Hearty Tortilla Soup

Here's another favorite soup. It's our tradition to have soup every Monday night through fall and winter. Soup is so easy and so pleasing.

You can make this in about 15 minutes. It's really healthy and it's always a big pleaser. This is my go-to recipe when we're out of a lot of things in the house (mostly just requires canned stuff you'd have on hand) or when I need to make a quick meal to bring to someone else (it seems people old and young with all different taste buds like this).

Creamy Tortilla Soup

2 cups of your favorite salsa - mild or medium (Best if you use the chunky kind with chunks of onions, green chilis and tomatoes. Instead of the 2 c. salsa, you can use a diced onion, a small can of mild green chilis, a small can of diced tomatoes and an extra 1 tsp of chili powder)

1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
6 cups of chicken broth (about 4 14.5 oz cans of chicken broth or use boullion to make the broth)
1 large can (31 oz) no-fat refried beans (or about 3 ½ cups) - this makes it nice and thick
1 tbsp chili powder 

1 tsp granulated garlic or 1-2 cloves fresh crushed garlic
4 cups frozen whole kernel corn
3-4 cups cooked shredded or cubed cooked chicken (3-4 chicken breasts. You can put chicken in a crock pot with the salsa, chili, powder and salsa and let it cook all day, then shred the chicken and stir in all the other ingredients close to dinner time - or you can skip the chicken - good with or without!)

Topping ideas: shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, chopped cilantro, crumbled tortilla chips, lime

Directions: 
Over low heat, mix salsa and canned tomatoes, refried beans and chili powder in large soup pot until bean lumps are mostly integrated, then stir in chicken broth slowly. Fold in corn and chicken. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with toppings of your choice.

Serves 12. Keeps in the fridge for a week or two. Freezes well.