Taco Soup

This is a regular around here when fall and winter hit.  Its not quite fall but it is gloomy enough to get it on the list for today!!  I had planned on tweeking the recipe (which calls for 2 pounds of ground beef and I only have one) to include polish sausage but in my conversation with Kim she mentioned they were having beans for dinner!  YUM!  So I am saving the sausage to stick in the crockpot with my 15 bean soup recipe for tomorrow!  I cut the soup recipe in half because it makes TONS!  Unless you have 19 people living in your house or you like to freeze meals, I urge you to do the same thing. 

Heres what you need:

1 pound of ground beef
1 cup diced onions
I can pinto beans
1 can corn
1 can mexican style stewed tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies (I used the Rotel Chili fixin's one...)
1/2 package taco seasoning ( I just used chili powder, cumin, garlic salt...its up to you!)
1 ranch seasoning packet
sliced green olives and/or black olives if you like...

Brown your hamburger meat and season it after cooked with taco packet or your own seasonings.  Dump it into a crockpot and add all the canned goods--DO NOT DRAIN THE LIQUID from the canned goods!  That's what makes your soup!  add your ranch packet, stir and close that lid for at least one hour.  I usually do a few hours on low.  Serve this delicious treat alone or Heather style with some sliced jalapenos, sour cream and some grated cheddar or colby jack.  Also great along side corn bread. 

This is a perfect "football food" served with some sandwiches!!  Recipe in its original form courtesy of Paula Deen and can be found here:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/taco-soup-recipe/index.html