Recipe Thursday: SkinnyTaste's Slow Cooker Santa Fe Chicken

One of my goals for 2026 is to sort through all the recipes I have laying around tucked into folders and notebooks as well as my gigantic Pinterest/food blog collection that hasn't been touched in years.  I've been having quite a good time with it.  I enjoy cooking but it can become a chore pretty easily and this has made it a lot more fun for me as I feel like I'm working on a project.   Around here we've taken to calling it Recipe Thunderdome as all recipes have to be auditioned before earning their place in the final recipe binder. 

*For context I'm a reasonably capable home cook but one who is often trying to multitask and who is pretty much completely self-taught. *

Cookbooks aren't exempt from the Thunderdome and here's this week's candidate from The Skinnytaste Cookbook by Gina Homolka

Slow-Cooker Santa Fe Chicken

1 (14.4 oz) can Swanson 99% fat free chicken broth

1 (15 oz) can low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained

2 c frozen corn kernels

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies (ie Rotel)

1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro

3 scallions, chopped

1 t garlic powder

1 t onion powder

1 1/4 t ground cumin

1 t cayenne pepper

1/4 t kosher salt

1 1/2 lb chicken breasts

In a slow cooker, combine the broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and cayenne.  Season the chicken with salt and lay it on top.  Cover and cook on low for 10 hours or high for 6 hours.

Thirty minutes before serving, remove the chicken, shred it with two forks and return it to the slow cooker.  

Changes:  I left out the cilantro because I hate cilantro with a fiery passion and the corn because somehow, I completely forgot to pick it up at the grocery store and didn't realize it until I was in the middle of putting this together.

Thoughts on Recipe Difficulty: Super easy.  I pretty much just dumped everything in the slow cooker and walked away for 6 hours.  

Cook Time:  Prep time is maybe 10 minutes plus another 5 to shred the chicken

Served With: Cornbread

Results:  This was good, flavorful and super easy.  I definitely won't forget the corn next time as I think the texture and the touch of sweetness would really make it better.  This made enough for 2 of us to have a dinner and then enough leftovers for at least another meal without ending up with a vat of soup.  

Verdict: Survived! 

Whose Body in the Library - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads: Whose Body in the Library (Lighthouse Library Mystery #13) by Eva Gates

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source: Publisher

Description:  While Lucy McNeil is enjoying her new job as the mother of twin boys and library director, new librarian Nichelle Gilchrest has just arrived at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, reporting for duty. But life throws a wrench on Nichelle’s first day when she finds a body on the steps–a body that bears a startling resemblance to her father who disappeared on a fishing trip to the Outer Banks thirty-eight years ago.

Fingerprints confirm the dead body is indeed Nichelle’s father, now living in Nags Head under the name Brian Saunders. Brian had been befriending older lonely women in exchange for money, but was he working alone?

Detective Rhonda Thomas is on the case and the suspect list is only getting longer. Sorting through the wronged women and their relatives, Detective Thomas discovers Nichelle’s own brother Brad had been in Nags Head a few days before the murder happened and has been lying about his whereabouts.

Hoping to clear her brother’s name, Nichelle decides to investigate what happened. With seasoned sleuth Lucy’s gentle encouragement for the amateur, Nichelle is in for an exciting and dangerous first week at the library.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book: I've really enjoyed this series so far and the premise of this one with a new main character was intriguing.  

My Impression: I've been a big fan of this series since the beginning, so I was super excited to pick this latest book up.  I was intrigued by the idea of a new primary character with the addition of Nichelle and was really pleased with the result.  With long running cozy series (and probably any series) you can get a certain sameness the later it gets into the series.  This was very cleverly done.  There's the same setting and side characters that I've grown to love over the years though some roles have changed but a new perspective on it all.  The mystery was also a good choice for this new path and it gives the reader a good chance to get to know Nichelle and her backstory but in a way that shows and not tells.  

I really like Nichelle and enjoyed watching her learn her way around town.  The mystery kept me hooked and I wasn't sure how it was going to work out.  I thoroughly enjoyed getting there. I'm hoping there will be more books in the future as Nichelle is a great lead character and I'm looking forward to seeing more develop with the other side characters - especially Sam (the former lead detective) as he gets used to retirement.  

This is a fun cozy mystery series with a great beachy AND bookish setting.  It has a fun group of side characters and a great sense of community.   It is probably best read in order but you could jump in just with this one without too much issue.  If you're a fan of cozy mysteries this series is a fun one.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely!  I've really enjoyed every book in this series and am excited to see the next book.  

Would I Recommend this Book? If you are a cozy mystery fan this is a must not miss series.  

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review. As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Bookish Wishes

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  Today's topic is Bookish Wishes where you're supposed to list books I want to buy.  I buy books like it's my job and between that and a really great library and a bit of a NetGalley habit I really don't need any books.  So instead I'm going to make a list of general additions I wish I could add to my reading life.

1.  More reading time - I read pretty fast and am usually able to read multiple books at a time.  Unfortunately, I frequently have to do things involving my son's school, or work, or basic house stuff like laundry and cooking dinner.  All of these get in the way of reading (or getting through my To Watch list which is getting pretty substantial)

2.  To be instantly comfortable and alert when I sit down to read - This past month I've really struggled with migraines which has cut down on my reading.  And there are times where by the time I get settled down to read I'm only able to read a few pages before falling asleep.  I'd like that when I do pick up a book all of that goes away.

3.  For the used bookstore to have the exact backlist book I'm looking for - I'll also be good with having the next book I need in a series every time.

4.  For some of the authors that I enjoy but don't publish regularly to write faster without sacrificing quality - If an author writes one book a year I'm okay with that but there are a few whose books I enjoy who aren't quite as regular (Kate Morton comes to mind).

5.  To see less miscommunication in cozies and romances - I hate when I spend half the book screaming at the characters to JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER

6.  Time to organize my bookshelves - I've turned a guest bedroom into a library/reading room and I have a lot of bookshelves (though I could probably use another one or two) but I haven't really organized them exactly how I want them.  However, the idea of clearing out all the bookshelves and redoing them is more than a little intimidating and there's always something else that needs to get done.

7.  A book series based on solving cases with Investigative Genetic Genealogy - I have fallen down a rabbit hole with the DNA:ID podcast and the Paul Froncziak case (there's a podcast, a few books and tons of different episodes TV and podcast.  If you're interested in cold cases look into it - you won't regret it) and I would love to see that fictionally represented better than I have so far.  If you can think of any books that fit this description let me know.

8.  Read faster- I read fairly fast but there are so many books I want to read that I really wish I could read faster so I could get to them sooner!

9.  To be less distracted when I read - I'm starting to work on this but it's so hard to stay focused sometimes when I'm read during the day.  The phone is definitely a problem though this is what I'm working on but there are all kinds of things that catch my attention and then once I put my book down I'm not very likely to pick it back up.

10.  To have a full week where I don't have to do anything else and I can just lock myself in my reading room and just read one book after another.  - I'm not sure if I could actually do this without getting a little stir crazy but it sounds like absolute heaven.

What are some of your bookish wishes?

Reading What I Love - Year One by Nora Roberts

The last few years I've made a list of 10 books - 5 books off my shelf, 5 books from the library - that I'm really wanting to read.  There's no real rhyme or reason.  I just go through my library list and my shelves and pick the books that are calling to me.  My focus in 2026 is reading books I think I'll love - or at least really enjoy.

Goodreads:  Year One (Chronicles of The One #1) by Nora Roberts

Blurb:  The sickness came on suddenly, and spread quickly. The fear spread even faster. Within weeks, everything people counted on began to fail them. The electrical grid sputtered; law and government collapsed--and more than half of the world's population was decimated.
Where there had been order, there was now chaos. And as the power of science and technology receded, magic rose up in its place. Some of it is good, like the witchcraft worked by Lana Bingham, practicing in the loft apartment she shares with her lover, Max. Some of it is unimaginably evil, and it can lurk anywhere, around a corner, in fetid tunnels beneath the river--or in the ones you know and love the most.

As word spreads that neither the immune nor the gifted are safe from the authorities who patrol the ravaged streets, and with nothing left to count on but each other, Lana and Max make their way out of a wrecked New York City. At the same time, other travelers are heading west too, into a new frontier. Chuck, a tech genius trying to hack his way through a world gone offline. Arlys, a journalist who has lost her audience but uses pen and paper to record the truth. Fred, her young colleague, possessed of burgeoning abilities and an optimism that seems out of place in this bleak landscape. And Rachel and Jonah, a resourceful doctor and a paramedic who fend off despair with their determination to keep a young mother and three infants in their care alive.

In a world of survivors where every stranger encountered could be either a savage or a savior, none of them knows exactly where they are heading, or why. But a purpose awaits them that will shape their lives and the lives of all those who remain.

The end has come. The beginning comes next.

Why I Think I'll Love This One: I typically enjoy Nora Roberts' books and I've been enjoying fantasy more lately, so I thought I'd revisit this one which I skipped when it came out.

My Thoughts:  While I've been enjoying fantasy more lately I typically lean towards the cozier fantasy side of things or at least quest based.  This was decidedly not that.  There's nothing cozy about this book and the focus from start to finish is just survival.  The world has ended, society has broken down and people with magical powers - stronger since the Doom started - are hunted on all sides.  This is an ensemble cast who for the most part didn't know each other before but are all united by the goal to survive and create some kind of community.  Because of the ensemble cast and the general grimness of the world I struggled to become invested with the story at the beginning, and it took me a bit to figure out who was who. I never wanted to stop reading it but I wasn't flying through it.  And then everything came together.  It took me 3 days to read the first 100 pages and then 1 day to read the final 300.  This isn't my favorite Nora Roberts book and definitely isn't a book I'll reread but I will definitely be picking up the next book in the trilogy very soon.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

All Creatures Great and Small - Classic Nonfiction Review

Goodreads: All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot

Rating: Loved It (5 Stars)
Source: Purchased

Description: Delve into the magical, unforgettable world of James Herriot, the world's most beloved veterinarian, and his menagerie of heartwarming, funny, and tragic animal patients.

For over forty years, generations of readers have thrilled to Herriot's marvelous tales, deep love of life, and extraordinary storytelling abilities. For decades, Herriot roamed the remote, beautiful Yorkshire Dales, treating every patient that came his way from smallest to largest, and observing animals and humans alike with his keen, loving eye.

In All Creatures Great and Small, we meet the young Herriot as he takes up his calling and discovers that the realities of veterinary practice in rural Yorkshire are very different from the sterile setting of veterinary school. Some visits are heart-wrenchingly difficult, such as one to an old man in the village whose very ill dog is his only friend and companion, some are lighthearted and fun, such as Herriot's periodic visits to the overfed and pampered Pekinese Tricki Woo who throws parties and has his own stationery, and yet others are inspirational and enlightening, such as Herriot's recollections of poor farmers who will scrape their meager earnings together to be able to get proper care for their working animals. From seeing to his patients in the depths of winter on the remotest homesteads to dealing with uncooperative owners and critically ill animals, Herriot discovers the wondrous variety and never-ending challenges of veterinary practice as his humor, compassion, and love of the animal world shine forth.

Genre: Nonfiction

Why I Picked This Book: I read this book decades ago and remember enjoying it but nothing about it.  I've been wanting to watch the latest television adaptation but wanted to reread the book before I did so.

My Impression:  This was my slow read for most of May and it was an absolute delight. I don't have any experience with livestock and this book doesn't have me wanting to run out and get cows or horses but I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Herriot's experiences with caring for them and a wide assortment of other animals.  Frequently this care takes place in inhospitable weather and quite often with helpers who offer more opinions than actual help.  

Herriot has a slightly dry, somewhat self-deprecating but always present sense of humor.  There are poignant moments, humorous moments, and tense ones but all very human.  My favorite story was the little Pekinese Tricki Woo though there were a number of others that stand out to me.  I did wonder how Herriot survived without throwing something directly at Seigfried's head as he is quirky and absentminded to the point of maddening.  This was an interesting, entertaining and sometimes poignant read.  Each chapter is fairly stand alone and it makes for a wonderful slow read.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely!  I'm looking forward to reading more of Herriot's work as well as watching the TV adaptation.

Would I Recommend this Book? I would!  This was a wonderful read that I really enjoyed.

Friday Fives - Five Quick Reviews for Books I've Read Recently

I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much. This week I'm sharing 5 quick reviews for books I've read recently.

1.  How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin - I'm a big fan of cold case mysteries so this one appealed to me right from the beginning.  I went with the audio version and I'm so glad I did as I'm not sure I would have gotten through it if I had physically read it.  The beginning is slooooowww and while I liked the main character, Annie, it took me awhile to get into it.  The 1960s timeline especially took me awhile to become invested in.  However, as the book went on I slowly became more and more invested and really enjoyed the ending.  I'm curious to see how the series (and Annie) develop and will be reading the next book.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

2.  The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol 1 by Beth Brower - I feel like I'm seeing this series everywhere and everyone is raving about it so I was super excited to pick up this first volume.  At first I didn't get the hype.  I liked Emma and the story was interesting but I wasn't fully caught in her world.  As the journal went on that changed and while this wasn't a five star read for me it was thoroughly enjoyable and I'm so looking forward to reading the next book.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

3.  First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston - I'd been in a bit of a slump with audiobooks and so when I picked this one up, I was a little hesitant.  It ended up being exactly what I needed.  Right from the start I was pulled into the story and I really had no idea how it was going to all unravel.  The audio was fantastic and contributed to my enjoyment.  This was a good mystery with lots of twists and turns.  I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

4.  The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson - This book is a slice of life in a small village in England just as the world is about to change with the beginning of World War I.  Beatrice Nash has just been hired to be the new Latin teacher and is immediately immersed in small town politics.  There's a large number of characters - some delightful, some awful, most a complicated and realistic mix.   This was a little too long and sometimes I had trouble of keeping up with who was who but for the most part I enjoyed it - especially the ending.  I think it would have worked better as a slow read vs reading it for long periods of time.  My Rating: Liked It (3 Stars)

5.  Death in the Details by Katie Tietjen - This is the first book in the Maple Bishop series, set in post World War II Vermont.  Maple is inspired by Frances Glessner Lee and her Nutshell Crime Scenes that were used as an investigative tool.  Glessner Lee and her Nutshells have always fascinated me and so I was super excited to try this series.  It did not disappoint and I flew through this book.  Maple struggles with dealing with people but she has an amazing eye for detail and a love of the security and control her dollhouses bring.  When she accidentally stumbles on a crime scene she immediately notices things that the Sheriff dismisses or doesn't notice at all.  The mystery really hooked me but I was especially pulled in by Maple's investigation.  As well, I really loved the relationship between her and the Sheriff, his deputy Kenny, Ben, and a number of other townspeople.  I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in the series.  My Rating: Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)

Recipe Thursday: Crockpot Chicken Tortellini

One of my goals for 2026 is to sort through all the recipes I have laying around tucked into folders and notebooks as well as my gigantic Pinterest/food blog collection that hasn't been touched in years.  I've been having quite a good time with it.  I enjoy cooking but it can become a chore pretty easily and this has made it a lot more fun for me as I feel like I'm working on a project.   Around here we've taken to calling it Recipe Thunderdome as all recipes have to be auditioned before earning their place in the final recipe binder. 

*For context I'm a reasonably capable home cook but one who is often trying to multitask and who is pretty much completely self-taught. *

Today I'm sharing Crockpot Chicken Tortellini from Slow Cooker Recipes

Changes:  I forgot the Parmesan at the last step but other than that made it just as the recipe directed.

Thoughts on Recipe Difficulty:  This was pretty easy.  You do have to fiddle with a little in the last 30 minutes or so of cooking but for the most part you just put the ingredients in and walk away for 4 hours.  

Cook Time:  Actual prep time is probably about 15 minutes though it does cook for 4 hours and 30 minutes.

Served With: a green salad and rolls

Results:  It was good and easy but not remarkable.  Basically, my husband and I decided we'd be fine having it again and fine not having it again.  I really love tortellini but I have a baked tortellini recipe I'd pick over this one every time and I have a few more on deck.  

Verdict:  Exiled.  There's nothing wrong with this recipe but it's not special enough for the binder.