Crock-pot Taco Soup

This is a fantastic cool weather soup; its easy, super tasty and really quite versatile!

You could do this on the stove top if you like too!

I found the original recipe from A Year of Slow Cooking;  my husband doesn't like beans, so I used twice the amount of corn.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

-1 lb. ground beef or turkey

-32 oz. (4 cups) frozen corn with water {you can use canned corn, I like frozen better} (or 2 cups your favorite beans & 2 cups corn)

-32 oz. (4 cups) diced tomatoes {or any combination of tomatoes, pasta sauce and/or salsa to equal 32 oz.; use what you have}

-4 oz. diced green chilies

-1 packet or 3 tbsp taco seasoning

-1 packet or 2 tbsp ranch seasoning {I use my homemade ranch mix}

Extra Ingredients:

-sour cream, optional

-shredded cheese, optional

-sliced green onion or chopped onion, optional

-crushed tortilla chips or corn chips, optional

               OR cornbread croutons

-sliced black olives, optional

-fresh chopped tomato, optional

Process:

1. Brown ground beef.

 2. Place browned beef into crock-pot.

 3. Add taco seasoning and ranch seasoning to meat.

4. Add corn with water to crock-pot   {I used my 2 cup measuring cup, filled it with corn and then water twice to get 32 oz. with water.}

The corn will hold together
because its frozen and the water freezes
between the kernels,
but it will break up when you stir it.

5. Decide on and measure out your tomatoes, pasta sauce and/or salsa.  I find a combination makes for a very flavorful soup and you can change it up every time you make this!  Its so good!

This time I used 16 oz.
of my homemade pasta sauce
and 16 oz. of my homemade salsa verde
(half of the large jar).

I just measured 16 oz. of my salsa verde.

6. Add the tomatoes, pasta sauce and/or salsa to the crock-pot.

7. Add the diced green chilies to the crock-pot.

I had half of an 8 oz. can in the fridge.

8. Stir to combine {the corn may stick together some, because its frozen; but in time it will thaw}.

9. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.  Stir occasionally, if you are around {its not necessary}.

 10. Serve with the extras of you liking!  Enjoy!