First, thanks to EOW's Amber Ambrose for forwarding me this great crock pot recipe link. I am constantly on the prowl for new and, hopefully, good recipes. This was my first crack at posole, so I was keeping my fingers crossed.

The rundown It took only one glimpse at this recipe before I was on board. I had most of the ingredients already in the pantry, and all I needed to get was the cilantro. Also, after last week's bread pudding, I was looking to go the healthy route. Posole definitely fit the bill--rotisserie chicken, tomatoes, hominy and fresh cilantro highlighted this hearty soup. I was a little concerned, however, at the limited number of spices--just dried cumin and oregano. Would this version of posole be lacking in taste?

The taste Imagine a little healthier version of chicken tortilla soup, and that's what you have with this posole recipe. I hope that doesn't sound like a complaint, because it's not. The whole family loved this one. The spices, along with the canned green chilies, blended well with the tomato's acidity. I added a dollop of sour cream to balance the flavors. My favorite aspect of this soup was the hominy. I used one can each of yellow and white hominy, and I ended up loving the texture it provided with each bite.

The ease Yet another easy recipe, even by crock pot standards. Just dump all the canned items in the pot, chop up some onions, and toss in along with the spices. Give it a good mix. Let cook on High for four hours or Low for eight. About ten minutes before you're ready to eat, add the chopped chicken and cilantro.

The tip If you decide to cook this on High, I'd recommend sautéing the onions beforehand. Mine came out with a little too much bite.