I am always looking for new dinner ideas, especially if they can be made in the crockpot. Personally I think crockpots are one of the best inventions ever, if you don’t have one add it to your Christmas wish list ! So in my search for new ideas I frequently ask my Facebook friends what they are having (and for the recipe), it’s been a great source for new ideas that have become instant hits at our house. Taco Soup is one of those inspirations, it’s a quick and easy new favorite of ours. And it’s easily modified to fit what you already have in your cabinet!

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 can diced or stewed tomatoes
6 oz tomato sauce
1 can black beans (you can use kidney or pinto beans if you prefer)
1 4oz can diced green chilies or jalapenos (optional)
1 12 oz can corn or 1 1/2 cup frozen corn
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 pkg taco seasoning or equivalent spices (I use chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, cilantro, salt & pepper to taste)
toppings of your choice: sour cream, cheese, avocado, tortilla chips or with a warmed tortilla

Directions:
1. If you are cooking this for a long period of time (6-8 hours), set crockpot to low. If you only have 1-2 hours set crockpot to low.
2. Cook ground beef with chopped onions until beef is browned (crumble/break up as you cook) and onion is translucent. Pour into crockpot.
3. Add in canned ingredients, do not drain the liquid it becomes the soup liquid. If you add in chilies/jalapenos you may want to drain the liquid to cut down the spicy kick.
4. Stir garlic and seasonings into the soup and close the lid until ready to serve.
5. Using a ladle, serve the soup with toppings of your choice. Tastes great as leftovers!