Ultimate Tex-Mex Tater Soup

There's nothing more comforting than a big bowl of flavor-packed and slightly spicy soup on a cold evening (well, in summer too in our house!), and this Tex-Mex Tater Soup is sure to please any soup lover.

Welcome to the latest round of the Freaky Friday Blog Hop - this time were are celebrating SPRING! Or, if you're in the Southern Hemisphere like myself, Autumn (and feeling like winter I must admit!). Just to refresh your memory, Freaky Friday is made up of a lovely group of food bloggers who, every season, are assigned to another blog from the group where they must choose a recipe that's really caught their eye, make it, photograph it, eat it, and blog about it. It's a really fun way to try something new and learn more about how other bloggers like to cook!

I was very lucky to be assigned to one of my absolute most favorite blogs for the Spring Edition of Freaky Friday - Aunt Bee's Recipes. Brandi is one of my oldest and dearest blogging buddies. We've been with each other from very near the start, and we've both been at this blogging business for around the same amount of time so it's been wonderful watching each other grow and learn.

  

Brandi fell in love with cooking after marrying the love of her life almost 11 years ago, and she's developed a real passion and skill in the kitchen. Not only does she blog over at Aunt Bee's Recipes, but she also has a column on Rocket City Mom, entitled "Around the Table with Aunt Bee"

Brandi has a real flare for Tex-Mex and comfort food - both of which I adore. Of course this made picking out just one recipe to make pretty darn difficult. I bookmarked dozens of recipes that grabbed my attention, including Preacher's {Mexican} Macaroni Casserole, Cheesy Italian Chicken Pot Pie, The World's Best Baked Chicken,  Flavorful Chicken Fajitas, White Chicken Enchiladas,  and the recipe I eventually decided on, {Ultimate} Tex-Mex Tater Soup.

Let me tell you about this soup... It's absolutely incredible! I love my soups to be thick and bursting with flavors and this ticks both of those boxes. If you like Mexican food then this is the dish you're looking for.

This recipe used a few products that are not available in New Zealand, so appropriate substitutes were made.

Ultimate Tex-Mex Tater Soup

Serves 4

1 lb (450 g) ground beef

1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cob corn
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups milk
1 8 oz (250 g) package cream cheese
Big bunch of fresh coriander/cilantro leaves
salt & pepper to taste
Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream & diced fresh jalapeno 


1. In a large saucepan, brown ground beef with onion. Add garlic and potato, cook for 2 minutes more. Drain off excess grease. 

2. Add taco seasoning, diced tomato, pepper, black beans, corn, chicken broth and milk. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, covered for 20 minutes. 

3. Stir in cream cheese and fresh coriander. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with shredded cheese, sour cream and diced jalapeno for the ones that like it hot. 

Here's a full list of this editions participants - be sure to pay them a visit and see what's been cooking!

An Affair from the Heart – http://www.anaffairfromtheheart.com/
A Dish of Daily Life – http://www.adishofdailylife.com/
Aunt Bee’s Recipes – http://www.auntbeesrecipes.com/
The Devilish Dish – http://thedevilishdish.blogspot.com/
Full Belly Sisters – http://fullbellysisters.blogspot.com/
Cooking on a Budget – http://pattyandersonsblog.blogspot.com/
A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures – http://www.akitchenhoorsadventures.com/
LeMoine Family Kitchen – http://www.lemoinefamilykitchen.com/
Life Currents – http://lifecurrents.dw2.net/
The Flavor Blender – http://www.theflavorbender.com/
The Foodie Affair – http://www.thefoodieaffair.com/
Wildflours Cottage Kitchen – http://wildflourskitchen.com/
Take Two Tapas – http://taketwotapas.com/
Belle of the Kitchen – http://belleofthekitchen.com/
Who Needs a Cape? – http://whoneedsacape.com/
Big Rigs ‘n lil Cookies – http://www.bigrigsnlilcookies.com/
Pic Nic – http://picnicnz.blogspot.com/

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