I LOVE Soup!

OK, I will spare you the photo of Taco Soup. There is nothing particularly pretty about looking at a 'kitchen sink' type of concoction! So, here is a photo of the one that shared the original recipe - Lindsey (and a friend).

In this shot, she is at a local football game helping get people registered to vote this November. (If you haven't tried it, and I have only done so once - you should. It feels great to be part of the process!) Anyway, on with the recipe. It is DELICIOUS, and I make enough to eat it for a week (or freeze).

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Taco Soup - ala Lindsey...

2 pounds ground beef (obviously, she leaves this part out!)
1 large onion, chopped
1 can pinto beans
1 can whole kernel corn ,drained
1 can stewed tomatoes - Mexican style
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix -(opt.)
1 pkg. original hidden valley ranch dressing(dry)
1 cans hominy (this is essential! add more if you like, YUM!)
2 1/2 cups water or more, to make soup broth

PREPARATION:
Brown ground beef and onions in a large pan, drain off fat. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for an hour or so. When ready, serve in big soup bowls, and have a skillet of hot cornbread to eat, too.
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The last thing I will say about this is, don't worry if you don't have exactly what it calls for in the recipe. For instance, I didn't have Rotel or pinto beans this last time. I did, however, have 2 cans of organic spicy black bean chili and lots of canned, seasoned diced tomatoes. Also, I had to make my own taco seasoning (which isn't hard with the recipe). Just try it - You will LOVE it!

Thanks, Lindsey!

Yesterday's Yummies

LONE STAR STEAK AND PASTA

OK, for those of you that do not know, we have about half of a grass-fed cow in our freezer. So, this has led to some creative menu choices, as we didn't usually eat beef that regularly. It is delicious, and we know where it came from - HUGE in this day and time.

Anyway, when girlfriends get together, everyone is always asking - "What do you cook for dinner?" to one another. We, like everyone else, get stuck in a rut around the Vice household. So, I have decided to start sharing if I find a recipe that is new that we like. Here goes!

1 pound Rotini or other med. pasta shape
1 1/4 lbs. boneless beef top sirloin steak, 1" thick
1 TBSP olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (I added more)
1 10oz. can Rotel
1 16oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup green pepper, chopped
(as the wee one doesn't care for texture on this, I used pureed red pepper instead)
1 cup frozen corn, thawed and drained
1/4 cup green onion, sliced
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
2 tsp. garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. ground cumin (my favorite!)
1 tsp. salt

Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, trim fat from steak and cut lengthwise in half and then crosswise into 1/8" thick strips. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak, half at a time and cook 1-2 minutes or until outside surface is no longer pink. Remove steak and set aside.

In same skillet, add lime juice, tomatoes and chilies, black beans, green pepper, corn, onion, cilantro, garlic, cumin and salt. Cook and stir until hot. Add cooked meat and cook until heated through.

Serve with steak and vegetable mixture over pasta.

ENJOY! We liked it even better the next day! Let me know if you try it!