Taco Soup

This recipe was given to me by my dear and lovely sister in law Kristen. How I have lived 30 some odd years without it, or even knowing about it, I do not know. It encompasses all of my favorite things: easy, few dishes, freezes and warms well, adaptable to different tastes and it's DELICIOUS. Think: tacos in a bowl. Feel free to make changes as you see fit. I've changed up the types of beans, the amount of taco seasoning, you can do ground chicken or turkey (or shredded even) instead of the ground beef etc. The adaptations to your tastes are endless.

Taco Soup

2 lbs ground beef, browned, drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans, liquid included
1 can pinto beans, liquid included
1 can black beans, liquid included
2 cans corn, liquid included
2 packets of taco seasoning (I use a bit more, probably 2 1/4 packets)
2 packets of dry ranch dressing mix
1 large can of diced tomatoes (optional)

In large skillet brown, drain and rinse ground beef. (I always rinse my ground beef. It sounds gross, but really does get rid of quite a bit of the fat).

In a large stock pot add all canned ingredients, including the juices. (You can also rinse the beans and add water, but you lose some of the flavor) Mix in taco seasoning and ranch dressing mix. Add ground beef and heat through.

Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, shredded cheese, guacamole or your favorite taco toppings.