Zesty Burger Soup

Zesty Burger Soup from A Year of Slow Cooking
1 pound lean ground beef, browned and drained (or turkey)

2 (10.5-ounce) cans tomatoes and chiles (Rotel; I really should buy some stock)
1 (15-ounce) can whole kernel corn, undrained
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups chicken broth
shredded cheddar cheese (to add later, optional)

Directions:  Brown meat in a skillet on the stovetop, and drain. Put into your cooker. Add the whole cans of tomatoes and chiles and corn. Drain and rinse off the beans and add. Pour in the chicken broth.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the flavors have melded. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and buttered bread (we found a great new bakery close by that has gluten free baguettes
 
Modifications:
-I added an extra can of beans.
-I used 1 can of Ro-Tel and 1 can of Fire-Roasted Tomatoes.
-I did not add any cheese.
 
What I started with:
 

Here's how I did it:

#1 I browned the ground beef and put it in the bottom of the crockpot.

#2 I added both cans of tomatoes.

#3 I added the can of corn.

#4 I drained and rinsed the black beans and then added them to the mix.  I also added in 1 can of beef stock.

The Finished Product:

Review:

This dish originally was very, very bland.  Once it had cooked for about 4 hours, I tasted it and it tasted like hamburger meat and beans.  I finally decided to go ahead and add some garlic powder, which helped some but not enough.  Later, I went ahead and added some cumin and chili powder and it ended up tasting great.  I also added salt and pepper.  So, we went from Zesty Burger to a Chili.

I did not add any cheese to the mix but after tasting it, I think that this would be a good starter recipe for a Tex-Mex soup by adding sour cream, cheese and some crushed tortilla soups to it.  You could also add in some fresh cilantro.  This is a good meal for a football game or for a cold game BUT I really think that you have to add some herbs to it.  Without the extra spice, this dish is very bland.

Hope you enjoy!
April