Goals Are Good: Mexican Chicken Minestrone

I love Minestrone!!

One of my most favorite soups, and it can be made with meat or without meat.

Oh the goodness, scrumptious-ness, loveliness, and warmth that vegetables and beans can bring.

I love, love, love black beans.

I could hug them, squeeze them, love them....

This is how I spent my Sunday evening.

I looked through every one of these magazines, sniffing and searching for recipes. I have fun like that. Doesn't take much to entertain me. It was a change from the constant internet computer screen too.

Yesterday I felt like my whole entire day was rushed. Do you ever feel like that?

With me being unemployed I should never feel that way.

Do you set yourself goals, or make a schedule for each day?

When I first found out that I was going to be displaced from my job, I was kind of relieved. After 22 years of physical hard work, I would be able to enjoy myself for a while, relax.

Little did I know I was going to have emotional struggles. About 2 months after my displacement (I did enjoy myself for 2 months) I faced one whole day of uncontrollable crying. I felt lost, I didn't know what to do with my time, and I felt worthless. My significant other (Sean) grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me (snap out of it girlfriend!!). He looked me right in the eye and said, "Angie, you are the type of person that works best with a schedule. Now that you are not on a time limit or schedule anymore you feel unneeded, unwanted, and confused. Make yourself a schedule."

Boy, was he right.

After that day of crying and good advise from the love of my life. I decided to make myself a daily schedule. When I was working I always knew what time to serve dinner, what days to do laundry, and my house (ashamed to say) was a lot cleaner than it is now.

My schedule for today:

• Scrub bathroom from floor to ceiling (I'm very picky about my bathroom)
• Wash every last piece of dirty laundry (and I'm not talking about my relationship)
• Wrap Christmas gifts and organize stocking stuffers (yes, stocking stuffers are a must in this household)
• And thank God we are having left-overs for dinner. Don't have to add that to my schedule.

One important thing that has helped through my dilemma is, letting God lead my way. With God in my life I should never feel the unpleasantness of feeling undeserved.

Speaking of gifts; did you happen to see the great gift I received from a very special angel? And the creator is pretty special too.

The blog button, over there <------ at the left of your screen. Marsha Baker is my angel in disguise. Do angels really exist? Sure they do. I have found mine.

Through my recipe quest I located this in one of the magazines.

When I read the title "Mexican Chicken Minestrone" I automatically fell in love. "Oh what I can do with this recipe."

I headed straight to the cans-good-cupboard the very next day. I always have chicken on hand, so that was a given.

I mixed my chicken pieces with chili powder and a pinch of cumin. ALL Mexican dishes have got to have cumin....I think it is a law or something.

I rinsed my beans, but before I mixed them all together I just had to get this beautiful shot. Doesn't that look amazing?

I browned my chili/cumin seasoned chicken pieces in a tablespoon of olive oil.

I have a tomato hater in the house, so I used tomato sauce instead of tomato pieces. The canned tomatoes with green chilies would be great in this recipe. You can use them, I can't (sadness).

Mexican Chicken Minestrone

12 oz (I used one package of boneless skinless chicken strips), boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

a pinch of cumin

2 cloves garlic, minced (I used minced garlic in the jar)

1 TBS olive oil

4 c. chicken broth (I used soup base)

1 (15 0z.) can black beans

1 can garbanzos

1 can green beans

1 c. frozen corn

1 c. dried elbow macaroni

1 can tomato sauce (or diced Mexican flavored tomatoes)

Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

In a bowl, toss chicken with chili powder and cumin. In a dutch oven, cook garlic in hot oil over medium heat for 15 seconds and add chicken pieces. Cook, stirring , 3 minutes (I cooked mine a little longer).

Add broth, beans and corn. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Stir in pasta. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 10 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in tomato sauce, or diced tomatoes; heat through. Top each serving with fresh cilantro (optional).

Good Luck~Happy Eating~Enjoy

"Faith is the substance of all things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Heb. 11:1