Taco soup, thanks Mom!

The husband had 2 weeks off from work so we went back down south to visit friends and family.  The two big dogs went to "Summer Camp" up here in New York and the new, little guy got to take the road trip with us.  He was so much better in the car than I anticipated!  It was either sleeping on the floorboard at the passenger's feet or something a little like this:

Super cute, right?  I kept getting a bit car sick because I spent so much time looking down at him.  Worth it. 

So, before we left for vacation, my Mom sent me a recipe for Rumor's Taco Soup from Rumor's Deli in Cullman, Alabama.  Upon arrival at her house, she showed me a huge Dutch Oven containing the soup.  Holy moly, it was delicious.  I had made some seasoned oyster crackers to snack on during the drive down that were a perfect addition.  Second day back in New York, I made the soup.  It is delicious, makes SO MUCH and will be around for a quick meal for a while.

 
That picture doesn't do the massive quanitity this recipe yields.  That dutch oven ways a ton when it is empty.  Full, well, let's just say I had to get Husband to move it from the stove top to the fridge. 

Enjoy!

Rumor's Taco Soup - Rumor's Deli, Cullman, Alabama

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground chuck

1 Medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 (1-oz.) envelope Ranch dressing mix

1 (1-oz.) envelope Taco seasoning mix

2 (16 oz.) cans pinto beans, undrained

2 (14.5-oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (15-oz.) can black beans, undrained

1 (14 ¾-oz.) can white creamed-style corn

1 (11oz.) Southwestern Style Corn

1 (4.5-oz) can chopped green chiles, undrained

Sour cream

Shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Tortilla chips

Preparation:
Cook beef and onion in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring often, 10 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink; drain. Stir in dressing mix and taco seasoning. Add 1 cup water (I used beer), pinto beans, and next 4 ingredients. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Ladle soup into bowls. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream, and sprinkle with cheese. Serve with tortilla chips. Makes 8 servings.

I deviated from the recipe a little bit.  I only had a 0.4 oz packet of Ranch dressing mix so I subbed in a 0.7 oz packet of Italian dressing mix.  For the taco seasoning mix I used about 6 tsp of my homemade mix that I just keep on hand.  I am not a huge fan of pinto beans, so I just left those out.

Taco seasoning mix

Ingredients:

1/4 cup instant minced onion
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. crushed dried red pepper flakes
1-1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. instant minced garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and blend thoroughly with wire whisk. Spoon mixture into a tightly closed container and label as "Taco Seasoning Mix". Store in a cool, dry place. Use within 6 months. Makes 6 packages (about 2 Tbsp. each) of mix. 2 Tbsp. equals 1.25-oz. pkg. purchased taco seasoning mix.

To make Taco Filling:
Brown 1 lb. lean ground beef in large skillet over medium heat; drain grease. Add 1/2 cup water (I often use beer) and 2 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning Mix. Reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes enough filling for 8 to 10 tacos.