Taco Soup

It's been another wild week at my house. Last Monday and Tuesday, David and I took a couple of vacation days and visited Jenny Wiley State Park. That left Wednesday, Thursday, and part of Friday to prepare for the weekend class I was scheduled to teach. Friday night and all day Saturday were spent teaching. Monday and Tuesday of this coming week, I have to be out of town for work-related stuff. Whew! I think I only made one home-cooked meal last week, and it was a grilled chicken salad...hardly anything to blog about! I feel like I've neglected David in the food department, so on Saturday evening, while he was settling in for the UK-Florida massacre, I set about making a big ol' part of soup for him to have while I'm out of town.
I decided on Paula Deen's Taco Soup for a number of reasons. It's quick. It's easy. It's hearty. It's man-friendly. It's full of fiber (okay, so that reason is a stretch). And it's super-tasty!
Please forgive me for the less-than-perfect photo. I was on my way out the door tonight and snapped a quick picture. This soup is a staple in our house during the fall and winter, because it's just that good...I mean, what else would you expect from Paula Deen? Anyway, give this recipe a try on the first chance that you get. You won't be disappointed!

Taco Soup

Paula Deen

Ingredients:
Jalapenos

Chopped green onions

Grated cheese

Sour cream

Corn chips

1 1-ounce package ranch salad dressing mix

1 1 1/4-ounce package taco seasoning mix

1/2 cup green olives, sliced (optional)

1 small can black olives, drained and sliced (optional)

2 4 1/2-ounce cans diced green chilies

1 14 1/2-ounce can tomatoes with chilies

1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 14 1/2-ounce can mexican tomatoes

1 15 1/4-ounce can whole kernal corn, drained

1 15 1/2-ounce cans pink kidney beans

2 15-1/2 ounce cans pinto beans

2 cup diced onions

2 lb ground beef

Directions:
Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain the excess fat, then transfer the browned beef and onions to a large crackpot or a stockpot. Add the beans, corn, green onions, tomatoes, chilies, olives, and seasonings, and cook on low setting all day (6 to 8 hours) if using a crockpot, or simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in a stockpot on the stove. To serve, place a few corn chips in each bowl and ladle soup over them. Top with sour cream, cheese, and jalapenos.