It’s that time of year. The time when daylight hours pass far too quickly. The time for sweaters and boots. The time for festive holiday music–it’s never too early for that, right? The time when kitchens smell like soups, stews, and chili.

My husband, who is the real cook in our household, decided it was time to start the culinary trend for those warm comfort foods on cold days. Perfect timing! The weather in our neck of the woods has seen temps drop over the past few days. When he offered to make the evening meal, I wasn’t about to turn him down. Who doesn’t love a delicious bowl of soup on a cool evening?

While I hit the treadmill for a quick run after a long day of work, my husband did the marketing for the ingredients as well as the cooking. I know–he is the dream husband and father! I’m well aware of the blessing he is to our family. That’s another post! We’re sticking with food for this one.

On tonight’s menu:

Chicken Tortilla Soup

• 1 lb boneless/skinless chicken
• 4 C water
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small red or green pepper, chopped
• 1 4-1/2 oz can chopped green chiles
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pkg taco seasoning
• 1 tsp cilantro
• 1 can corn
• 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 14-1/2 oz can diced tomatoes
• 8-10 corn or flour tortillas cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2-1 C shredded cheddar cheese

Cook chicken in water. Reserve broth. Cut chicken in bite-sized pieces. Saute onion, garlic, pepper, and chiles in oil. Add next size ingredients, chicken, and broth. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Stir in tortilla pieces and cheese. Simmer about 15 minutes.

If you like things extra spicy- like we do- sprinkle in a dash of cayenne pepper. We also like to top it off with a dollop of sour cream. We typically have plenty leftover for other meals.

So, the next time you’re finding yourself in the mood for some warm soup on a cold evening, give this recipe a try. I bet it’ll be a hit at your table, too!