Planning for the Weekend

When Russ and I were first dating I would ask him on Sunday night what he wanted to eat for dinner the next couple of nights. I am a planner and while I don’t mind grocery shopping I loathe going to the grocery store multiple times in a week. So, I like to make a meal plan for the week on Sunday night and go do all my shopping or at least most of it on Sunday. That way when I get home after work I am able to relax and cook dinner and not have to hurry to the crowded store to hurry home to put away groceries and get dinner started. However, Russ was used to a bachelor lifestyle that included little meal planning and more pulling a box of macaroni and cheese out of the cabinet when he gets home from work. Russ wasn’t quite sure how he was supposed to know what he would want to eat on Thursday night when it was only Sunday night. So, I started to try and build a little more flexibility in to our meal planning and Russ accepted the Sunday meal planning. Russ may disagree, but I think he has become more of planner since we’ve been together. This weekend we are going to Mentone with Gil (Russ’ college friend) and Allen. Russ started talking about the menu for the weekend days ago. One dish we decided on was Santa Fe Soup. Since I am a planner I decided to make the soup tonight to take up for lunch on Saturday.

This is such a simple, fast recipe that everyone always loves. (Nicole you could easily make this.) To start you brown ground beef with chopped onions (if you want sub ground turkey). Once it is cooked you drain the grease off and add the taco and ranch seasoning and mix it all together. You then start exercising your biceps as you open cans and dump them into the pot – beans, corn, and tomatoes. One tip that I think makes a big difference is to drain and rinse canned beans. The liquid that is in with canned beans to me is not tasty and takes away from the flavor of the soup. I always drain and rinse my canned beans with cold water. I love black beans, so I used two cans of black beans, one of light red kidney beans, and no pinto beans. Any combination will work, so just use what you like. Add water to the pot, bring it to a boil, and then let it simmer away.

Making Santa Fe Soup is really easy and you end up with a delicious, hearty, flavorful soup. I served it with several options for toppings – sour cream, shredded cheese, hot sauce, and tortilla chips. I usually have chopped raw onions as a topping too, but forgot them this time. This is one of those dishes that everyone always loves and unless you want to you don’t have to tell them that it is super easy. If you are having people over for Super Bowl Sunday this could be a great dish to serve! Like most soups, stews, and chilies this one is even better a day or two later. Russ rates the Santa Fe Soup a 9.

Santa Fe Soup, adapted from the recipe in the JLB cookbook
Serves 6 (large servings)

2lbs ground beef or turkey
1 onion, chopped
2, 5oz packages of Ranch style dressing mix
2, 1.25 oz packages of Taco Seasoning
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of diced tomatoes with chiles, undrained
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can white corn, undrained
2 cups of water
(all cans are 14 oz)

Cook the meat and onion together until meat is brown. Drain the grease. Stir in taco seasoning and Ranch mix. Drain the beans and rinse them in water. Add all remaining ingredients including water. Simmer for 2 hours. It is best when made a day in advance and then reheated on the stove.

Garnish each serving with sour cream, chopped green onion, and shredded cheese. Serve with tortilla chips.