Taco Soup

I've been gone a while. Did you notice? I did. My husband was in St. Louis last weekend for work. I went to Idaho to visit family. I was too busy shooting, shopping, eating, and playing to blog. It was delightful. Worst part was worrying about the tornado that hit the area my husband was in. Definitely not my favorite. I was glued to the news, waiting to hear updates. (Not that I couldn't just ask him, but I like to think he would downplay it for my benefit.) So props to those resilient enough to live in an area often visited by tornadoes. I couldn't do it.

I am posting one of my favorite first meals after a vacation. We all try to clear out our fridges before leaving on vacation and come home to a mess of unpacking, laundry, unwinding, and an empty fridge. No one wants to spend extra time going to the grocery store and cooking a fancy meal. This soup is super versatile, and I always have the ingredients in my food storage. You can add ground beef, if you are feeling ambitious. You'll notice that I wasn't. Haha!

Taco Soup
1 onion, diced
Canned tomatoes
Canned beans, drained (Use your favorite variety or whatever you have! I used black, pinto, and great northern.)
Canned corn (optional - I just like the texture and color it adds. Plus I use the liquid to add another layer of flavor.)
Cumin
Garlic powder
Chili powder
1 Tbsp brown sugar
Chicken, beef, or vegetable stock and water


Step 1. Sauté the onion in a little olive oil until they are nice and tender. Make sure you are using a big soup pot. You'll need the room, trust me. (If you are adding ground beef, add it with the onion and cook it until it is done all the way through.)

Step 2. Add the seasonings, about a pinch of each. Add the sugar here too. Mix well.

Step 3. Add the tomatoes.

Step 4. Add the beans.

Step 5. Add stock/water to cover the ingredients. Simmer for about 15 minutes.

Step 6. Add the corn. Simmer for another 5 minutes.

Eat with tortilla chips. Top with sour cream, cheese, cilantro or anything else that sounds good!

Tip: If you have leftovers, but not quite enough to feed your family again, add another can of beans and more liquid, if necessary, and let it simmer together for 10 minutes or so. Or just serve it over rice.

See why I choose to make this after a long trip? It is easy and tastes delicious. It is super filling and easy to transform into a second meal. (That just means you can be lazy for TWO days! You're welcome.)