Enchilada Soup

Congratulations to Holly, who gave birth to a beautiful 9 lb baby boy last Thursday! Holly typically provides us with some weekly recipe inspiration, but I (Theresa) will be filling in until she is ready to return)

A few weeks back I was cooking up Tyler Florence's Enchilada Recipe, and had the thought- why am I doing this? I love Enchiladas (especially the kind with red sauce and corn tortillas) but I just really do not have the time to put in the preparation that goes with them, and my kitchen looks like a bomb went off after all of that work. It was then and there that Enchilada Soup was born with a few ingredients I had on hand. Enchilada taste without the time.

What you will need:

1. 1 lb Beef (I use Eye of Round, you can use any cut really), I have also started cutting back on the meat in this recipe- last time made it with 12 oz, and it was great. To make the soup vegetarian, you could add a can (or two) of beans instead.
   
2. 4 Cloves of Garlic
3. 1 Medium Onion, chopped.
   
4. 2 Green Bell Peppers
5. 1 (10 oz) package of frozen corn- I like this kind.
   
6. 1 32 oz Box of Pacific Organic Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup- you can find this at most Organic Food Stores, I buy mine in bulk from Costco. You can even order it from Amazon, but you can find it cheaper in-store.
   
7. 1 (14 or 15oz) can of chopped Tomatoes- (Do not drain!)
8. 1 (14 or 15 oz) Can Beef or Vegetable Broth- you could also use boullion cubes + water as a substitute.
   
9. 1 Bunch of Cilantro chopped- you can use less if your family is not big on cilantro, reserve some cilantro for topping the soup at the end if you would like.
10. 1 (4 oz) Can Mild Green Chilis Minced- Mince it up a bit more before adding it to soup
    
11. 1 Minced Chipotle Pepper in Adobo sauce (canned)- That means one pepper from the can. If you have children, and want them to eat the soup, I would just add 1/2 chipotle pepper (freeze the remaining canned peppers in individual bags for future soups).
    
12. 1/2 to 1 tsp. of ground Cumin (to taste)
    
13. Cheddar Cheese- This is for topping the soup. I know the picture shows Mozzarella cheese, but hey, I was in a hurry.
14. 1 Avocado Chopped - This is for adding to individual soup bowls at the end.
15. Sour Cream- This may be optional for you, but for me, I love a little on top.
16. Tortilla Chips- I am a big fan of the Garden of Eatin' Guacamole flavor, but Costco also makes a big bag of Kirkland Organic Tortilla Chips that we love.

Start off by preparing the beef. This is super easy, but you have to think about it early in the day. Just add the beef (with a little salt or even some minced garlic if you like) to a crock pot, cover, and set it at low heat. I usually put the beef in at around 9 or 10 am, and take it out around 5 pm to add it to the soup. So, plan for 7-8 hours in the crock pot.
Next, cut up the veggies and garlic. I love getting these chopped up the night before because they are the most time intensive part of the recipe. Wait to chop the cilantro and avocado until just before you add it.

Add a two tablespoons of Olive oil (or any oil you have) to a large soup pot. Place on Medium/Medium Low heat and add garlic when the oil is hot. Saute the garlic until it is slightly brown.
Add the chopped onion. Saute the onion and the Garlic until the onion becomes slightly translucent.
Add the green pepper, and continue to saute until the green pepper becomes slightly tender (about two minutes). I usually add about 1/4 tsp of salt to the vegetables at this point.

Add the corn (you can add it when it is frozen, or you can defrost the corn beforehand). Combine the mixture well.

Add the canned tomatoes (including liquid) to the mixture and combine.

Add the box of soup, beef broth, and ground cumin. Stir well.

Now it is time for the beef. Remove the beef from the crock pot. It should be tender and should shred very easily. Add the beef, the chopped cilantro, and the chopped green chili and chipotle peppers to the soup, and turn the heat to low until the soup has heated through. Salt to taste.

Cut the avocado up, bowl the soup and top with chips, cheese, sour cream and avocado. My kids love it when I make the soup "a flower." Enjoy!! Any leftovers can be frozen. Any questions? Leave a comment!