One of my favorite easy recipes to add to our family’s weekly menu plan (something I’m getting back to doing) is a chicken and vegetable soup that easily cooks in my Crock-Pot slow cooker. This recipe has actually gone through a few transformations, which is something I love about it. I can vary this recipe to make a simple vegetable soup, or I can add different meats (chicken or turkey sausage are what I usually use). Sometimes I also add a few noodles! This soup recipe is versatile for sure and tastes great! But, the best part is that it doesn’t take a lot of effort, whether you use a slow cooker or not. An added bonus is that it is full of vegetables, protein, and fiber, making this a pretty healthy soup for your family to enjoy!

Chicken and Vegetable Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

*I can buy all these ingredients at my local Walmart during our regular grocery shopping trips and tend to keep them on-hand on a regular basis.

• about 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins/breasts, cubed (You can also use turkey sausage or any other preferred meat, or leave the meat out altogether.)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 12 oz. bag frozen vegetables (I normally use mixed vegetables, but any variety will do.)
• 1 15.5 oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (You can also use lentils for added fiber.)
• 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 14.5 oz. can chicken broth
• 1 cup water (For a thinner broth, use more water.)
• salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Season the chicken to your taste. I use adobo, meat tenderizer, and black pepper, then toss lightly to cover all sides.
2. In a large pot, combine chicken and olive oil. Cook chicken on med-high heat until partly-browned. (If using a slow cooker, simply skip this step.)
3. Add all remaining ingredients to the pot. (If using a slow cooker, this is when you’d add the uncooked chicken along with the other ingredients.)
4. Cook soup on low-medium heat for about 45 minutes or until chicken is well-cooked and broth is at desired consistency. (If using a slow cooker, let it cook on low heat for at least half of the day, ensuring the chicken is well-cooked.)

Isn’t that super easy? I love this soup recipe and though my husband is not a huge fan of soup (he never orders it when we eat out), he likes this vegetable soup in all its forms!

What is one of your family’s favorite healthful recipes?

Disclosure: As a participant in the Walmart Moms Program, I’ve received compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

All photos © Melanie Edwards/modernmami™

The day my slow cooker died on me, I nearly cried. After years of wondering how a slow cooker would work for me and being hesitant to use one fearing I’d burn down the house, I finally got one as a Christmas gift three years ago. I couldn’t believe I had waited so long! It helped me out so much in making dinner while away at work during the day.

After using it to cook many meals, it died on me one day. No reason, really, it just up and died and wouldn’t turn on. Life then happened and as many things go, I went a long while without a slow cooker. And then, days before I was about to purchase a new slow cooker, Walmart asked if we wanted to try out the Crock-Pot Slow Cooker Cook and Carry. I’m not sure a person should be as excited over a Crock-Pot as I was, but I couldn’t wait for it to arrive.

Since then, and combined with my rice cooker, I’ve been able to effortlessly cook meals while working and tending to baby boy. I love that I can start it in the morning and not have to think about it until the afternoon. Though I am able to cook a variety of meals in the Crock-Pot, like ribs, pork chops, and chicken, one of my favorite recipes is turkey chili. It’s super easy to throw all the ingredients into the Crock-Pot and let it simmer throughout the day. Here’s the recipe I use, in case you want to try it.

Turkey Chili Slow Cooker Recipe

*Adapted from Rachael Ray’s Turkey Corn Chili and Gourmet Magazine’s Turkey Chili Recipes

Ingredients:

• 1 – 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
• chili powder
• ground cumin
• cayenne pepper
• salt
• black pepper
• garlic powder
• dried thyme
• oregano
• 1 (12-14.5 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced or stewed tomatoes with chiles
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can chicken broth
• 1 (15-16 oz.) can red kidney beans (or black beans), drained and rinsed

Pour all ingredients into the slow cooker, stir and cook on low until turkey is well-cooked and sauce has thickened. You could also cook the chili on high for it to cook faster if you have less time. Stir occasionally, adjusting herbs and spices for taste, and serve with shredded cheese on top.

That’s it! Isn’t that super easy?

Want more? Check out these other slow cooker fans and their recipes:

• Latin Slow Cooker Recipes
• Cuban Ropa Vieja in a Crock-Pot
• A Year of Slow Cooking

What are some of your favorite slow cooker recipes? By the way, October is dubbed Crocktober and there are special sales going on, like this Amazon.com offer for $5 back on Crock-Pot slow cookers!

Disclosure: ModernMami.com and its owner, Melanie Edwards, is a member of the Walmart Moms program, resulting in compensation for this post. Affiliate Amazon link used.

Photo: Nathan Yergler/Flickr

We have the winner of the Lawry’s Dinnertising Kit! Congratulations to Sara! Be sure to check out my Garlic-Infused Rosemary & White Wine Tilapia Recipe using some of Lawry’s new marinades and salt blends and let me know if you try it out.

Remember, Lawry’s wants to help you make dinner exciting in your house. You can still make your own Dinnertisement for your family on Lawry’s Dinnertising site and have some fun with the kids. I just made another one for my family featuring a Chicken with Pico de Gallo recipe from Lawry’s! Click on the image below to see it.

Tonight’s dinner has the flavor of adventure!

To make your own, just follow these instructions.

Steps for creating a Dinnertisement:

1. Visit www.dinnertising.com
2. On the right hand side, click the sign that reads “Create Your Own Dinnertisement Now”
3. Click on the sign that reads “Choose a Recipe & Get Started!”
4. Click on the dishes to see a variety of recipes
5. Select the recipe you like best and then click the arrow that reads “Next Step”
6. Select the theme you like best and then click the arrow that reads “Next Step”
7. Upload your photo by clicking the sign that reads “Click to upload”
8. Enter your family name and click enter
9. Read the consent and click the arrow that reads “Yes, I Do Agree”
10. Watch the video and at the end of the Dinnertisement, click on the envelope to email the link to yourself, or post it on Facebook or Twitter.

Congrats again to Sara; enjoy your Lawry’s goodies!

Disclosure: This post is part of a paid campaign with Lawry’s.

***Be sure to scroll down for a fun giveaway!***

Last year a group of Orlando bloggers worked with Lawry’s to create a quick and easy dinner full of an appetizer, main entree, and side dish. I’m excited to work with Lawry’s again this year to create a recipe using their latest salt blends and marinade flavors: Mediterranean Herb Seasoned Salt, Fire Roasted Chile & Garlic, Roasted Garlic Salt, Santa Fe Chili Marinade and Mediterranean Herb and White Wine Marinade.

Along with the new flavors, Lawry’s offers a cute Dinnertising site, where you can create a fun customized video for your family with the idea of selling a recipe to them. It’s a nice way to add a little humor and fun into the dinnertime routine and get kids interacting with you. Lawry’s wants to make dinner exciting and hopes to help busy parents do that by providing an interactive and fun video-making experience. Here’s the Dinnertisement I made for my baby girl! Click on the image to see the video.

I decided to try out the Mediterranean Herb and White Wine Marinade along with the Roasted Garlic Salt to make a simple, and healthy fish dish for dinner. It was super easy to make and didn’t take very long. See recipe below.

Garlic-Infused Rosemary & White Wine Tilapia

Ingredients

• 4 Fillets Tilapia Fish
• Lawry’s Mediterranean Herb and White Wine Marinade
• Lawry’s Roasted Garlic Salt
• Fresh Rosemary

Steps

• Season the fish with Lawry’s Roasted Garlic Salt.
• Place fillets in a big bowl or plastic bag and cover well with Lawry’s Mediterranean Herb and White Wine Marinade.
• Let the fillets marinate for at least 30 minutes, but definitely no less.
• Once the fish fillets have marinated, make steam pockets using aluminum foil. Place 1 fillet per steam pocket, adding vegetables on top to your liking. I used asparagus and added a couple of stalks on top of each fillet, as pictured above.
• Bake in the oven at 350ºF for 45 minutes or until cooked thoroughly.

I suggest you serve the fish and vegetables alongside some white rice, to complete your meal. I’m sure your family will love it and how easy it is to make!

Hints and shortcuts for your meal:

• You can marinate the fish ahead of time using freezer-size bags and defrost the fish while you’re at work during the day or out running errands. When you get home, the fish will be already seasoned and ready to cook!
• To save even more time, you can easily use a bag of frozen vegetables to add to your steam pocket.
• Use instant rice packets or a rice cooker to free up some of your kitchen time. This is great because you don’t have to constantly keep an eye on the stove.
• You might want to try broiling instead of baking the fish!

Lawry’s Dinnertising Kit Giveaway

Want to try Lawry’s new marinade flavors and salt blends for yourself? I’ve got a Dinnertising Kit to give away, which includes the following:

• Rachael Ray Lasagna Lover Stoneware
• Two (2) Zak Designs Serving Spoons: Either happy or surprise spoons
• Lawry’s Marinades and Spice Blends: Mediterranean Herb Seasoned Salt, Fire Roasted Chile & Garlic, Roasted Garlic Salt, Santa Fe Chili Marinade and Mediterranean Herb and White Wine Marinade

How to Enter

Required entry: If you’d like to enter this giveaway for a Dinnertising Kit from Lawry’s, simply leave a comment below with the link to your own Dinnertisement video. It’s super easy to create one and only takes a few short steps!

Steps to creating a Dinnertisement:

1. Visit www.dinnertising.com
2. On the right hand side, click the sign that reads “Create Your Own Dinnertisement Now”
3. Click on the sign that reads “Choose a Recipe & Get Started!”
4. Click on the dishes to see a variety of recipes
5. Select the recipe you like best and then click the arrow that reads “Next Step”
6. Select the theme you like best and then click the arrow that reads “Next Step”
7. Upload your photo by clicking the sign that reads “Click to upload”
8. Enter your family name and click enter
9. Read the consent and click the arrow that reads “Yes, I Do Agree”
10. Watch the video and at the end of the Dinnertisement, click on the envelope to email the link to yourself.
11. Copy and paste the link to your Dinnertisement in the comments section to be entered to win the Lawry’s Dinnertising Kit Giveaway!

Extra entries (optional):
Each of the following will count as 1 extra entry. You’ll need to leave a separate comment for each entry.

1. Follow @modernmami on Twitter.
2. Tweet the following (1 time only): What’s for dinner tonight? Make a dinnertisement for your family & enter to win Lawry’s goodies! http://bit.ly/lawrysgv #giveaway #lawrysmoms
3. Receive post updates by subscribing to our RSS feed. You can do so either via email or through a RSS reader. Leave a comment saying you did so or are already a subscriber.
4. Write a blog post on your own blog sharing the details of this giveaway. Be sure to include a link back to this post. Leave a comment with your post link.

All entries must be in by Friday, June 1, 2012 at 11:59 pm EST. You must be 18 or older and a U.S. resident. No purchase necessary. Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be notified via email. (Please be sure to provide a valid email address with your entry.) Winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen.

Disclosure: This post is part of a paid campaign with Lawry’s.