Some Like it Hot

This is one of my all time favorite, go-to dinners. It literally takes 5 minutes to assemble and can either be cooked on the stove top or all day in a crock pot, like I did here. I made it with chicken this time, but you can easily leave out the meat and it is just as tasty as a vegetarian dish. It is spicy and satisfying, and perfect for those nights when the last thing you want to do is make a big elaborate dinner. It is also made of almost all canned goods, so it is also super convenient, especially when you really need to go to the grocery store....my family knows it's time to go shopping when I bust out the taco soup because it usually means we don't have anything fresh left in the house!

The ingredient roundup
1 box of stock, chicken or veggie makes the best choices
1 can of Rotel ( this is where the spice comes from. They also make 'mild' flavored if you don't care for the heat)
I can of corn, or 1/2 bag of frozen corn. In the summer, I make it with fresh corn off the cob and it is amazing!
2 cans of chicken. If this is disgusting to you, as it kind of is to me, you can get a rotisserie chicken and shred it.
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 packet of dry ranch salad dressing mix ( not pictured). Make sure it isn't the ranch dip mix. Tried that once. The memory still haunts me.
1 can of red beans, 1 can of black beans
2 handfuls of dry pasta....any more than that and it is no longer a soup. I use whole wheat pasta, because I think the texture holds up better.
Also, I use Reynolds crock pot liners. They are the best invention EVER. They are essentially your Grandma's plastic couch cover, but for your crock pot.

Drain and rinse the beans. Leave the juice on everything else though, like the tomatoes and the corn.

Add the stock and stir.

Cook until the pasta is tender, usually about 4 hours in a crock pot or 20 minutes on the stove top.

The finished product! This has about 8 servings, but if you wanted to make it for a family get together or football game, just double it up. Usually I serve it with shredded cheddar, crunched up tortilla chips, and a dollop of guacamole. In this case, Momma needs to grocery shop. Sooooo, no toppings. However, still one of the best soups I make. Hope everyone loves it as much as I do! Feel free to comment or ask for specific recipe ideas too. Yum yum goodness from me to you!