Tortilla Soup...

Charlie & Julie's Chicken Tortilla Soup (a knock-off of Papa Pablano's)
6 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded (or whole chicken; cooked, deboned & shredded)(reserve all broth)
3 stalks celery, minced
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can Rotel (diced tomatoes & green chillies)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
1 c. sliced zucchini, optional
water to make soup consistency that you want
1/2 c. shredded cheese
sour cream
tortilla chips
Cook chicken breasts or whole chicken. Reserve broth. In dutch oven, saute onion, garlic and celery in 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Add rest of ing. except cheese, tortilla chips and sour cream. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hr. In bowls, place chips, sprinkle with cheese. Ladle soup over chips and cheese. Top each with sour cream and avacado and more cheese if desired.

Julie's easy beef stew...

6 slices leftover roast, cubed

Roast gravy (app. 2-3 cups)(make gravy by cooking your roast with 1 can cream of mushroom soup; 1 packet onion soup mix and water to cover roast; cook in crockpot all day on low)

minced garlic (1 Tbsp)
4 baked potatoes, cubed
olive oil
1 small bag of frozen peas & carrots
1 tsp. tarragon leaves
1 bay leaf
3-4 shakes of Worchestire Sauce (season as you like; this is a key ingredient)
Lawry's seasoned salt (to season as you like)(about 2 shakes for us)
Red pepper (season as you like) (about 2 shakes for us)

In dutch oven over med. heat saute garlic, onion and potatoes in olive oil for just a few minutes. Add cubed roast and gravy, worchestire sauce, bag of peas and carrots, tarragon, bay leaf, seasoned salt and red pepper. Add water to make stew thickness you desire. Bring to a boil and then turn to low. Cook until peas and carrots are done. You can simmer on low until ready to eat. I usually start this around 5 and we eat at about 6:30.

It's really good and everyone has seconds! Serve with hot buttered cornbread or cornmuffins, yum!yum