taco soup

I'm moving everything from the cooking closet [my other blog that has been inactive for over a year] over here to MN365. I'm decluttering. Hope it's not too annoying! (-:

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Originally posted in September 2011. 

This recipe is dedicated to MegB. She was my roommate for the three years I lived in Durham, NC. We both cooked, but I...howshallwesay....made it up as I went along. That's right, I'm not much of a recipe follower. I'm a recipe reader, I'm a cookbook lover, I'm inspired by beautiful food, but I don't follow recipes well.

I've always been bull-headed like that.

So, most of the time I make things up. You can do it too, just leave out what you don't like and add in what you do [if it goes together] and voila--you're cooking!

A few weeks ago when the weather turned cold I received a text from MegB about this recipe. I failed to reply, hence this post.

Oops, sorry. Here it is:

This is a recipe inherited from my mom, I usually refer to it as a "dump" soup. Meaning you open a bunch of cans into a pot, stir, add some heat and that's that. Easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy. I did make some variations, so keep up with me. (-:

This is for a double recipe, procure half of these ingredients if you don't plan on eating soup for a week straight AND freezing 8 cups.

[Confession: I'm not quite used to only cooking for myself yet.]

This is traditionally a broth based soup, but I wanted it to be a little thicker, a little heartier so I started with a roux. This is completely optional.

Just keep whisking! You want to let the roux cook for a minute or two so the flour gets rid of that raw taste, then add your broth and whisk-whisk-whisk! The lumps will go away and things will thicken. Next, I added my spices [you use these if you're making a roux or not].

Then I dumped. And stirred. And tasted. And added a bit of salt. And declared it good.

What do you think, Hank?

Feed me! Pet me! Love me!

I like a little sprinkle of cheese and a couple of crunched up tortilla chips in my soup. Yum!

The Recipe, for one [double it if you're out of control like some people]

• 2-4 Tbsp, Butter or Oil
• 2-4 Tbsp, Flour

Make your [optional] roux by heating the butter or oil, add in the flour and whisk to combine allowing 1-2 minutes for the flour to cook. Then add the broth and continue whisking until no longer lumpy.

• one can Broth--Chicken or Veggie
• shredded Chicken, you can poach [just boil the chicken until cooked through] 2 boneless, skinless breasts for this if you'd like some meat [optional]
• one can Chili Beans
• one can Corn or Hominy
• one can Diced Tomatoes--salt-free, please
• one can Rotel--whatever variety is your favorite
• half a jar Salsa
• half [or a small if you can find it] a package chopped, frozen Spinach [optional]
• Cumin, 1-2 tsp
• Onion Powder, 1 tsp
• Garlic Powder, 1 tsp
• Red Pepper, how spicy do you like it?

Dump everything into a pot and cook until bubbly. Top with cheese, chips and sour cream if you want to go all out. I only went 2/3 out.