't been any standout recipes in the last year that I've come up with on my own, though....until now :-)

I was doing a lazy, casual Shabbos dinner with some friends at my place this past weekend. We decided to order from Carlos and Gabby's, the kosher Mexican restaurant in the NYC-area. At the last minute, though, I panicked that I didn't have enough food. Since Shabbos doesn't start till, like, 11pm (it feels like!) and I was home from work by 3, I decided I had enough time to play around and bulk up the meal a bit with some soup. I had just seen a recipe on TV for a chicken tortilla soup and was inspired, so I decided to have at it and come up with a recipe of my own. With only 2 minutes worth of chopping, a few cans that needed to be opened, and, thanks to the fact that I live in walking distance to several kosher grocery stores, a pre-made rotisserie chicken that I just needed to shred up myself, this turned into a delicious, hearty soup with just a little kick in the background. I love when something new surprises me with how yummy it is! Luckily, there were leftovers, which meant that I had some delicious dinners this week too....and anyone who knows me knows that I am NOT a fan of leftovers, so you know this one was worth it!

 Mexican Chicken Soup
(serves 10)

2 tbsp. canola oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1 package of taco seasoning
1 chipotle in adobo (canned), chopped
1 28-oz. can of crushed tomatoes
4 cups of chicken stock
1 tbsp. salt
1/2 tbsp. black pepper
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 cups of shredded cooked chicken
1 11-oz. can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 11-oz. can of corn, drained

Heat oil in a large pot and add the onion and pepper. Sautee over medium heat until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the taco seasoning and chipotle and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover, but leave the lid slightly open, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 40 minutes, until slightly thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and brown sugar (adjust to taste), and add the chicken, beans and corn. Serve with tortilla chips.