I know that Halloween has just ended, which means — inexplicably — that the Christmas season has just begun. But y’all. I’m already over it.

Gingerbread houses and Christmas lights and sugar plum fairies sound great in theory, but when you are the parent, it just sounds like a lot of extra work.

And I can’t handle the regular work lately. Clothes are piled up in my house waiting to be washed. Floors need to be swept and dishes need to be washed.

So the thought of tackling Christmas work, especially in November — a month that I maintain should be reserved for turkey and pie — does not appeal.

I am just barely hanging in there. I look like I just stepped off the poster your elementary school librarian had on the wall. You know the one: it showed a kitten hooked by one claw to the end of a rope with the caption, “When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on!”

That’s me. I’m the kitten. Some days, I may even be the rope.

That’s why I started looking online a few days ago for a slow cooker recipe. I had picked up a pack of chicken breasts on manager’s special and needed to cook them right away.

I found recipes for chicken tortilla soup. Many of them started with a rotisserie chicken or — even more laughable — with instructions to cook the meat.

No, ma’am. I don’t think so. I am not reaching for my slow cooker because I find it easier to cook a full meal at 7 a.m. than at 5 p.m.

I am reaching for my slow cooker because I cannot find it within me to cook a full meal at all, no matter what time of day it is.

I had read several recipes for chicken tortilla soup before I gave up on finding the exact right one. I knew my meal needed to be easy, quick, and require only things I had in my house.

Where was I going to find a recipe that specific? Well, from my brain.

I’m sharing it with you in hopes that it will give you some ideas for how to make your own painless meal. Just think of it as a bit of assistance in tying the knot.

Hanging on? You’ll have to do that all by yourself.

LAZY MAMA’S CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

Ingredients
2 pounds chicken (I used whole boneless, skinless chicken breast)
16 ounces canned tomatoes (I used half a quart jar of home-canned crushed tomatoes)
1 cup salsa
1 cup diced mild peppers (I used a handful of sweet peppers; the recipes called for bell peppers)
1 onion, diced
1 packet taco seasoning
1-2 cups chicken broth (I started with 1 and added more later)
1 can black beans, drained (optional)
1 can corn, drained (optional)
Toppings: tortilla chips, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, etc.

Directions
■ Combine chicken and all ingredients (other than toppings) in crock portion of slow cooker. Stir. Place lid on slow cooker. Cook on high 4 to 5 hours or low 6 to 8 hours.
■ Before serving, use two forks to shred chicken and mix into soup. Taste. Add more chicken broth if necessary to achieve the desired consistency.
■ To serve, I placed a handful of tortilla chips in the bottom of a bowl and ladled over some soup. I topped mine with shredded cheddar and a dollop of sour cream.

Amelia Plair is a mom and high school teacher in Starkville. Email reaches her at [email protected].

Amelia Plair is a Starkville resident who writes occasional food columns.