Tortilla Soup with Black Beans...

Hmm... I'm thinking we should start a "Treat of the Month Club". We just sent off another package to Jeff's niece as we've done for the last 4 months. If you've been reading for awhile, you know that we promised to send her a box each month for her first year of college!

The very first box we sent contained those crazy good Outrageous Oreo Brownies... the next were those famous Chocolate Malted M&M Cookies... the third was that sweet Smaller Batch Penuche Fudge... the fourth was that crunchy Gingerbread Popcorn and that finally brings us to what we sent this month, Butterfinger Crunch Blondies!

We first made these back in '07 when we had leftover Butterfingers from Halloween and have done them a few more times since for thank you gifts (well, and because we wanted some too!).

Tonight's dinner, Tortilla Soup with Black Beans, just goes to show you that a veggie meal can certainly be hearty, filling and comforting, without the need to add any meat. Another benefit to not needing any meat? It certainly makes the cost very reasonable to prepare it!

To get the soup running, we tossed minced garlic cloves, chili powder and smoky cumin into a heated pot with a lean layer of olive oil coating the bottom. Once those start to groove and their mesmerizing aromas drifted into my nose, we stirred in fire-roasted chunky diced tomatoes, black beans, vegetable broth, water and kernels of corn that we froze from the sweet supply gathered late last summer. Sadly, that supply of kernels is getting low... summer can't come quick enough!

Left to bubble for just a few minutes to give the ingredients a chance to meld, crushed tortilla chips are stirred into the soup - they absorb the well-seasoned liquids and begin to thicken the soup. To add a clean burst of freshness right before serving, a couple squirts of fresh lime juice are added, along with a handful of additional crushed chips for a little texture. With lots of protein and fiber from the beans, a touch of heart-healthy olive oil and generous amounts of vegetables, this combination leaves you with a satisfying soup that uses easily accessible ingredients. Feel free to use your favorite tortilla chips, but we used a baked variety just to continue with the light theme. If you'd like to mirror that smoky depth with some heat, I bet a spoonful of minced chipotle might be a sneaky way to add in a little kick!

Recipes
Tortilla Soup with Black Beans