Mrs. Brenda's Taco Soup

This delicious recipe came to me through my twin sis, and she got it from her mother-in-law.  This soup is simply yummy & delightfully simple to make!  It can easily be doubled & put in the crock pot to keep warm or left on the stove when you have large crowds coming to eat.  As with most really yummy soups, this one is best after it has had a chance to sit in the fridge overnight, but it is still yummy the first night!  It just gets better!  In fact, when I was expecting our second daughter, my oldest daughter & my hubby couldn't eat this soup due to food allergies, so I would make 1/2 batches and eat it EVERY DAY for lunch!  Yum!  Did I mention how easy it is to make?  :-)

Here's the recipe:

Mrs. Brenda's Taco Soup

• 1 lb. ground turkey (we like the 85/15)
• 2 cans corn, undrained
• 2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained (I like to use the petite diced tomatoes)
• 2 cans pinto beans, undrained
• 1 package Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning
• 1 1/2 packages taco seasoning

Directions:
Brown turkey.  Drain fat (I usually just skip this step).  Season meat with 1/2 package taco seasoning.  Combine all others in pot with meat.  Cover and let simmer for a couple of hours, stirring occasionally.  Garnish with tortilla chips and shredded cheddar cheese.

I usually skip the tortilla chips and make egg-free cornbread to go with it, although I've yet to find an egg-free cornbread recipe that doesn't fall apart after baking.  So, we usually have cornbread crumbles in the soup!  :-)  If you have suggestions for crumble-free egg-free cornbread, I'd love to read them!

Tonight, I'm making this for a friend & her husband, who are watching their sodium intake, so I'm using no sodium & reduced sodium ingredients, except for one can of tomatoes & the ranch seasoning.  I'll repost after I've tried it to let you know how it fares!  **The reduced sodium version is delish!  I'll probably make it like this from now on!**  I'm sure this could also be made with homemade taco & ranch seasonings (without the MSG & other additives), but I haven't tried that yet.  I'll post once I attempt it!

Do you have a yummy recipe for taco soup (or non-crumbly egg-free cornbread)?  I'd love for you to share it in the comments section!  Thanks!

God bless!