Recipes I love: Taco Soup

We left our windows open last night for the first time since spring, and waking up this morning to the chilly room was heavenly. Well, it was for me, anyway. I got to stay snuggled under the covers while my Sweet Husband had to get up and get ready for work. Hey, he had coffee waiting on him, so don't feel too sorry for him. Except for the fact that I didn't make the coffee; he had set it last night.

Fall is now officially here. I, for one, am so glad, because all of you wonderful decorating chick bloggers have made me dream of fall for the past month and a half! Now that it's here, I'll be pulling out all my soup recipes. Comforting Chicken Noodle Soup, Shrimp Chowder, Canadian Cheese Soup (my favorite), Chili, and several others that I have in my recipe binder that we haven't tried yet.

One of my favorites is Taco Soup. My bestest bud, Kat, called last night to compare my recipe with one she had found online. They were very similar, with the exception that mine doesn't have a ranch dressing packet in it. Mine is the only one I've ever found without ranch dressing. Oh, and hers had hominy in it. I have to ask you, who in the world eats hominy? Neither Kat nor I do, but if you do, please tell me because I'd like to meet you. I don't necessarily have anything against hominy (blech), but I don't seek it out and buy it like I do regular corn. I love me some corn. Corn on the cob, cut off the cob, corn pudding, popcorn, fried corn, creamed corn, cornbread...I'm starting to sound like Bubba in Forest Gump. But I digress.

So, in celebration of the official start of fall here in Mississippi (meaning the temperature last night got down to the mid 50's and today's temp won't get above 75, woo hoo!), we have had Taco Soup for the past two nights. Oh, yeah, I love me some leftovers. I guess you'd like me to shut up and give you the recipe, huh? Okey doke.

Taco Soup
1 to 2 lbs. ground beef (or deer, or turkey, whatever)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large can tomato juice (not sure the oz. on this...probably something like 64, but it may be more)
2 cans corn, drained
1 can Rotel, undrained
1 can stewed tomatoes (I used diced tomatoes), undrained
2 cans red beans, drained and rinsed
2 pkg. taco seasoning mix

Brown beef with onion and garlic until no longer pink. Drain off grease. Add all other ingredients and simmer 30 minutes or longer.

How easy-peasy is that? Takes no time at all to prep, and if you put it in the crock pot three or so hours before dinner, you don't even have to stir it to keep it from sticking. We love it with tortilla chips, shredded cheddar, and a little dollop of sour cream. Yummmmmm.

Oh, and it makes a ton. The three of us have eaten more than plenty for two nights and there is still enough for Kiddo and me to have it for lunch. However, I think that after two nights of it, he's probably done with it for a while. I, on the other hand, will be sad when this soup bowl is empty.