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With all the hustle and bustle, it is really a terrific time saver to prepare a 20 minute evening meal.  I am attaching two of my favorites from my "Quick and Easy" cookbook.

CHICKEN TORTILLA CHOWDER

The hearty, full flavor and creamy consistency of this chicken soup tastes like work, but this dish is actually fast and easy to make. Cutting the chicken breast is the most time-consuming part of the recipe. This is a versatile dish that you can vary in many ways. Instead of chicken breasts, you could use leftover roast chicken or turkey, firm-fleshed fish or shellfish with fish stock, roast beef, or ground chuck with beef stock.

Cooking Time: 10-12 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

1, 14 ½ oz. can chicken broth, preferably low sodium, with water added to make 2 cups

2 white or yellow corn tortillas, broken up

1 pound chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes

3 scallions, thinly sliced (some reserved for garnish)

1 ½ tablespoons minced pickled jalapenos with juice

Optional Garnishes:

Cilantro leaves

Crushed red caribe chiles

Lime wedges

1. Place the chicken broth and water in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the tortillas and chicken. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring, for 5 to 6 minutes.

2. Add the scallions and jalapenos with juice. Stir to combine well. Simmer for approximately another 5 minutes. Serve garnished with the reserved scallion and, if desired, the cilantro, chiles, and lime to squeeze on the chowder.

Per Serving:

Calories 326, Protein 50g, Carbohydrates 14g, Fiber 2g, Fat 8g, Saturated Fat 2g, Cholesterol 130mg, Sodium 338mg.

CORN AND BACON CHOWDER-CHILI

The smoky flavor of bacon adds character to almost any chili, soup, or stew, and here, paired with corn and potatoes, it makes this chili extra-special. For a veggie version, simply skip the bacon, use 3 Tablespoons olive or vegetable oil to sauté the vegetables, and add a drop or two of liquid smoke.

Yield: serves 2 to 4

6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into ½ inch wide pieces

2 cups chopped onions

3 cups diced unpeeled russet potatoes (2 to 3 potatoes)

4 fresh green chiles, parched, peeled, stemmed, and chopped, or 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles

4 fresh red chiles, parched, peeled, stemmed, and chopped (if unavailable, use a small jar of pimento  sliced in thin strips)

2 cups fresh, frozen, or canned corn (if fresh, cut from 1 large ear of corn)

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups whole milk

½ cup heavy (whipping) cream or evaporated skim milk

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Hot pepper sauce (optional)

1 teaspoon crushed caribe chile

1. Place the bacon in a large saucepan or pot over medium to medium-low heat, and cook until it is crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and set it aside.

2. Drain most of the bacon drippings from the saucepan, leaving just a thin layer on the bottom. Add the onions and potatoes and cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent and the potatoes are slightly browned around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Add the green and green chiles, corn, broth, milk, and cream and stir well. Add the cumin and salt, cover the pan, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

4. Stir in the bacon. Taste the chili and adjust the seasonings as needed, adding hot pepper sauce to taste (you can also pass it at the table, if you prefer). Serve sprinkled with the caribe chile.

Note: If you can’t find fresh red chiles, chop 1 jar (4 ounces) drained pimiento strips and add several drops hot pepper sauce.

The spicy flavors of chili have always paired well with cornbread. This Pie is actually rather similar in taste to the Tamale Pie, page . It is lighter and differently flavored in that the cornbread is not as dense as the mush. You can use any leftover chili for this one.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

1 teaspoon butter

3 cups leftover chili

½ cup onion, chopped

¼ cup pickled jalapenos, chopped

1 recipe Bacon Crumble Cornbread, recipe page

½ cup Monterey Jack-Cheddar cheese grated mix

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Meanwhile, butter a three quart casserole or baking pan. Place the chili, onion and jalapenos in layers. Prepare the cornbread, recipe page omitting the bacon.

2. Place the cornbread on top of the chili. Then smooth out to the corners of the casserole. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Variation: If desired a small cornbread mix could be used instead of the cornbread indicated above.

Corn and Bacon Chowder-Chili

The smoky flavor of bacon adds character to almost any chili, soup, or stew, and here, paired with corn and potatoes, it makes this chili extra-special. For a veggie version, simply skip the bacon, use 3 Tablespoons olive or vegetable oil to sauté the vegetables, and add a drop or two of liquid smoke.

Yield: serves 2 to 4

6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into ½ inch wide pieces

2 cups chopped onions

3 cups diced unpeeled russet potatoes (2 to 3 potatoes)

4 fresh green chiles, parched, peeled, stemmed, and chopped, or 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles

4 fresh red chiles, parched, peeled, stemmed, and chopped (see Note)

2 cups fresh, frozen, or canned corn (if fresh, cut from 1 large ear of corn)

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups whole milk

½ cup heavy (whipping) cream or evaporated skim milk

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Hot pepper sauce (optional)

1 teaspoon crushed caribe chile

1. Place the bacon in a large saucepan or pot over medium to medium-low heat, and cook until it is crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and set it aside.

2. Drain most of the bacon drippings from the saucepan, leaving just a thin layer on the bottom. Add the onions and potatoes and cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent and the potatoes are slightly browned around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Add the green and green chiles, corn, broth, milk, and cream and stir well. Add the cumin and salt, cover the pan, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

4. Stir in the bacon. Taste the chili and adjust the seasonings as needed, adding hot pepper sauce to taste (you can also pass it at the table, if you prefer). Serve sprinkled with the caribe chile.

Note: If you can’t find fresh red chiles, chop 1 jar (4 ounces) drained pimiento strips and add several drops hot pepper sauce.

The spicy flavors of chili have always paired well with cornbread. This Pie is actually rather similar in taste to the Tamale Pie, page . It is lighter and differently flavored in that the cornbread is not as dense as the mush. You can use any leftover chili for this one.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

1 teaspoon butter

3 cups leftover chili

½ cup onion, chopped

¼ cup pickled jalapenos, chopped

1 recipe Bacon Crumble Cornbread, recipe page

½ cup Monterey Jack-Cheddar cheese grated mix

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Meanwhile, butter a three quart casserole or baking pan. Place the chili, onion and jalapenos in layers. Prepare the cornbread, recipe page omitting the bacon.

2. Place the cornbread on top of the chili. Then smooth out to the corners of the casserole. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Variation: If desired a small cornbread mix could be used instead of the cornbread indicated above.

Corn and Bacon Chowder-Chili

The smoky flavor of bacon adds character to almost any chili, soup, or stew, and here, paired with corn and potatoes, it makes this chili extra-special. For a veggie version, simply skip the bacon, use 3 Tablespoons olive or vegetable oil to sauté the vegetables, and add a drop or two of liquid smoke.

Yield: serves 2 to 4

6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into ½ inch wide pieces

2 cups chopped onions

3 cups diced unpeeled russet potatoes (2 to 3 potatoes)

4 fresh green chiles, parched, peeled, stemmed, and chopped, or 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles

2 cups fresh, frozen, or canned corn (if fresh, cut from 1 large ear of corn)

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups whole milk

½ cup heavy (whipping) cream or evaporated skim milk

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Hot pepper sauce (optional)

1 teaspoon crushed caribe chile

1. Place the bacon in a large saucepan or pot over medium to medium-low heat, and cook until it is crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and set it aside.

2. Drain most of the bacon drippings from the saucepan, leaving just a thin layer on the bottom. Add the onions and potatoes and cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent and the potatoes are slightly browned around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Add the green and green chiles, corn, broth, milk, and cream and stir well. Add the cumin and salt, cover the pan, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

4. Stir in the bacon. Taste the chili and adjust the seasonings as needed, adding hot pepper sauce to taste (you can also pass it at the table, if you prefer). Serve sprinkled with the caribe chile.

Reprinted with permission from Jane Butel’s Quick & Easy Southwestern Cookbook.