Day 17: Taco Soup and Cornbread

It's getting down to 10 degrees tonight, so nothing sounded better than hot soup. If you don't already have a Taco Soup recipe in your arsenal, you should add it. This is one of those dishes you can have on hand for any night of the week. All of the ingredients can be kept in the freezer or pantry for a last-minute hearty and warm dinner.

Grocery List:

• 2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can kernel corn, drained
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 1 can of Rotel with diced tomatoes and green chiles
• 1 (7 oz.) can of chopped green chiles
• 1 packet of taco seasoning
• 1 packet of ranch salad dressing seasoning

Garnishes:

• Sour cream
• Shredded cheese
• Tortilla chips

(Additional optional ingredients: 1 chopped onion, 1 can of pinto beans, 1 can of black olives, pickled jalapenos, etc.)

Directions:

• Brown ground beef in a large skillet, drain off fat.
• Add ground beef to a large stock pot.
• Add drained and rinsed black beans and drained corn.
• Add can of Rotel, 2 cans of diced tomatoes, green chiles and seasoning packets.
• Heat to medium-high stirring often.
• Reduce heat and let simmer for approximately 30 minutes.
• Garnish as desired.