Southwest Soup

I love making large pots of any kind of meal.  The ones you can just keep adding to till they grow to the size you need.  My grandma had a POT.  You know, THE pot.  The only pot large enough to make food for our "family" get-togethers.  This pot is so large that you may have only seen them in large industrial kitchens...I'm not even sure how it fit under her 4-burner range?!?!?!  But she always made plenty.  I have a pot, but it is the nesting pot compared to my Grandma's pot.  I had a large amount of friends coming over and I wanted leftovers too. (their kiddos too, but what kiddo, at a play date with 22 other children wants to sit and eat soup?).  Hopefully, once distractions are gone, my children will eat this soup.  It was tasty.  This is a one pot, and grow as big as you like recipe.  I think I could have made it spicier but with a big crowd you never know.  You could also use this for your leftover turkey meat from Thanksgiving Day and would be easy enough to put together that evening.

Southwest Soup

Olive oil

1 Onion chopped

6 celery stalks, chopped into bite size

3 garlic cloves, chopped

salt

1 can of corn

1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can of white beans, rinsed and drained (I used Cannelini beans)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 cup of brown rice

1 large container of chicken broth

Meat from a rotisserie chicken, chopped or shredded (I bought a precooked ready to go bird at Kroger and the meat was tasty and done! or the leftover turkey from Thanksgiving)

Cumin Pepper

Black Pepper

Onion powder 

Red pepper flakes if ya want

Water

*Chopped Cilantro (optional...well, I guess it's all optional)

1. Heat olive oil in the pot over medium heat.  Saute the onion, celery and garlic.  Make sure not to burn the garlic so add it after the onion and celery have cooked for a little bit.  
2. Sprinkle salt.  
3. Add all the cans plus the chicken broth and the chicken.  
4. Sprinkle with salt and add other spices (I don't have exact measurements because sometimes I have to add more or less depending on how much water I add).
5. Add water to cover or to make it as brothy as you like.
6. Bring to a boil.  Add in the rice. Stir, cover and simmer on low.  Simmer for as long as you like.
7. Add more salt or seasonings, as you cook.  Taste YO FOOD!   
8. You could top with cheese, sour cream, or chopped cilantro

***To make this grow more, add more beans or more corn or add chopped peppers at the beginning with the celery.
***To make it spicier, add two cans of the diced tomatoes with chilies and maybe some chili powder.
***Serve with cornbread or sweet rolls or oyster crackers.

Now, invite the peeps!  Here is the lovely group of ladies and the one man behind the camera:)  Love you all!