Easy Crock Pot Chili

Yesterday I made what may be the easiest crock pot recipe I've come across since my favorite Turkey Sausage and Tortellini Stew (have I posted this?  Let me know if you want it--EXTREMELY simple).  I got it from my sister M and BIL C's wedding cookbook.  You're welcome.

- 2-3 frozen chicken breasts
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- peppers of your choice
- 3 different cans of beans
- 1 diced onion
- 1 packet chili seasoning mix
- I also threw in a can of Mexi-corn; I'm sure you could use fresh or frozen

Put the breasts, frozen, in the crock pot.  Take a large bowl and mix the other ingredients together, then pour it all over the chicken.  Put on LOW for the day (I did about seven hours).  The chicken will separate like pulled pork (which you could also use) with just a bit of prodding.

THAT'S IT.  It turned out quite delicious.

Surfacing

I surrounded myself with a swirl of Back-to-School Mode, which for a teacher includes getting used to the schedule again, making seating charts, sweating my way through the first two days (no AC!), reassuring freshmen that it-will-not-always-feel-this-way, and keeping my own head above water. Pant, gasp. I think I can make it. Just call me the Little Engine, 'cause I'm chugging along here, doing my best to get up the hill of September, which other teachers will sympathize with especially.

While I prefer to write only obliquely about my job, I will tell you all a few things:

- My freshman homeroom seems awesome and eager. They've got all sorts of ideas for our homeroom banner which incorporate the Olympics and them (they're the class of 2012. I KNOW! WHAT?!) going for the gold. I love it.

- I have a student with the same name as a famous TV show child character. I won't mention the show but I will mention that "it's a story..." and someone on that particular show is in a long-term, going-nowhere relationship with a butcher. Why his parents did this to him, I don't know. I managed not to chuckle. I'm sure this boy is very nice.

- Several kids wrote that their favorite part of English was "movies". Sigh.

- I may have to reconsider wearing heels because I walk around so much from class to class. Haven't decided yet if this will give me better calves or podiatrist bills.

- Our football team rocks, both high school and NFL.

- The Crock Pot also rules, unquestionably.

- I think I came up with a fairly cool assignment, if I do say so myself, that leads into To Kill a Mockingbird:

• Explain racism to a first-grader using pretty much any method you want (dialogue, how-to book, simple explanation), keeping in mind that you're talking to a kid about pretty heavy stuff.

I didn't word it quite that way, but I think it'll get them going on their writing and being creative, and it will link into the beginning of TKAM pretty well, yes? It's my attempt to combine teaching them writing, creativity, and actual learning at the same time.

My schedule this fall's pretty crammed, so I'll update as often as possible. I can't really do this at school, so be patient with me, please! I know I'll need it as a release, so you'll still hear from me; don't you fret. Have a great week, you groovy people.

Painting: Day 4

Front hallway, Before:



















After (below)


















I have to say I consider this a vast improvement. And P.S., the entire banister side of the hallway had that flowery wallpaper on it before I peeled it off. The other side had the dried out avocado color. I find this new color quite cheerful!

The back hallway does have one coat of paint on it, but it's not worth posting until it's finished. Oh, and I also made surprisingly good soup in the crock pot:

- 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 yellow, 1 orange pepper, coarsely chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced in strips and cut once
- 1 large can petite diced tomatoes, with juice
- 1 1/2 cans chicken broth
- 1 can each navy and kidney beans, drained
- ~1 1/2 tsp each rosemary and tarragon
- salt for seasoning

I browned the chicken in butter first, not quite all the way through, and sauteed the veggies in butter as well to keep them crisp. Then I literally poured everything in the crock pot and set it on high for about 3 1/2 hours. In short, I used what we had in our house because we haven't gone grocery shopping, put in a quick call to Savory and Sweet for advice, and hoped for the best. Clearly it came out well, since I'm posting it. :-) The tarragon really added good flavor, and it was so full of ingredients that I didn't need to add pasta or rice or anything. Next time I'll add garlic, if I make it again.

Enjoy the day and stay warmer than I will in my frosty little office at school. They seem to want to save on the heating bill.