SOUTHWESTERN SOUP

I intended to write this post last night to share with you this morning, but that didn't happen. Around six o'clock our younger son sent me a text asking if we were doing anything. Turned out that our grandchildren wanted to see us. So instead of writing this post, we went to spend the evening with them. While the Chiefs played the Patriots, we were coloring with Madison and Tyler, playing "Who's Left" and Unblock Me on my phone, getting a new hairstyle from Tyler, and eating popcorn Grandad made. The Patriots won the game, but just barely and it was a good game.

I made this soup last week and we are still enjoying it. (It makes a big pot of soup.) Since I don't eat onions and peppers, after I had it mixed up and cooking, I took part of it in a separate pot and added onions and peppers to it for my husband. The recipe is in Southern Living Fix It & Freeze It Heat It & Eat It, a quick-cook guide to over 200 make-ahead dishes. I didn't freeze any of mine as we wanted to eat it, but you obviously could. (The can sizes are approximates.)

Click here for a printable version of just the recipe.

SOUTHWESTERN SOUP

1     lb ground beef
1     cup coarsely chopped onion
2     garlic cloves, minced
2     (16 - oz) cans light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1     (15 - oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1     (14.5 - oz) can petite diced tomatoes and jalapenos, undrained
1     (14.5 - oz) can diced tomatoes and mild green chiles, undrained
1     (14 - oz) can beef broth
2     cups frozen yellow and white whole kernel corn
1     (1 - oz) envelop taco seasoning mix
1/4  (teaspoon salt
1/4  (teaspoon pepper
2     tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Toppings: sour cream, chopped cilantro
Blue corn tortilla chips (optional)

Brown ground beef, onion, and garlic in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring often, 10 to 12 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink and onion is softened; drain. 

Stir in kidney beans and next 8 ingredients, and 4 cups of water. (I didn't drain the red kidney beans and so I omitted the water. You can follow the recipe or do as I did but add some water if you wanted it more soupy. My husband doesn't like a lot of liquid in soup.)

I waited to add the taco seasoning until I had added all of the other ingredients.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in cilantro just before serving. Serve with desired toppings and tortilla chips, if desired.

To Freeze It: Place the pot of soup in a bath of ice water in the sink to cool. Stir the soup often to help release the heat. Ladle into labeled gallon - or quart - size zip - top plastic freezer bags. Let out any excess air, and seal; freeze up to 1 month. To reheat, thaw soup in fridge overnight, and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally.