Care Packages for Friends with Swine Flu

Swine flu appears to be making its way through our area, as it has throughout much of the U.S. Fortunately, we’ve managed to avoid it in our household so far, but some friends of ours were not so lucky. We delivered some meals to them, and I thought I would share this recipe with you in case you want to make someone else’s day a little brighter too. It’s quick, easy, frugal, and super good for you! Oh, and it freezes well too. What more could you want?

Recipe for Portuguese Chicken:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
1 cup tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth
1 large can diced tomatoes
3 carrots, diced
3 white potatoes, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1/4 pound Spanish chorizo
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1 large dried bay leaf
salt & pepper to taste
To a large pot, add the olive oil, potatoes, celery, and carrots. Saute for just a few minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chicken, chicken broth. Stir well (Emily took the stirring job very seriously), and let simmer for 10 minutes, and then season with the thyme, oregano, basil, bay leaf, and chorizo. Stir well (Thank you, Emily) and let simmer for an additional 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and remove the bay leaf.
A couple of notes regarding this recipe:
  • During flu season, I try to make this using all organic ingredients. I found organic tomatoes and sauce at Big Lots for just $0.99 for a large can of each. Carrots, potatoes and celery are very affordable, with the organic varieties not costing that much more.
  • Did you know the herb thyme is particularly good for sore throat and chest congestion? For those suffering from either of those aliments, I increase the amount of thyme in the recipe.
  • Top a bowl of this Portuguese chicken with crushed tortilla chips — yummy!!
  • For those friends who are extra special, serve with a loaf of freshly baked bread.
  • I wish you could smell our house right now!!
Some other things you might want to include in your care package:
  • Tissues — We love Puff Plus with Lotion
  • Tylenol
  • Cough Drops
  • Herbal Tea with Honey
In other exciting news, I had the honor and privilege of being interviewed by the lovely and talented Imene from A Journey to a Simple Happy Life! If you haven’t seen her blog before, it is definitely worth the visit. Tell her I sent you! I particularly love her Gratitude Sunday posts. Very inspiring, and I look forward to them every week.