By Sharon Challenger
(December 10, 2022)—With the colder days and nights upon us, hearty soups are often a big hit in my family.
I enjoy cooking, and particularly love it when I want to make a certain dish, but lack all the ingredients. That’s when I find myself at my creative best.
Tonight the thought of tacos came to mind – but I did not have any lettuce, fresh tomatoes, taco seasoning or sour cream.
After digging through my pantry, I had a flash of intuition. What about taco soup?
Rather than search on my laptop, I queried my Alexa device to see what spices I would need for taco seasoning. Then I looked for taco soup recipes, knowing full well that whatever Alexa came up with, I would alter anyway!
Glancing at a few recipes, I found some that I changed according to my ingredients and tastes.
As luck would have it, in thirty minutes or so, I had an amazingly delicious pot of taco soup bubbling on my stove top.
What did it take? Read on…
Homemade Taco Seasoning
1 T Chili Powder
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp. Onion Powder
1/4 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp. Paprika
1 & 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Ground Pepper
Soup Ingredients
1/2 T. olive oil
1 onion chopped
1-2 cloves minced garlic (fresh)
1 lb. ground beef
2 T. taco seasoning
1 C. salsa
1/2 C. spaghetti sauce (you could use canned tomatoes if you prefer)
1 19 oz. can of pinto beans, or black beans or cannellini beans
1 14 oz. can creamed corn (this helps to thicken the soup)
3 C. chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Heat olive oil in large soup pot (medium heat).
Add chopped onions and cook until translucent (about 5-7 minutes).
Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes (be careful not to burn).
Add ground beef and cook 5-7 minutes. Use a utensil to chop beef into small bits.
Add taco seasoning, salsa, sauce, beans, corn, broth and stir. until mixed.
Cook for 20-25 minutes over medium heat.
Serve with toppings such as shredded cheese, sour cream, corn chips, avocados, cilantro, etc. A splash of lime juice can give it that extra zing!
Photo by Sharon Challenger
