Taco Soup

Taco Soup (slightly adapted from Kraft Recipes, 12 servings, Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 package Morningstar Farms burger crumbles

½ onion, chopped

3 cans (15.5 oz. each) mild chili beans (check ingredients to make sure they are vegetarian)

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained

1 can (14.25 oz.) corn, undrained

1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce

1 pkg. (1-1/4 oz.) Taco Seasoning Mix

1 ½ cups water

1 ½ cups shredded Mexican or Taco cheese

Directions

1.)    Cook burger crumbles and onions in a large saucepan over medium heat until crumbles are thawed.

2.)    Add all remaining ingredients except cheese.  Bring to boil, then simmer on medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3.)    Top with cheese.

This is a great dish for a cool day – it heats things up in two ways!  Adding the diced tomatoes with green chiles definitely kicks it up a notch – I don’t think I would have been satisfied with the original recipe.  The way it is, it met the tastes of both my husband and me - which is always a plus -  not too spicy and not too mild.  The onions and corn provide a little crispiness to an otherwise soft dish.  The texture is much thinner than the soups I am used to, but the cheese helps to add some thickness to it.  If you like a creamy soup, I suggest adding less water, or draining the tomatoes and corn. 

This is a good base recipe that allows you to easily adjust for the spiciness factor (adding jalapenos, hot sauce, etc.).  Have fun playing around with it!