TORTILLA SOUP - OH SO MANY CHOICES!

Quick and Easy Tortilla Soup

I must have 8-10 different recipes for Tortilla Soup...yet I rarely make it.  I order it in restaurants all the time...really love it.  I used to make it, but it took a long time (I stewed the chicken, made the stock...all from scratch).  My friend, Dana, posted on Facebook that she was making Six Can Tortilla Soup for lunch.  She lives in Colorado these days and knows how to keep warm.  She is also a very good cook.  She said she got the recipe online so I did some searches and apparently I may be one of the few people in the world who DON'T know about Six Can Tortilla Soup! 

It's still freezing-butt cold here, and getting colder and nastier before it gets warmer again, and I don't have the exact ingredients, but I figured I could make do with what I DO have.  I feel certain I can prepare a very warming lunch for myself.  I hear the wind kicking up, and just got an alert from our local emergency broadcast saying more bad weather coming our way and bridges and overpasses in the area are closing.  Definitely not a day to be running to the store!

So, here's my tweaked version of Six Can Tortilla Soup!  I found a basic recipe (and a ton of varieties) at allrecipes.com, so go there to see how it's "supposed" to be done.  This is my way and I will be making this frequently.  It's darn good if I do say so myself!

TORTILLA SOUP - THE EASY WAY
A take-off on Six Can Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

1 can Ro-tel Tomatoes and Green Chili - diced version
1 can Corn (drained)
1 can Kidney Beans (drained, but not rinsed)
4 cups of chicken stock - or 2 cans of chicken broth
1 10-12 oz can chicken or turkey breast - drained
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped onion (I had it in my freezer)
2 heaping tablespoons spicy Salsa (I had a refrigerated fresh Salsa on hand)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cominos (your preference)
Fresh cilantro if you have it - dried if you don't - or skip it!
Tortilla Chips (broken up if they are too large - all I had today were Tostito's Scoops - they worked just fine)

Grated Cheese (I had a Mexican Blend - perfect), Diced Avocado, Sour Cream for toppings (I didn't use sour cream today - but I do from time to time - especially if it is spicy hot - it cools the burn a bit).

Simple pantry ingredients make this
Tortilla soup a snap to make!

Method:

In medium saucepan, mix Ro-tel, chicken stock, onion, salsa, cilantro and cominos.
Bring to boil, reduce to simmer.  Allow to simmer until onions are softened
Add corn and kidney beans - allow to simmer for 15 minutes
Add canned meat and bring to simmer - for 15 minutes

Ready to ladle into bowl!

To Serve:

In a large soup bowl (or pasta bowl) layer in some crunched up tortilla chips, avocado chunks, and cheese.  Spoon hot soup into the bowl with a ladle.  Add more cheese to the top and a dollop of sour cream if desired.  Serve at once.

Lay down the base of chips, avocado, and cheese
before ladling in the soup

Delicious when it's frosty outside and you don't have the ingredients to cook a big batch of this from scratch...or just want a quick meal that tastes homemade.

This was a GOOD bowl of soup - hot and hardy!

Yum, thanks Dana!!!  I just finished the bowl I took pictures of.  It was exceptionally delicious, with a slow burn from the spicy salsa when it slid down my throat!  Love it when it is easy AND delicious!

Bon Appetit, Y'all!!!