You may remember some months ago I posted about how I grew up with a dad who, even in the heat of our northwest Florida summers, would sit in our hot little kitchen and eat a bowl of Campbell’s soup every single day at noon.  He’s almost 81 now, and I am sure he’s still doing that. He just loves soup!

I love soup, too,  and I will eat it even when it’s toasty outside, but I usually make mine from scratch.  Soup is quite easy to make and so much better when it’s homemade, don’t you think?  And the great thing about it is that as it hangs out in your refrigerator for a few days, it just gets better and better as the flavors intermingle and develop.  I love that quality in a food! I also love that when one of the teenagers comes to me saying that he’s hungry, I can point him to the  big container of delicious soup in our fridge! Nice.  Soup can be helpful to a busy mama.

Most of the time soup can just be thrown together, as long as they are not cream-based. Here’s how I make my Simple and Spicy Turkey-Taco Soup.

Simple and Spicy Turkey-Taco Soup

1 pound (or more) of ground turkey or ground turkey breast

1 TBS or so of olive oil

one large onion, yellow or white, chopped

1-2 fresh jalapenos, minced

six cups of chicken broth (preferably homemade, but canned is ok)

2 t0 3 cups each cooked pinto beans and black beans

2 cups corn (frozen or fresh is best)

one can of diced tomatoes and chiles

one can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes

one envelope Ranch dressing mix

one envelope taco seasoning mix

Tony Chachere’s Cajun seasoning (I know it’s weird in a taco soup; it works, though)

Brown the ground turkey in the olive oil.   Add in the chopped onions and jalapenos, and cook for a few minutes until softened.

Sprinkle over the meat the taco seasoning and Ranch dressing mix.  Stir in.

Add the can of diced tomatoes and peppers and can of diced tomatoes. Stir.

Add the chicken broth, beans, and corn.

Stir all ingredients together and bring to a boil.

Stir, and lower heat until the soup is just simmering.

Taste occasionally, and add Chachere’s seaoning instead of adding salt, if salt is needed. It adds a depth of flavor that is so much better in this soup than plain salt is, if you happen to have some on hand.

Simmer for about thirty minutes before serving. Serve with grated cheddar, light sour cream, and thin tortilla chips.  Enjoy!