Ingredients:

  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, undrained
  • 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, undrained
  • 1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn, undrained
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes, with juice
  • 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles
  • 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes, Mexican style
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning mix
  • 1 packet (1 oz) Hidden Valley ranch salad dressing & seasoning mix

Instructions:

  1. Place the 1 lb lean ground beef in your pot over medium high heat. Cook until the meat is deeply browned and sizzling, breaking it apart into small crumbles. Note: Don't drain the fat unless there's more than a tablespoon; that fat carries the spice flavor.
  2. Sprinkle the 1 oz taco seasoning and the 1 oz ranch dressing mix directly onto the cooked beef. Stir for 1 minute until the spices smell toasted and fragrant.
  3. Pour in the 14.5 oz petite diced tomatoes, the 10 oz tomatoes with green chiles, and the 14.5 oz Mexican style stewed tomatoes (with their juices).
  4. Add the 8 oz tomato sauce to the pot. Stir until the mixture looks velvety and consistent.
  5. Add the 15 oz black beans and the 15 oz pinto beans, including the liquid from the cans.
  6. Pour in the 15 oz whole kernel corn with its liquid.
  7. Bring the soup to a light boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes until the flavors are unified and the aroma fills the room.
  8. Dip a spoon in — is it tangy enough? If you want more zip, a squeeze of lime here works wonders.