New Adventure - Day One

So I don't know if it's the baby making me nest, or the thought that now I am going to have 3 kids, or the fact that I know that soon we will be off to our next duty station and more than likely I am going to be working full time (in addition to being a housewife) that has made me into an organizational freak!!  I LOVE to cook but I hate deciding what we are going to have.  When we first got married, I would plan our meals out for the week and then take it from there. That lasted until Lulu came and then I was pretty much at home so I would make whatever I felt like.  Well, it's gotten old so I have completely gotten organized and decided to try something new. The month of November is completely planned for dinners and we are trying the crockpot.  I found a blog with a lady who took an entire and cooked in NOTHING but her crockpot.  Now I am not that daring - we have a few days, including Thanksgiving, where I am cooking other things but for the most part - I'm cooking in the crockpot.  So here it goes, I'll share what we had, whether we liked it and then at least I can look back and have an idea that it's something to do again.

Chicken Enchilada Chili
The Ingredients.

serves 6

1 1/2 pounds chicken (boneless & skinless, OR fish out the bones and skin after about 4 hours)
1 1/2 cups prepared enchilada sauce
2 chopped celery stalks
2 (14.5 oz) cans tomatoes with seasoning (your choice: I had basil, garlic and olive oil on hand)
2 (15 oz) cans pinto or kidney beans, undrained (or 1 cup dried pinto beans, soaked overnight)
1 onion, diced (or 1 tablespoon dried, minced onion flakes)
1-2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin


The Directions
Pour enchilada sauce and canned tomatoes into the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker. Add beans, celery, onion and spices. Stir to combine. Place chicken on top. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until flavors have combined. If you are using dried beans, you may need to cook longer to fully soften the beans.  I shredded the chicken and then served with shredded cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream, if desired. We also had tortilla chips on the side (which Robbie crumbled into his chili)

The Results
We loved it!!  Well, Robbie, Gabbie and I enjoyed it.  Lulu didn't love it - she ended up with a grilled cheese but everyone else did.  We all agreed it was perfect for a cold night.  So try it and ENJOY!!!