Taco Soup

When the weather gets chilly, it is THIS recipe I turn to: Taco Soup. I first had this in 2001 when my roommate made it from her mom’s recipe. You can customize it to your taste, using the veggies you like and kick up the spiciness as much as you like. I call this a “butt-burner” because we like it SPICY.

Here are the ingredients I use:
A can of rotel (I buy the HOT kind)
A can of whole kernel corn
2 cans pinto beans (the one with jalapeno)
A can of stewed tomatoes (you can find the Mexican style)
Garlic (I use jarred)
Onion
Celery
Fresh jalapeno
Jarred jalapeno
1 lb meat (I’ve always used turkey, you can’t tell)
1 package of taco seasoning
1 package of ranch salad dressing

Get your can opener ready.
First I washed and chopped the ends off the celery, then made a small dice. Back in 2001 I didn't care for celery AT ALL so I would pretty much puree this in a cuisinart until it was mush. Fast forward 2008 and I don't love the taste of fresh celery (definitely not how Jim loves to eat it raw) but I can appreciate the flavor it gives the soup and the flavor it takes one once it cooks in the soup all day.
Next, dice the onion.
Dice the jalapeno (first wash, half and clean out the innards...and WEAR GLOVES FOR HEAVENS SAKE)
Brown meat. I like to season my meat when it's browning...with whatever you have on hand. My usual is a 1/2 tablespoon of onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Then go check and see what your dog is barking at. Isn’t Cole the cutest little toy poodle you’ve ever seen? I gave him that mohawk, makes him look like the badass he is.
To the browned meat I added the onion and celery.
Into your crock pot we are going to simply open and dump the following… packet of ranch, packet of taco seasoning
Dump pinto beans
Dump tomatoes

Dump corn
Dump meat and onion mixture. If you are wondering, I do not drain any of the canned goods. This is when I add a couple jarred jalapenos and about a tablespoon of the vinegar from the jar. On the flip side, you could add a tablespoon of sugar to cut the acidity of the tomatoes.

Stir it all together.
Set it and forget it! I set mine to low and let it cook all day (8 hrs) but if you are in a hurry you could also cook on high for half that time. Don't have a crock pot? Go to Walmart, that is where I got this one ... back in 2001 ... specifically for this recipe in fact. I'm sure you could do this on the stove too if you have no way of getting a crock pot.

Look how sweet Madeline looks laying in the kitchen. The house is beginning to fill with the AMAZING smell of taco soup. I know she wants some, but her little butt can’t handle the heat!

If you need more liquid, I would add stock (chicken or beef).

This will warm you up on a cold night!

Jim likes to eat his with a tortilla dipped in. I like to scoop up the soup with crunchy tortilla chips.

Yum! Make this when it gets cold, it’s an order. And…I can’t forget to add that this freezes well for up to three months. I scoop two cups into freezer bags and freeze them flat, marked with the name and date. Mmm... Serve this with a dollop of daisy and some shredded cheese sprinkled on top. Enjoy!