Taco Soup from Create and Decorate???

I picked up a Create and Decorate magazine on a whim a few weeks ago.  It is the January/February 2012 issue.  The snowman on the front caught my eye.  My decorating taste is very eclectic but he would fit in just fine at my house!

I used to get this magazine when I did a lot of decorative painting.  They always have a project or two in there and still do.  What I was most amazed about is a new regular feature called  "for your country kitchen".    The recipe in this issue is for "Taco Soup".  The recipe came from Lyn Slade at Charlotte's House B&B Bolton, MA.

I made it today and it is really awesome!

I added some grated cheddar and a few multi-grain tortilla chips to mine.  It is really delicious.

Here is the recipe.

2 lb ground beef or turkey
1 T oil
1 large onion chopped
2 ribs of celery chopped
2 carrots chopped
15 oz can of kidney beans ( I used beans in a chili sauce)
15 oz can chopped tomatoes ( I used 2 10 oz cans of Rotel because we like spicy)
1 packet taco seasoning mix
1 packet dry original Hidden Valley Ranch mix
3 cups water

Brown the ground meat, drain and set aside.  In the same pan add the oil and brown the onion, carrot, and celery.  I put all of the ingredients in a soup pot and simmered it for a few hours.    You can garnish the soup with chips, cheese and sour cream.

It is a perfect soup for a cold winter day!  Enjoy!