NANCY’S TACO SOUP

Nancy Leikauf is one of the most generous hostesses and cooks we know in Tallahassee. This November will mark the 11th year that Nancy and her husband, Steve Bousquet, have opened their home to a soup and salad party, celebrating fall with friends who each bring a pot of their favorite soup to share. It’s an event my husband and I look forward to each year.

Nancy has graciously agreed to share the recipe for her go-to Taco Soup with our Tallahassee Table readers. It’s a homey dish that’s also a tasty complement to your game day feast.

Here’s the recipe below, but check out the video of Nancy making the soup and talking about her love of cooking, filmed by our intern Katie Kennedy. For Nancy, soup not only feeds our bodies. It nourishes the soul.

Ingredients

1 pound ground chuck
1 large onion, chopped
3 (15 ½-ounce) cans Mexican-style chili beans, undrained
1 (15 ½-ounce) can whole kernel corn, undrained
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14 ½-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
1 (1 ½ ounce) envelope taco seasoning mix
1 (1-ounce) envelope Ranch-style dressing mix
1½ cups water
Pinch of baking soda

Toppings: corn chips, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream and shredded Cheddar cheese.

Directions
1. Cook beef and onions in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until meat is browned and onions are tender, stirring until meat crumbles. Drain.
2. Stir beans and the next 7 ingredients into the beef mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Spoon soup into bowls. Garnish with desired toppings.

Makes 3½ quarts.