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Hearty Tortilla Soup!

Chilly weather calls for something hot and homemade – like tortilla soup. It’s the perfect answer when the kids come in from outdoors, asking, “What’s for supper, Mom?”

Mmmm. Supper’s ready.

This meal is so easy and quick, it takes less than 30 minutes, start to finish. And it’s guaranteed to warm up hungry tummies in a hurry.

If your family likes it spicy you can ramp up the heat. Or keep it bland. Your choice. However you make it, it’s delicious.

The soup is so good and filling by itself, it really doesn’t need the tortilla chips. I would even serve it with crusty bread.

I first tasted this soup at a grocery store food demonstration, and immediately went up and down the aisles gathering ingredients. I made my first batch that very night. It has a delicious tomato base and uses ground turkey instead of beef.

The great thing about tortilla soup is that you can rely on ready-to-use packaged products, do it all from scratch, or land somewhere in the middle, like I usually do.

Here’s how to make a pot large enough to feed a family of four:

Boil about six small red potatoes, peel and set aside.

Brown in two tablespoons olive oil: 1 lb. fresh ground turkey, 1/2  onion, chopped; and two cloves garlic.

Add:

6 cups chicken broth (1 1/2 boxes of Pacific Foods Chicken Broth) OR simmer your own chicken in water, and use the broth.

1 1/2 cans cut green beans (I save the liquid and add back to the soup if I need more.) -OR steam fresh green beans – about two cups, cut in one-inch pieces.

Make sure fresh, uncooked green beans are tender before adding:

1 large (30 oz.) can crushed tomatoes (I love Muir Glen organic oven roasted tomatoes for their slightly smokey flavor.) OR, use two jars of 505 Salsa!!

The cooked potatoes, cut in bitesize chunks

1 tablespoon dried oregano, salt to taste.

This next ingredient is mandatory at our house: Green chile. I take some out of the freezer, defrost and rinse off the seeds. Then I chop and toss into the broth.

You can buy Bueno brand frozen green chile in many places, or you may need to rely on canned. OR try a dash of red chile powder, if desired.

If the soup is too thick, add back some of the vegetable cooking water.

Here’s the tortilla part: Take a handful of restaurant quality corn chips  (Not Doritos) and layer in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle in the soup.

Garnish with cilantro and enjoy with salad. My family loves it! FFG

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