Tortilla Soup

I'm a Cafe Rio salad girl.

Who isn't?

It made me really happy to see my baby devouring his veggies dipped in their house dressing. 

Start 'em early!  

But I have recently fallen in love with their soup as well.  

Have you tried it?  

It's awesome.  

My aunt Jill gave me a tortilla soup recipe that is pretty dang close, and I daresay, maybe even a little better.  

(Jill is probably my number 2 source for good recipes, second only to google.  If it's a Jill recipe, chances are you're gonna like it.)  

Without further ado...

Tortilla Soup

1 T olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves
1 jalepeno, seeded and finely chopped
2 t chili powder
1 t dried oregano
1 t cumin
4 C chicken broth
1 1/4 lb. plum tomatoes, diced
1 can green chilis
2 C frozen corn
2 C shredded chicken
1/3 C fresh cilantro, chopped (or less, a little goes a long way!)

Optional
1 ripe avocado or guacamole
lime wedges
tortilla chips
(These say optional and I suppose they are, but not really.  If you have everything you need to make this soup without going to the store except for avocado, lime and tortilla chips, then go ahead and skip them.  But if you are going to the store anyway, splurge on the extras.  Don't come tell me you didn't like this soup if you made it without the avocado and lime!)

Heat the oil over medium heat
Add onion, garlic and jalepeno and cook for 5 minutes
Add spices and cook for 1 more minute

Add broth, tomatoes, chilis, corn and some salt
Boil and then immediately simmer for 20 minutes

Add chicken and simmer 10 more minutes

Add cilantro.  (Don't forget this step!  I was 1/2 through my bowl and I couldn't figure out why it didn't taste as good as usual.  I'd forgotten the cilantro.)

Add extras

Eat!!

Note: This meal requires a lot of chopping.  Please be careful or you might wind up like I did.

I nearly had to get stiches.

I'm such a good cook.

P.S. I'm trying to find the Brian Regan clip about if you are going to the store anyway...but I can't find it anywhere.  I'll keep searching.

Okay, Li found an animated version here.