Choose Your Own Adventure Taco Soup

Yay! It's March! (Okay, almost April, but I've always been a bit of a procrastinator). It's still a bit too cold for a barbeque, but I'm already tired of the heavy, wintery meals. Time for tacos!

Well, taco soup, anyway.

A note on Mexican food: I have realized why I didn't really like Mexico (ok, it's real name is La Parota) when I was in Farmville. I always knew Mexican food had to be better than that. I have learned, over the past two months that it is! Because there is El Salvadoran food to be had! We've been to two El Salvadoran restaurants since January. Samantha's (on my birthday, no less) and this little place near 16th and U Street in DC. AMAZINGLY good food! I had duck on my birthday with an amazing, not-too-sweet, just enough sour margarita, and it was some of the best food I'd ever had. Then when we went to the place in DC, I had Monterey Enchiladas. Enchiladas just filled with melting, soft, salty cheese. And a drop-dead-gorgeous Raspberry Margarita. GAH! Where has it been all of my life?

Ok, the recipe. It is delicious! And easy! And cheap!

Choose Your Own Adventure Taco Soup

Ingredients and tools:
1 pound of ground beef or turkey, whichever's cheapest/you prefer.
1 small sweet onion, chopped
Here's where the choices come in:
3 cans of beans. Regular sized, NOT the GIANT HUGE FAMILY SIZE (Pinto, Navy, Black, Kidney, Blackeyed any combination of three of those. Green beans probably won't work so well, and I don't think they're very taco-y)
3 cans of chopped tomatoes (With our without chiles/jalapenos/onions. Depends on how spicy you want it)
1 can of corn (not creamed corn, regular corn.)
1 packet of McCormick's taco seasoning (Mild/Regular/Medium/Hot, whatever you like)

Easy stuff, right? It gets even easier.

Tools:
Do you have a crock pot? Yes! Good!
No? Do you have a soup pot? Yes! Good!
No? Go buy one, here's $10. Or you can have one of mine.
Knife for chopping the onion.
Spatula for getting the beanybits out of the cans
Wooden spoon for stirring.
Cookie sheet to protect counter from over-zelaous crock pottage
Can opener

Crock pot method:
1. Brown the onions and the ground meat in a skillet until the meat is done and the onions start to turn clear.
2. In the mean time, open all of your cans of various beans/tomatoes/corn
3. Put the crock pot on a cookie sheet in case it gets a little full, that way your counter won't be a mess.
4. After the meat/onions are ready, put them into the crock pot. Add the cans of vegetables, stirring after each addition.
5. Fill one of the cans with water and then pour it into the other cans so all the extra bits get rinsed, then add it to the crock pot. (You can use leftover red wine as well, whatever makes you happy)
6.Add the taco seasoning and stir.
7. Turn the crock pot on low. Continue on about your day. If you're home, give it a stir every once in a while.

If you're using a soup pot:
1. Brown the meat and onions in the soup pot until the meat is ready and the onions start to turn clear.
2. In the mean time, open all of your cans of various beans/tomatoes/corn
3. Add the cans of vegetables, stirring after each addition.
4. Fill one of the cans with water and then pour it into the other cans so all the extra bits get rinsed, then add it to the crock pot. (You can use leftover red wine as well, whatever makes you happy)
5.Add the taco seasoning and stir.
6. Simmer on low for as long as you feel like letting it cook. (Not overnight or anything)

I usually make cornbread to go with it. I also like to add sour cream and cheddar cheese. It's kind of a mix between a chili and a soup, but it is really good, keeps in the freezer, and makes good leftovers. (I think it is even better the second day)