Tomatillo & Winter Squash Stoup, Slow Cooked

You may still be able to find tomatillos. I had a basket that was begging to be used. On a chilly morning I dug through my market and CSA goodies to make a crockpot stoup (stoup: a Rachel Ray word for a stew-like soup).

I tell you this all the time and really mean it… recipes are made to be broken so here is what I made and you need not follow it as a fast rule.

For example:

• Brown ground turkey/chicken breast to substitute for the chicken breast
• Use pork in place of poultry
• Make it vegan and use sweet potatoes, winter squash cubes, grains (kamut, spelt or barley) or beans instead of meat
• If you don’t have eggplant use a root vegetable or tomatoes
• Substitute 1 cup tomato juice or 1 cup beer for 1 cup broth  (sometimes I buy V8 from Costco and use it in soup stock…is that weird?)

I am sure to always have a basic, well stocked pantry so a meal in a pinch and on a dime is easy. By basic and well stocked I mean a variety of dried beans, grains, rices, spices, herbs and broth.

Here we go…

Tomatillo and Winter Squash Stoup, Slow Cooked

2 small-medium chicken breasts
1 medium eggplant, cubed
1 medium to large onion, chopped
2 cups of seeded & cubed winter squash, your choice, I used delicata
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pepper, seeded and chopped
1 quart tomatillos, peeled of the papery layer & chopped
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 cups broth

Instructions

Mix all of the diced vegetables and herbs in a large bowl. Layer the vegetables and chicken breast in your slow cooker. Pour 2 cups of broth over the mixture, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Consider adding these flavors when ready to serve:
salt and pepper to taste
a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice
diced fresh cilantro or parsley
top with crumbled or shredded cheese of your choice
serve on a bed of rice
jalapeño pepper rings

** For the photo,  I garnished my soup with roasted delicate squash. I like to bulk roast fall vegetables and store in the fridge/freezer for salads and soups **