Nakita Grinie

This weekend marked the first "real" rainstorm of the season.
It has been raining on and off for the past 3 days.
I love it! Fall is officially here, which means SOUP!

Taco Soup is a family favorite. I got this recipe from a dear family friend at one of my bridal showers over 8 years ago. At the bridal shower, all the guests brought their favorite family recipe on a recipe card & all the recipe cards were put in a binder for me. It was one of the greatest gifts!
I make Taco Soup all the time in the Fall/Winter.
It is what I serve on Halloween, on rainy days & for Monday Night Football.
Taco Soup is comfort food at it's finest!
And, couldn't be easier to make!

Here is what you need:

- 1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
- 1 large can diced tomatoes
- 1 can stewed tomatoes
- 1 small can tomato sauce
- 1 can kidney beans, drained
- 1 can corn
- 1 package of taco seasoning
(the recipe also calls for a diced onion, but we don't like onions, so I don't add it)

Step 1: Brown your meat

I always brown the meat in the same pot that I make the soup in (less to clean up!)

After you cook the meat, bust out your can opener.
Dump in the can of tomato sauce, diced tomatoes & stewed tomatoes (both un-drained)

Next, dump in the packet of taco seasoning. Stir.

Add in the (drained) kidney beans & (undrained) can of corn.

Stir.

Cover your pot & keep soup simmering on the stove for about an hour.
**OR, you could have put this all in your crock pot & have it simmer on low for 1-2 hours**

While your soup is simmering, clean up your mess...which is really just putting the cans in your recycle bin.

While your soup is simmering, you can also make your cornbread.
I ALWAYS serve Taco Soup with Cornbread.
My favorite cornbread is Marie Callendars. All you do is add water. Love it!

While my soup is simmering & my cornbread is baking, I make my semi-homemade whipped honey butter to put on my cornbread.

Want to know how to make semi-homemade whipped honey butter? It's EASY!
You need:
- Whipped Butter
-Honey

Your butter should be room temperature.
(I take my butter out of the fridge & but it on the counter when I first start making Taco Soup)

Spoon some butter into a bowl. Squeeze some honey into a bowl.

Stir it together.

And, that my friends is how you make semi-homemade honey butter.
I don't eat my cornbread without it!

We serve our Taco Soup with shredded cheese on top.
You can add sour cream if you want.
I always put some chips on the plates so you can crunch some chips on the top.

Or, I just use the chips as a spoon sometimes! Yum!

Taco Soup is a family favorite....Both girls love it, as evidenced by Claire literally licking her bowl.

This soup usually tastes even better the next day because all the flavors have mixed together. Sometimes, I will make this the night before I serve it for dinner!
Hope you love Taco Soup as much as we do!