My Mistake-Summer Chili Soup
First, let me say that I am a soup lover. It doesn't matter if it's 100 degrees out there. When I want soup, I want soup. I have talked to several other people lately who've told me the same thing. Maybe it's our real longing for fall and cooler weather, or even just plain old comfort, but whatever it is, I've had some kind of soup almost every night this week.
I needed a new soup recipe, and this one needed to have a short list of ingredients, and ease of preparation. I found one similar to the one below. No chopping onions, or peppers or garlic, so joy! I wrote down the list of ingredients on a scrap of paper, and headed for the store.
With list in my hand, I started with the main ingredient, the beef. I knew that I wanted to buy the store brand of organic lean beef, and that was the easy part, but the other ingredients were impossible to find. No joy! That's when this recipe was modified as I walked down the aisle telling myself that I could substitute this instead of that, and you know how the rest of the story goes. I know you've done it too.
I came home with my groceries, got out a Dutch oven and started cooking. This is what I came up with, and it was really good. You might want to add more or less seasoning. Depends on you. I have enjoyed it two nights in a row.
1 pound organic ground beef, 93% lean
1 (12.7 ounce) package Birdseye Southwest Style Protein Blends
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, Zesty Chili Style
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth
1 teaspoon, or to taste of McCormick Perfect Pinch Mexican Seasoning
1 teaspoon, or to taste chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Brown the ground beef over medium heat, until brown or cooked through. Open the package of Birdseye Southwest Blend and pour the ingredients over the beef, and then add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth and seasonings. Stir until all ingredients are combined. Bring to a short boil, and then cut the heat down to a simmer, cover and cook until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Check for seasoning. Serves 6. Serve with crushed tortilla chips, or corn muffin and sour cream.
