Taco Soup??? More like Chili If You Ask Me

Since I talked about turkey chili last week, I figured that I would also talk about my favorite chili recipe.  Though I make many changes, the base is still the same no matter where you find the recipe.  The technical term for this chili is "Taco Soup"; however, if you dare to make this at home...and I know you will....you will see that it is more like chili.  The recipe that I am modifying comes from Paula Deen.  Yes, butter loving, fat encouraging, Paula Deen.  Though some people have an issue with her style of cooking, I think that it is very flavorful and each person should use items, like butter, to their preference level.  Paula Deen is not to blame for America's issues with obesity.  Now that I've finally voiced my opinion about Paula Deen, we can move on.  Feel free to watch Paula make this dish using the link below and then take a look at the changes that I've made.  I think you will find that my changes make the recipe that much easier and also shows a different cooking method that can be done in 30 - 45 minutes. 

                               http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/taco-soup/32064.html

Photo courtesy of http://southernfood.about.com/od/soupandstew/r/bl30414v.htm

Paula Deen’s Recipe 

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 2 cups diced onions
• 2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans pinto beans
• 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can pink kidney beans
• 1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomatoes with chiles
• 2 (4 1/2-ounce) cans diced green chiles
• 1 (4.6-ounce) can black olives, drained and sliced, optional
• 1/2 cup green olives, sliced, optional
• 1 (1 1/4-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
• 1 (1-ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix
• Corn chips, for serving
• Sour cream, for garnish
• Grated cheese, for garnish
• Chopped green onions, for garnish
• Pickled jalapenos, for garnish

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 slow cooker or a stockpot. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, black olives, green olives, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing mix, and cook in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours or simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in a pot on the stove. To serve, place a few corn chips in each bowl and ladle soup over them. Top with sour cream, cheese, green onions and jalapenos.

Tracy’s Recipe

Ingredients

·         2 lbs ground beef

·         1 onion (chopped)

·         1 can pinto beans (15 oz)

·         1 can whole kernel corn, drained (11 – 15 oz)

·         1 can stewed tomatoes, Mexican style (14.5 oz)

·         1 can rotel tomatoes (or tomatoes with green chile peppers)

·         1 pkg of taco seasoning

·         1 pkg original hidden valley ranch dressing (dry)

·         1 can tomato sauce

·         1 can chili beans (mild or hot)

·         Cornbread

Directions:

Brown ground beef and onions, drain fat.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer for half hour to hour.

As you will see, the main differences between our recipes are the following:

• less onions in my modification
• no diced tomatoes as I don't really want a real "tomatoey" soup/chili
• no green chiles as there are enough of them in the rotel
• instead of pinto and kidney beans, I add pinto and chili beans
• only added 2 cans of bean versus 3 cans...there is a such thing as to many beans :-)
• added tomato sauce to make it more of a chili than a soup
• paula made her using a slow cooker and mine was just done on the stove top...both work very well.

I hope you enjoy this soup/chili as much as I do.  It really is one of my favs!!!