Another New Recipe

This is one of my very favorite soups; I love it!  I wish my kids liked it more. I always make it for potlucks and rarely get to take any back home with me so it must be good.

I found this in a Taste of Home magazine.  The original recipe had a pound of hamburger instead of the black beans so if vegetarian is not your thing- I fixed it for ya!

Taco Twist Soup

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons olive oil

3 cups vegetable broth or reduced-sodium beef broth

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes

1 can corn, drained

1 1/2 cups picante sauce (use whatever heat you’d prefer; I use mild because I’m a wuss)

1 cup uncooked spiral pasta

1 small green pepper, chopped

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Shredded cheddar cheese for topping

Sour cream for topping

Directions:

1.  In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender.
2. Add the remaining ingredients except for the cheese and sour cream.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Serve with cheese and sour cream.

Chef’s Notes:  I usually add the entire jar of picante sauce and sometimes add more broth.  The original recipe from the magazine didn’t call for a can of corn and I think that thickens up the soup somewhat.  Another great topping would be tortilla strips and jalapeños if you like spice.  Also, for those of you who don’t like to chop and mince the frozen bagged onions are a life-saver and I always buy the minced garlic in jars.  One teaspoon equals 1 clove of garlic.