Slow Cooker Taco Soup

I recently read a Facebook post that had a recipe for taco soup and it looked good. As so often happens with me, I couldn't rest until I'd made some, so that's exactly what I did. Because I didn't write down or otherwise bookmark that page, I was unable to follow the recipe exactly. But I figure that should never be a problem--we can simply "taste" with our minds and add ingredients accordingly. Here is the result:

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

1/2 - 1 lb. ground beef
2 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies (like Rotel), undrained (I used my home canned goods instead: a quart jar of diced tomatoes and a pint jar of salsa)
1 cup (more or less) salsa
1 soup can water (I added around 3 cups water)
1 1/2 cups frozen corn (I suppose you could use canned corn, but I've never tried it that way)
2 T. taco seasoning
2-3 T. Ranch dressing mix (powdered, not made)
1 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Brown the meat; drain off grease. Mix browned meat and all other ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for about 6 hours or on high for about 3 hours. This is very forgiving, so you can eat it as soon as it's hot enough, or you can let it go on low for many hours. I've made this several times on a weekend when I know I'll want a hot meal later in the day but also know I won't be inside to make it. And it's also possible to make this on the stovetop instead of in a slow cooker. Just let the soup simmer until the corn is done and you can be eating in a hurry!

Serve in bowls with shredded cheese and crush tortilla chips if desired, but it's also good plain. I like to make a batch of cornbread to go with. Yum!

One more thing to consider: This recipe is very fluid. Use what you have and in the amounts that seem good to you. You can't go wrong!

Blessings to you and yours!
Georgia