Thursday, November 12, 2009

Best Ever Tortilla Soup

Post Edit: Yesterday I wrote that my goal was to get 100 votes for my French's recipe by the end of the weekend. I underestimated you all. I had 100 votes by Thursday night, before the weekend ever began. I think I'll give you all a kiss. Move in close. Smooch! Thank you and keep voting-new goal: 200 by weekend's end.
I think I've finally found a dinner that could make the whole world happy. I mean it. This tortilla soup, adapted from the Mansion at Turtle Creek, is a dinner revelation. It takes ten minutes tops of active prep time. There's hardly any chopping at all, since you throw most of your ingredients into the blender. It's as healthful as you want to make it. It's ch-ch-ch-cheap, since soup is mostly, well water, actually. Those are all great reasons to make this soup, but I'm leaving out the best one. It's DEE-RI-SHUS, as my nephew Sammy used to say. DEE-RI-SHUS! I really do mean it. See for yourself if you don't end up fawning over tortilla soup. This is the way to do it:
Pile up your soup bowl with tortilla chips and cheese
Add some diced avocado, a lime wedge, and cilantro
Ladle in the soup with a dollop of sour cream and dig right in. Bet you're going to love it as much as I do.
Money Saving Tips:
This one's pretty inexpensive, but save extra money by buying canned tomatoes by the case when on sale. Even the cheap brands are going to work well here. Forget canned broth; use powdered chicken bouillion or homemade stock for the most bang for your buck. You can make your own tortilla strips with your corn tortillas if you are so inclined. And just you wait till Thanksgiving is over-then you can throw in some leftover turkey for even more savings.
Tortilla Soup
slightly adapted from The Mansion at Turtle Creek
Estimated Cost for six servings: $6.00
3 tablespoons olive oil
4-6 corn tortillas, diced
1 tablespoon of cumin
2 tablespoons of chili powder
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
1 large onion
a large handful of cilantro leaves and tender stems
2 14 ounce cans diced tomatoes
8 cups chicken broth or stock (or vegetable stock to make it vegetarian)
OPTIONAL ADD INS:
2 cups frozen corn
1 (14 ounce) can black, pinto, or kidney beans
leftover shredded chicken or turkey-keep that in mind in two weeks

In a large pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add tortillas and saute until beginning to brown. Add cumin and chili powder and saute for one minute. Meanwhile, combine in the blender the garlic, onion, cilantro, and tomatoes. Puree until smooth. Add tomato mixture and chicken broth to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for at least 20 minutes and up to one hour. Add any optional add ins for last few minutes of simmering. Serve soup with tortilla chips, cheese, avocado, cilantro, sour cream and lime wedges.
And by the way.....
Have you voted today? My goal is to get 100 votes by the weekend for my Cheery Cherry Chicken for the French's Cook-Off.Voting is only a little bit of a pain, much less than a cavity or a trip to the DMV. You have to start an account but it's only one page and I'll bet you can do it in less than thirty seconds. It hurts a lot less than a paper cut. Remember to vote everyday until November 25th to send your old Prudy to NYC. I promise it's easier to vote daily than give birth even once. So get on over there and vote for lucky number seven!
Next Up:
I'm deciding between a pie crust tutorial and caramel corn. Any preferences?

32 comments:

gigi said...

I already voted today :) Good Luck!
I'd like the pie crust I think ;)

The JR said...

It does look dee-ri-shus. I voted. As I said keep reminding us.

Anonymous said...

I vote for the pie crust tutorial. I still can't seem to get it right... The part I struggle with is getting the pie crust to the pie plate after rolling it out without having the crust completely fall apart...

Seth and Julie said...

I vote pie crust, and now I am off to vote Cheery Cherry Chicken.

Rich'n'Rach said...

I looooove caramel corn!!! Hopefully others will join me in that one :)

Jhonny walker said...

I am waiting for lunch time so that I can go and buy myself half a sandwich and a cup of soup..and you will not belive this ..but I was hoping they had some tortilla soup today :)

You just totally wet my apetite...

great looking soup. Super good recipe and I am hungry now :)

MK and Co. said...

I'm sure everyone in my group will love this soup. It looks so good. Thanks Prudy!

Fantastic Mr. R said...

Rich n Rach-You're such a fabulous, kind and devoted reader-no matter what I'll send you that caramel corn recipe!

bren said...

girl ur right, this may be the best looking tortilla soup I've seen! the worst one I've had was actually in Mexico! Imagine that! good luck on contest! :) Will vote later today!

Catherine said...

Voted. And I love love love this soup! It is so delicious. We had it again tonight and Annabelle said she would like to eat it every day. I have to agree with her!

I think the caramel corn sound good, but I'm up for anything.

Lorie said...

I made this the other day after I found it on another blog and it was WONDERFUL. I even linked up to it. It is my new favorite soup and I'll be making it again for my sis when I visit her this week in Missouri.

You got my vote! Hope all three of you CCCers get to go to NY.

Prudy said...

Lorie:
I got the idea to make it from your blog! I should have told you thanks. I'll tell you now. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Adrienne said...

What the...? Putting all that awesome stuff right in your bowl and THEN putting the awesome soup over it to create some kind of personalized tortilla nirvana? That is brilliant brilliant brilliant.

Isn't it your birthday sometime, somehow? soon?

Adrienne said...

Oh and cute picture of the cheery cherry chicken. Just saying that title makes me smile :)

val5464 said...

Hi Erin, it is Valerie (Julie's sister). Julie has me following your blog too now and I'm glad because you have some seriously good looking recipes on here!! I need to try one and I think I'll start with this soup. I will also start voting for your recipe each day, hopefully you will win it!

Oh, and I have to tell you that I read the story about the drunkards singing Happy Birthday to Roy in Italy and was seriously laughing out loud, too funny!!

The Blonde Duck said...

This looks amazing. It's on my list for pre-Thanksgiving meal!

Prudy said...

Valerie! Oh my gosh, I'm so glad you're here. I've been thinking so much about your family since I've become an official blog stalker at Julie's. I can't live without my daily Julie fix. Also, I have to beg a Christmas card from you. Your baby was soooo cute last year on your Christmas card to my parents so I'm dying to see him again this year. The pressure's on! Hee hee. Thanks for commenting and voting and I hope you'll come back so we can stay in touch!

Christy said...

I've been searching for a great tortilla soup recipe to serve me family and yours looks perfectly delightful! I can't wait to get this into my menu rotation!

I vote for the pie crust!

Unknown said...

Yum! I will happily try whatever recipe you post next. I have to start printing them out, since I can't always get to the computer when I want to cook. And you blog is my new favorite cookbook.

Prudence said...

My vote is for the pie crust tutorial. It would be good timing with Thanksgiving coming up.

MK and Co. said...

Voted for you! And so did Adam and Annaliese! I hope you win Prudy!

Seth and Julie said...

Since you didn't have a new post today I thought I would stalk your comments instead and I had to laugh at Valerie. She introduced herself as my sister instead of your cousin...ha,ha...too silly. We really have been stalking you for quite awhile so I am glad it is out in the open.

Oh, and her comment reminded me that I also loved the story about Roy. I totally relate Roy, I do not like the attention that a birthday brings either. Also, I can't believe Roy was ever a pest...he has had me fooled with that whole shy guy persona all along.

Anonymous said...

Love how you layer your soup!! I'll definitely give this one a go!

Barney Family said...

I just found you, just this minute, and oh, how sad I am at the memories of many servings (some yours) of gelatinous cow hoof jello that I chugged down in (oh what was the name of that beautiful little town in Chile?), oh so many years ago. And now, come to find out, all I had to do was distract the mamita and get you into the kitchen!! Alas! Kudos on your fantastic blog!! You Rock! --Hna. Gilroy

Prudy said...

Gilroy! Holy smokes, how many years has it been? You better email me and give me the details of your life, starting in 1993. So good to hear from you!

Carrie said...

Can I just say that I love you, Prudence Pennywise?! Yet another recipe that did not disappoint. This was the most delicious soup - it definitely made everyone in my world happy!

Prudy said...

Thanks, Carrie! There's nothing better than waking up to positive feedback!

Anonymous said...

I made this soup for supper tonight. I used fire roasted tomatoes and used a combo of Chipotle, Ancho Chile and Med Hot Chili Powder from Penzeys. Yummy stuff! I added the corn, beans and chicken. Definate repeater.

Hayley said...

I've been meaning to comment and tell you that our family LOVES this soup! It's actually in the crockpot right now stewing for bunco tonight...I hope my friends love it as much as I do!

Thanks!

Michal said...

How is it that I never commented on this soup? It has become my FAVORITE and I make it often. I love how quickly it throws itself together, how it is made up of ingredients I usually have on hand, and most of all how amazingly delicious it is! Thank you so much for this recipe, Prudy. It's sooooooo good.

Felicia said...

Thank you for this recipe! I haven't enjoyed a soup this much in a long time!

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