Southwest Chicken Soup AND a Book Birthday

Yes, I'm celebrating because the last book in my Rocky Mountain Heroes series releases today!

Learning to trust can be the greatest adventure.

She’s always played it safe…Can he reach her guarded heart?

Ready to open his camp for young cancer patients, Daniel Stephens must impress foundation overseer Blythe McDonald to ensure she approves funding for next year. But the cautious former cancer patient was once let down by a similar program, and she’ll leave no stone unturned in her evaluation. Can he convince her his camp is worthy of the money…and that he’s worthy of her love?

I love this story so much. When God first laid it on my heart, I didn't think I could write it. But you know how God is, He likes to get His way. The good news is that He always equips us. He graciously put people in my life just when I needed them.

But enough about that, because I'm on a deadline. It's also cool again, which means I can not only make soup, I can do it in the CrockPot. And when you're short on time, that's a win-win.

Another wonderful thing about this Southwest Chicken Soup is that it's low-fat. Score one for the old waistline!

Here's what you'll need:

• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 3 this time)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 - 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper 
• 1 - 28 oz can diced tomatoes (I used the petite diced)
• 1 - 10 oz can Ro-tel diced tomatoes with green chilies (they have original, mild and spicier varieties; I use original, but it you want the flavor but not the spice, use the mild)
• 3 cups chicken broth (I prefer the low-sodium variety)
• 1 - 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1-2 cups frozen corn

Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a CrockPot or slow cooker.

Sprinkle with chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.

Add tomatoes, Ro-tel, chicken broth, black beans tomato paste, onion and bell pepper.

Stir, trying not to disturb the chicken.

Cover and cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours.

See, I told you it was easy. Now you have the rest of the day to write.

Approximately and hour to an hour and a half before cooking is done, stir in the frozen corn.

You could add it at the beginning, if you prefer, but I like a little crunch to my corn.

When cooking time is up, remove chicken breasts and shred the meat.

Return meat to slow cooker, stir and serve.

Yum! My tummy is happy.

Now it's time to chat. Has God ever given you a task you felt ill-equipped for? Did you throw up your hands or forge ahead, holding lightly to His hand?

Three time Carol Award finalist Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she's not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more a mindyobenhaus.com.

Good Old Fashioned Potato Cheese Soup for an Autumn Evening

Jan here. I've been working as a Santa's Helper at our local Cabela's during November, and will continue into December. It's a lot of fun, and I'm getting used to the long hours on my feet and the necessity for quick meals - especially ones that are cooked in my Instant Pot or Slow Cooker.

One of the soups we still enjoy is this one that I shared here in the Cafe six years ago. This one is yummy, rich, and oh-so-good!

Enjoy this peek at the past, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving this week!

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Good Old Fashioned Potato Cheese Soup


Hey all,

This is your favorite Mid-Westerner relishing these warm sunny days and cool nights. The weather the last week or so has been the best of the best.

I have to share a picture from our trip up into the Hills Sunday afternoon. That foggy-looking stuff in the air? That's snow! There's nothing like snow in the air and the sound of wind in the pines to make my day perfect :)

Although you ladies from the south may think temps in the 50's during the day and in the 20's at night a bit extreme, it's perfect weather for homemade potato soup and bread.

Here's the great thing about soup: you can use whatever you have on hand! Start with a basic idea and add or subtract from there to make your favorite soup.

Last week, I made Potato Cheese Soup for my family. Super easy, in the crock pot so I can put it together in the morning and not think about it until supper time, and tasty.

It's comfort food to the max. Especially if you add in homemade bread!

So, here's the basic recipe:

Homemade Old Fashioned Potato Cheese Soup...your way

Start with basic ingredients.

It's Potato Soup, so start with potatoes.

I always throw in an onion for flavor.

Peel and dice all those potatoes and onions...

How many, you ask? Well, I cook for six, so I used eight potatoes and a half of an onion. Adjust accordingly for your tribe :)

Just for color and added flavor, I peeled and diced a few carrots, too.


Dice all those veggies so they're a uniform size. There's room for a bit of individualism here, but you want them to cook nicely.

And if you happen to have your potato pieces too big, they won't absorb the flavor of the soup, and you'll end up with a bite of...well, potato...instead of the flavorful concoction you're looking for.

The next major ingredient is broth. You want those veggies to simmer all day long in flavor.

I had some ham broth in the freezer from our Easter ham, so I used that. You could also use Vegetable Stock, Chicken Stock, or even plain water.

But you really want the flavor a good stock or broth will give you.

Use enough to cover your veggies by about an inch, once they're in the crock pot (or in your pot on the stove).

Cover that lovely mixture and let it simmer. I turn my crock pot on high for about an hour to get things started, then turn it down to low for 6-8 more hours.

About 30 minutes before you're ready to serve your soup, it's time to really dress it up. This is a nice, thick creamy soup - but it sure doesn't look like it yet.

The first step in dressing it up is to mash your potatoes. I have one of those old fashioned potato mashers that looks like a "W" gone crazy, but it works great. I use that to gently mash most of the potatoes against the bottom. It doesn't have to be all mashed - just not so chunky.

Now add milk, half-and-half, or cream. I didn't have any of those on hand, so I used some evaporated milk I had in the pantry.

The next part - the way to give your potato soup that nice, rich, stick-to-your-ribs body - is a secret.

Shhhh...don't let ANYBODY know I keep these in the house!

But instant potatoes are perfect for thickening all kinds of dishes, without worrying about lumps from using flour.

I used 1 cup of this secret ingredient for 8 cups of broth...it was perfect.




In the last 10 minutes or so of cooking time, add shredded cheese to your soup. I added 2 cups of cheese to mine, but I wish I had added more to make it cheesier.

Other tasty things you could add are ham, or bacon, or different cheeses. Steamed greens (kale or spinach) would be a great addition, too.

And there you have it! Good Old Fashioned Potato Soup - done your way.



Just remember the basic ingredients: potatoes, onions, broth, milk and cheese.

So, tell us, what will you add to your potato soup to make it your way?

Jan Drexler lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband and growing family. When she isn't writing, she loves hiking in the Hills or satisfying her cross stitch addiction.

You can find Jan on Facebook, Jan Drexler, author, or her website, Jan Drexler.com.

Falling for Soup

Fall in Texas. You never really know what you're going to get. Just last week, we were in the 90s. Kids were hanging around in the backyard. 

Then the 80s arrived, making walks in the woods/pastures much more inviting. Recent rains made it easy to see signs of wildlife. There were deer tracks.

Wild hogs had been on the move.

As were racoons.

And the pastures are filled with goat weed and bitterweed. 

But now... Fall has arrived! It's goodbye 80s and 90s, hello 50s and 60s. And that means my cravings for soup can finally be fulfilled and thoroughly enjoyed.

Yes, I have literally been craving this Southwestern Chicken Soup for weeks.

But soup just isn't the same when it's hot outside. At least not for me. 

It was only January when I first shared this recipe, but since we haven't thought about soup in months, I thought it was worth sharing again.

Here's what you'll need:

• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 3 this time)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 - 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper 
• 1 - 28 oz can diced tomatoes (I used the petite diced)
• 1 - 10 oz can Ro-tel diced tomatoes with green chilies (they have original, mild and spicier varieties; I use original, but it you want the flavor but not the spice, use the mild)
• 3 cups chicken broth (I prefer the low-sodium variety)
• 1 - 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1-2 cups frozen corn

Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a CrockPot or slow cooker.

Sprinkle with chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.

Add tomatoes, Ro-tel, chicken broth, black beans tomato paste, onion and bell pepper.

Stir, trying not to disturb the chicken.

Cover and cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours.

See, I told you it was easy. Now you have the rest of the day to knockout your to-do list.
Approximately and hour to an hour and a half before cooking is done, stir in the frozen corn.

You could add it at the beginning, if you prefer, but I like a little crunch to my corn.

When cooking time is up, remove chicken breasts and shred the meat.

Return meat to slow cooker, stir and serve.

Perfect for a cool fall day or a bone-chilling winter night.

Now it's your turn. What's cooking in your neck of the woods?

Three-time Carol Award finalist, Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com