Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Slow Cooker Taco Cheese Soup

 

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Do you like Velveeta?  I am not exactly a cheese snob or connosisseur ---though I did grow up in Wisconsin....  I don't think I remember ever buying or using Velveeta cheese in my married life.   But the other day I found a recipe I had printed out from Yvonne's, Stone Gable, blog.  The soup was an adaptation of a Paula Deen recipe.  Yvonne called it "Paula Deen meet Stone Gable!"   Even though I am not used to cooking with Velveeta, I thought, if it is good enough for Paul Deen and Yvonne, it's good enough for me!  They were right -- it was the best taco soup I have ever eaten. 

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It makes a HUGE batch, so make sure you use a large crockpot, if you go that route. I have some leftover soup tucked away in the freezer for a night when I am too busy to cook; leftovers are like money in the bank!  This is a very hearty soup great for a cold winter evening.

Slow Cooker Taco Cheese Soup

2 pounds ground beef -- I used ground chicken.

2 cups diced onions

2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 1/2-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups frozen corn

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes

1 (14 1/2-ounce) jar mild salsa

1 -32 ounce box beef broth

2 (1 1/4-ounce) package taco seasoning mix - use low-salt if desired

1 (1-ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix

1 medium pkg mild mexican velveta cheese, cubed -- I used about 1/2 large package of Mexican mild

Garnishes
Sour Cream
Grated Sharpe Cheddar Cheese
Green Onions, sliced
Cilantro
Tortilla Strips -- See below.

Baked Tortilla Strips
Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut tortillas in strips.  Place on baking sheet.  Sprinkle with oil and salt and bake for about 10 minutes.  You may want to flip them about half-way through baking.

Directions

Brown the ground beef or chicken and onions in a large skillet; drain the excess fat, then transfer the browned beef and onions to a large slow cooker or a stockpot. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, salsa, beef stock, taco seasoning, velveta cheese and ranch dressing mix, and cook in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours or simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in a pot on the stove (if cooking soup on stove omit cheese and add at the end of cooking time- stir in until it melts) . To serve, top with sour cream, cilantro, cheese, green onions and crispy tortilla strips.

 


 “Come join Soup-a-Palooza with TidyMom and Dine and Dish sponsored by Bush’s Beans, Hip Hostess, Pillsbury and Westminster Crackers.

I am also posting this with Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday where the letter of the week is "S" for Slow-Cooker Taco Cheese Soup.  Posted with Foodie Friday, Tidy Mom

41 comments:

Jamie said...

This looks and sounds really good. I will add it to the list for our short menu next week. All the kids love anything "taco style."

Donna@Conghaile Cottage said...

Looks SO YUMMY... and I'm a BIG FAN of leftovers for the freezer and lazy quick meals... Thank you Joni!
Joni, I'm looking for a recipe for Chocolate bread I had in my last post(I left a note for you and Jackie there)
http://conghailecottage.blogspot.com/2011/02/breakfast-at-tiffanys.html
Have a wonderful Valentine's Week,
Hugs
Donna

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

I am SOOO not a fan of Velveeta... however there are a few recipes where it really does the trick and blends in so nicely you don't know that you've got it in there..lol..

This one sounds really good...

Julie Harward said...

O do love this easy/delicious soup...it is always so good for just family or company too! ;D

Cricket said...

Hey Joni,
That sounds fantastic. Soup is my favorite meal any time!! Do you mind if I feature you and your recipe on my blog?

Hugs,
Cricket

Jacqueline said...

If Joni, Yvonne and Paul Deen recomment it, is sounds fantastic to me. I agree, I don't use it much but there are some recipes that just need it. Sounds like it would make this so creamy. We should make it for up at the cabin.

I just read Donna's chocolate breakfast post and I had to go have some chocolate. I will email the chocolate bread recipe to her.

Marigene said...

That sounds and looks delicious...see it on the menu in the next week or so! Thanks for posting it, Joni.

The Sewing and Knitting Loft said...

This sounds good, I will give it a try. Thanks for sharing.

Barb

www.thewhitefarmhouse2.blogspot.com said...

Argh! I thought I had another Taco soup recipe! I have tried Yvonne's and it is awesome! I believe that I have some stashed in my freezer too. That is if the guys didn't take it to deer camp! Now I want taco soup!

Debbie said...

That looks delicious to me, and I think the husband would like it as long as he didn't see me making it with Velveeta cheese.

Ignorance is bliss, after all.

Donnie said...

That looks like it has everything hubby loves except for me. In my recipe file for sure.

Honey at 2805 said...

Visiting from Jenny's, and S is for Soup sounds scrumptious. Thanks for the receipe. You can bet I will be back often for your receipes!

Cheryl said...

Souper Slow Cooker Recipe! Velveeta? Not in a million years. It's not snobbery, it's a health-conscious choice. The recipe sounds delicious otherwise. I'd have to add some more hot to it though.

Joy Tilton said...

This will be a great soup to put in the freezer for nights I don't want to cook or quick Saturday lunches. I am well aquainted with Velveeta, she visits my house often!

Anonymous said...

I bet the Velveeta makes the soup super rich.

Sarah said...

Joni, we are big fans of tortilla soup, but never have heard of taco cheese soup. Will have to give it a try. ;-)
Happy Soup Day! ~ Sarah

Pondside said...

I've never come across anything that sounds quite like this. I'll bet it would be popular at my house.

Judie said...

Oh! I have a friend who makes this soup! It is really delicious!

Cheryl D. said...

It looks fantastic, but Velveeta? I like my cheese to come from the refrigerated aisle! LOL

Lynn said...

Looks like a nice easy soup Joni-enjoy:@)

Renée said...

I've got company coming this weekend and this looks like the perfect fit! Thanks Joni...600 followers, you go girl ;D

Anonymous said...

oh yum, joni! love the bigger recipes and the leftovers they create! anne

Susan Anderson said...

Thanks for the recipe. I can't wait to try it.

=)

Sue said...

Wow, this recipe sounds great, Joni, and I have a big crock pot too (Hooray for leftovers)! I'm sure the Velveeta melts down smooth and creamy:) YUM!

Jo said...

hmmm, in a household of two i think this would last me almost forever in the freezer, and it sounds yummy!

Rocky Mountain Woman said...

I haven't used Velveeta in years, but I just saw a recipe in an older Food & Wine that uses it, so maybe I'll give it a whirl. If it's good enough for F&W, it's good enough for old Rocky....

This, by the way, looks amazing. I will definitely give it a try!

Beth said...

Joni, That sounds really good! Velveeta is good for grilled cheese sandwiches, too. Hope all is well with you!
Blessings, Beth

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Looks like a keeper to me. My family would love this, and I love anything I can put in the crock pot. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I'll let you know how it goes over at my house. laurie

Tiffanee said...

YUM! That is my type of soup! Sound delicious!

Amy said...

Wow, this taco cheese soup looks hearty and satisfying! Thanks for sharing. I bet it tastes winderful too!

Amy
http://utry.it

Clements Family said...

That looks fantastic! My kind of soup with all the cheesy goodness.

Sue said...

I hit the save button as soon as you said the best soup ever! I sat here and laughed about the Velveeta comment. My recipe in my sidebar for my most requested appetizer uses Velveeta. I actually always find myself apologizing when I give people the recipe...but, it tastes good. I also use Velveeta on occasion melted with salsa or chili as a dip for taco chips. That's it...I like "real cheese"! Sometimes we have to adjust our thinking and just enjoy.

Amanda Lee said...

Wow, this looks delicious! And it would definitely feed a crowd!

Marlis said...

Looks scrumptious.. will have to try this one.. I love slow cooker recipes!

Anonymous said...

We made taco soup about a month ago, and used Campbell's cheddar cheese soup but it wasn't very cheesy. I'm definitely going to try Velveeta next time and see if that makes a difference. Thanks so much for sharing!

Ladybird Ln said...

Wow that looks delicious, and I consider myself to be a taco soup connoisseur! ... Ok maybe not, but that looks better then my recipe, so I will have to try it!

ladybirdln.blogspot.com

Dogmom Diva said...

What a great tasty sounding recipe..can't wait to try it..I am a new follower..greetings!

Barb

Jenny said...

What a delicious sounding recipe. I'm not a fan of velveeta either but if it's good enough for you I'm sure it would be fantastic!

Thanks for a superb stop this week on our little journey through Alphabe-Thursday's letter "S".

You're so cool!

A+

The Rust Life said...

Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. I did it stove top and it was awesome! Even my picky 22 yr old loved it! I am going to post it on my blog with a link to your blog. Thanks again for sharing.

paige said...

Your whole blog makes me hungry. So nice. This recipe was written for me! YUM.

La said...

This looks yummy, Joni. I hope you are having a wonderful week. La

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