tortilla soup

i make a lot of soup. no joke. like, three to six nights a week. tortilla soup is a family favorite. my kids eat whatever i put on the table, which is quite a variety of things (as mentioned before, usually in broth). some of the soups i make are not their first choice, but they never groan when i serve this.

tortilla soup

1 medium yellow onion, diced
3-5 garlic cloves, pressed

saute in cold-pressed canola oil. add 1-2 T cumin, stir and allow cumin to toast. pour in:

48-64 oz chicken broth (depending on how many people you are serving and how soupy you like your soup)
16oz jar of your favorite salsa (i use trader joe's chunky salsa)
2-3 C black beans
2-4 C chopped chicken (cooked or raw), optional (i don't normally use chicken)
salt and pepper to taste

bring to a boil, then turn off heat and add:

16 oz bag frozen corn
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 bunch cilantro, finely minced, or 3-5 frozen cilantro cubes (dorot)
2-3 limes, juiced

ladle into bowls and serve with:

shredded colby/jack or monetery jack cheese
crunched tortilla chips (the broken pieces at the bottom of the bag work great)