The BEST Tortilla Soup

This recipe is great for entertaining! Relatively simple and kids love it, too.

1 large onion, roughly chopped

2 heaping T. sliced jalapenos or 3 small whole jalapenos, seeds removed, if possible (handle with gloves)

One very large handful of fresh cilantro, rinsed to remove sand and debris

15 to 28 ounce can of tomatoes

1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped

6 cups GF chicken broth

½ t. cumin

Salt to taste

3-4 diced or thinly sliced carrots

1½ cups frozen corn (I prefer white shoe peg or mixture of yellow and white)

15 ounce can of hominy (pozole), drained

2 T. fresh squeezed lime juice

3-4 cups chicken (breast preferred), cooked and chopped

Puree first five ingredients in blender or food processor (or place all in soup pot and blend with and immersible wand blender; this saves on dirty dishes and TIME!). Pour pureed mixture into large soup pot, now adding next three ingredients (broth, seasonings, etc.)

Add cut carrots. Allow this mixture to simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or more.

Add the final ingredients (corn, hominy, lime juice and green chile, if using). Gently fold in cooked chicken.

Allow soup to simmer approximately 20 more minutes. While waiting for the flavors to blend, assemble  your toppings.

Toppings for soup: Grated Colby-jack, pepper-jack, or cheddar cheese, chopped red onion, lime wedges, black beans, chopped chipotle chilies (if canned, check for gluten in the ingredients), chopped fresh cilantro, chopped green chiles, chopped avocado, chopped black olives, sour cream or Mexican cream, salsa and a large bowl of crushed corn chips (required!).  

"HOT" suggestion!: Use this wonderful new GF product as your corn chip topping. T. Marzetti Company's New York original "Texas Toast" Tortilla Strips in "Chipotle Cheddar" flavor. Available at select Walmarts.

When soup is ready to serve, top with your favorite condiments and enjoy!

Makes: Approximately 12 cups or three quarts or more of soup.

This recipe is from my cookbook: "Delicious! The Very Best of Gluten Free and Wheat Free Cooking. It is available at:   

http://www.celiacdiseaseinfo.org

http://www.amazon.com/Delicious-Cooking-Collection-Celiacs-Sensitive/dp/0615305709/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282852260&sr=1-