Tico Taco Soup

Lately we have been craving some of the Taco Soup I used to make in Texas. Almost all of the ingredients were prepackaged and it was simple to pull together. Today, I decided it was time to check out the local supermarket and see just what is available in prepackaged foods for substitutions. I found workable replacements, but I had to come up with my own "Taco Seasoning Mix." I used our house chili powder as the base, since this is the recipe that won the People Choice Award in a Chili Cook-Off just a few days ago.

Ingredients:
½ kilo, or 1 pound of ground beef
1 medium onion diced
1 medium sweet pepper diced
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon ground smoked Spanish paprika
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon Chili Powder de la Casa (click on link for recipe)
1 - 15.5 ounce can of white beans
1 - 20 ounce can of black beans
1 - 20 ounce can of red beans
1 - 20 ounce can of chick peas (garbanzo beans)
1 - 15.5 ounce can of corn kernels
1 - 15.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste

Yield ~ 8 servings

Directions:
Brown meat with onions and peppers in a fry pan and drain grease. Add all of the spices and mix well. Transfer the seasoned meat to a stock pot. Add all the canned beans, corn and tomatoes. Stir until well blended. Heat over medium/low temperature until thoroughly heated. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and grated cheddar cheese. This is also great with a little "Pico de Gallo" and chopped cilantro. Try making some Corny Jalapeño Skillet Corn Bread to serve on the side.