No Time Or Energy? Make This Soup For Dinner

The 3-step solution to your dishwasher problems, the easiest way to spruce up your sweaters, and more. October 1, 2021 [View Online]( Good morning! For some reason, my mind equates the beginning of October with the beginning of “soup season.” And what better way to celebrate the arrival of both than by sharing one of my easiest, tastiest soup recipes? Read all about it in Today’s Good Thing. And for our newest Weekend Cleaning Challenge, we’ll be tackling a project that’s almost entirely hands-free: cleaning the dishwasher. In just three easy steps, you’ll clean out any grimy buildup that could prevent it from working and draining correctly. Jillee TODAY'S GOOD THING Celebrate Soup Season With Chicken Taco Soup [Photos of chicken taco soup.]( Soup season is here—celebrate by whipping up one of the quickest and easiest soups in my repertoire. While I carry soup in my heart all year round, I certainly don’t eat it all year round. (You couldn’t pay me to eat a hot bowl of soup in the middle of July!) But once the calendar flips to October, that means soup season is officially on. One of the easiest soups in my recipe collection is loaded with southwestern flavors, and makes use of rotisserie chicken to make the whole process faster and easier. And while it tastes great on its own, this soup is as much about what you put on top of it as it is about what you put into it. I personally consider these three toppings non-negotiable on my chicken taco soup: shredded cheese, tortilla strips, and chopped cilantro. But there are plenty of other toppings I like too, like diced avocado, pico de gallo, corn chips, lime wedges, and more. There are no rules, so feel free to top your soup with whatever you like. Here’s how to make it: Pour 1 quart of chicken broth, a 15-ounce can of corn (drained), a 15-ounce can of black beans (drained and rinsed), a 14-ounce can of petite diced tomatoes, and a 4-ounce can of green chilies into a large pot. Add 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, salt to taste, and 1 pound of cooked and shredded chicken. Stir well, then place the pot over medium heat and simmer until the soup and chicken are heated through, or simmer for up to an hour for a more developed flavor. Serve warm with the toppings of your choice. [See The Full Recipe ➜]( Related • [20 Quick Recipes You Can Make With Rotisserie Chicken]( • [Lasagna Soup And 6 More Of Our Favorite Slow Cooker Soups]( ⚡️QUICK TIPS⚡️ • Whether your kitchen is spacious or tiny, we all have annoying storage problems—but these 10 tips can solve them. [Read more ➜]( • Next time you finish a carton of milk or orange juice, save the carton and use it to make a handy mason jar dispenser. [Read more ➜]( • Your steam mop can be incredibly useful as long as you use it correctly, which starts with avoiding these 7 mistakes. [Read more ➜]( QUIZ CORNER How Often Should You Wash It? How frequently do experts recommend you wash your bed sheets? Having seen looks of surprise on my sons' faces for years when I would tell them it was time to wash their sheets, they would have been shocked by any of these answers. (Scroll down to see the correct answer.) A. Every two months B. Once a month C. Every two weeks D. Once a week WEEKEND CLEANING CHALLENGE Clean Your Dishwasher In 3 Simple Steps [A photo of baking soda being sprinkled into the bottom of a dishwasher.]( While cleaning your dishwasher may sound redundant, it can help clear out grime that’s lurking inside. Over time, food and detergent residues can build up inside your dishwasher, leading to unpleasant odors and less-than-clean dishes. It can also prevent your dishwasher from draining correctly, which is the very issue that led me to try and figure out how to clean a dishwasher in the first place. After some trial and error, I finally settled on a method that relies on two of my favorite cleaning agents: white vinegar and baking soda. Vinegar helps to dissolve crusty mineral deposits and sanitize the interior of the dishwasher, while the baking soda helps neutralize odors and scrub away food and detergent residues. This weekend, my challenge to you is to clean out your dishwasher by following the three simple steps below. It’ll leave your dishwasher looking squeaky clean and smelling fresh as a daisy (and you may even notice your dishes start to look cleaner too.) Here’s how to do it: 1. Inspect The Drain. Inspect the drain by removing the bottom rack and carefully feeling around the bottom of your dishwasher for any foreign material that may have gotten stuck there. (Service professionals often find bones, seafood shells, bits of plastic, and more when they’re called in for dishwasher drainage issues.) 2. Vinegar Wash Cycle. Once you’re confident the drain is clear of any blockages, empty out your dishwasher completely and set a small, dishwasher-safe bowl on the top rack. Fill the bowl with plain white vinegar, then close the dishwasher door and run a full wash cycle on the hottest setting. 3. Baking Soda Wash Cycle. Once the vinegar wash cycle has finished, carefully remove the bowl from the top rack, then sprinkle a handful of baking soda into the bottom of the dishwasher. Close the door and start another wash cycle (a quick one, if you have the option) on the hottest setting. [See The Full Tutorial ➜]( SAVE MONEY 3 Of The Best Things To Buy In October [Photos of jeans, a winter coat, and outdoor furniture.]( Retailers are busy gearing up for Black Friday, but you don’t have to wait to snag these deals. 1. Jeans. With back-to-school season behind us, retailers are anxious to get rid of their leftover fall apparel, so keep your eyes peeled for great discounts on jeans. You may not have the most expansive selection to choose from, but if you’ve been needing a new pair, now is a great time to snag one. 2. Winter Coats. As the Starks say in Game of Thrones, “winter is coming,” and October is the perfect time to gear up with winter coats and other cold weather clothes. You’ll have many sizes and styles to choose from this month, and prices will be good too. (Prices will be lower in spring, but it'll be slim pickings.) 3. Patio Furniture. Expect to see deals on outdoor furniture this month, as home improvement stores and other outdoor furniture retailers will be making room for holiday decorations and winter tools. If you’ve had your eye on a new patio set or a few new outdoor chairs, you’ll save quite a bit if you buy them this month. [3 More Things To Buy In October ➜]( JILLEE'S PICK Spruce Up Your Sweater Collection [A photo of an electric lint shaver being used to remove pills from a sweater.]( As it turns out, writing a daily newsletter like this one can really do a number on your memory. I have a lot of little details to keep track of on any given day, and while I’ve managed to do it fairly successfully so far, my mind seems to be achieving it by limiting what I'm able to remember to the past seven days or so. Two weeks ago is a mystery to me, so something that happened several months ago is more like an ancient myth. And I suppose that’s why I can’t seem to remember anything about the condition my winter clothes were in when I put them into storage earlier this year. In case “past Jillee” stored our sweaters away shaggy and covered in pills, I’ve prepared myself by charging up my trusty [electric lint shaver]( and putting a fresh blade on it. Shaving pills off your sweaters is an easy way to get them spruced up before winter, so why not plan on having a “sweater spruce-up session” of your own? A FEW MORE THINGS... Vegetarian Day: It’s World Vegetarian Day, [established in 1977]( to celebrate the “joy, compassion, and life-enhancing possibilities of vegetarianism.” Whether you go meat-free for the day or make it a weekly affair by doing “[Meatless Monday]( eating less meat can be good for your health and the environment. On This Day: In 1890, [Yosemite National Park]( was established by an act of Congress. It helped pave the way for the establishment of the National Park System, and today is visited by around four million people every year from all over the globe. ANSWER C. According to the American Cleaning Institute, you should wash your bed sheets every two weeks at the very least (though they do say you should do it more frequently if you tend to sweat a lot at night). To learn how often you should wash your other bedding items, clothing, and more, [read my post on the topic here](. What did you think of today's email? [Not good]( | [Just okay]( | [Loved it!]( 🏠[Visit the By Jillee Shop]( 🤗 [Join OGT Free]( Let's connect! [facebook]( [instagram]( [pinterest]( [youtube]( If you have thoughts, comments, questions or a tip or trick you'd like to share, I'd love to hear from you! My inbox is always open, so just hit "reply" and let me know what's on your mind. See you tomorrow! Sending you bright ideas and simple solutions to help you create a home and life you love. My mailing address is: One Good Thing by Jillee 841 S. Main St. Heber City, UT 84032 If you're not happy please reply to this email to tell me why, or you can [update your preferences]( or break my heart and unsubscribe [here](. View our privacy policy [here](.