taco soup

We eat a lot of soup around here, especially in the winter.  Recently, I posted the recipe for a super simple meatball soup.   This one isn't quite that simple, but it's close.  The other day when Lacy requested this taco soup, I pulled out my new iPad mini to shoot some photos as I went.  It gave me a good excuse to play with my new toy.

Incidentally, it's so cool to snap the photos on the mini and have them magically appear on my laptop in just a few minutes, without having to get out the camera and the connector cable.  And honestly, I like the camera on the mini more than my expensive Canon.  I can do the photo editing on the iPad and could probably just write the blog on the iPad as well.  I may try that soon.

Back to the soup.  

This can be made in one pot.  I happened to use two pots because I started the cooking the beef and onions in the frying pan before I remembered I could have just started it in Clifford the Big Red Pot.  I also made a couple minor changes to the original recipe.  I used black beans because I prefer them over kidney beans.  I also used a can of tomatoes with green chiles instead of a can of straight green chiles.  I  try to be careful to not make Mexican dishes too spicy or Tom won't enjoy them.  

Start by chopping a small onion.

 Saute the onion with a pound of hamburger.  Drain fat if necessary.

Add a can of corn with the liquid, a can of beans with the liquid, and a can of chili beans with the liquid.  Do you see a pattern here?  

Then, add two cups of water.

Now dump in a can of tomato sauce, two cans of diced tomatoes, a can of diced green chiles, and a packet of chili seasoning.

That's all there is to it.  Just let that bubble away on the stove for a while.  You could also put it all in the crock pot and let her rip on high for a few hours.  Since I started this too late in the afternoon to use the crock pot, it just simmered on the stove top for two hours instead.

We top off the piping hot bowls with crushed tortilla chips, grated cheddar cheese, and sour cream.   My family thinks they've died and gone to Mexico.  Or Texas.  Or somewhere far southwest of here.

Taco Soup

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 small onion
• 1 can chili beans with liquid
• 1 can kidney beans with liquid
• 1 can whole kernel corn with liquid
• 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 2 cups water
• 2 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 1 can diced green chiles
• 1 package chili seasoning mix

Brown beef with onions.  Drain fat.  Add the other ingredients and simmer on stove top for a couple hours.  

Or brown the beef with onions.  Drain fat.  Put in crock pot with the other ingredients for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.

Serve with chips, cheese, and sour cream.

Love,