Easy and Delicious Homemade Tortilla Soup

Tortilla soup is a traditional soup in Mexico that everyone makes a little differently. This recipe fits the criteria of easy (meaning simple and fast!) and delicious (better results than effort expended!). The basic recipe is great but there are a few extra garnishes you can add if you're in the mood for experimenting.

And as all my recipe lens do, this one delivers even more as you find out how to make tortillas in the easy and delicious way.

Don't watch the movie on an empty stomach!

• It's made with chicken broth and tomato pure.
• In Mexican Spanish, "caldo" means soup, while "sopa" means casserole.
• This version of Tortilla Soup uses Jack Cheese as a substitution for Mexico's Manchego Cheese, which is often used in this soup.

When I was 22, I had lined up a summer job for myself as the chef's assistant at my family's guest ranch so I could learn to cook. Shortly before the chef arrived she broke her leg! My mom informed me that I had been promoted to the chef's position. All I knew how to make was chocolate chip cookies. She said not to worry she would teach me. And she did! All of her recipes are easy and delicious.

Thanks, Mom! Of course I can only cook for 50 people at a time and not my family of 3.

2 Cups diced chicken (leftover or from a roasted chicken)

4 Cups Chicken Broth (get organic and non MSG)

1 Small Can Tomato Sauce

1 Medium Yellow Onion, diced

Simmer together broth, sauce and onions about 20 minutes until onions are transparent. Last five minutes add the chicken.

While the broth is simmering, heat oil in a pan. Using clean scissors, cut flour tortillas into thin strips and fry. How many? You can never have too many, but count on at least 1/2 tortilla per soup bowl. Drain on a paper towel.

Grate (or use grated) 1 Cup Jack Cheese.

Just before serving, place both ingredients into 4 bowls, chips first. Ladle hot soup over tortillas and cheese and serve immediately or add additional ingredients (see below).

Notes:

Quicker (in a pinch only): Substitute Fritos for the tortilla strips. Add them VERY last minute on top of soup or they will get soggy. If you're going to cheat with Fritos, the cheese also has to get sprinkled on top.

It is possible to use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas, but when fried they tend to get hard instead of crispy. Nevetheless, try it, if you have an allergy to wheat.

You can add sliced avacadoes, chopped cilantro, and chopped radishes to this dish (any or all of them).

Be sure to have a lemon or lime wedge for squeezing into the soup.

4 Cups of organic chicken broth

2 Cups of diced chicken

1 medium yellow or white onion, diced

1/2 package of Stuffed Chile Rellenos (Costco sells them), sliced

Homemade tortilla chips (see above).

Simmer the onions in the chicken broth for about 20 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the tortilla chips) and simmer for another 5-10 minutes. The chili rellenos add chilis, cheese, tomato sauce and egg batter!

Serve with lemon or lime wedge and tortilla chips.

Corn flour can not be used in place of corn meal such as is used in corn bread. I know...cause I tried!

Buy one of these. The important things to remember is that the dough isn't sticky on your hands, you don't press too hard, and always press between two sheets of heavy plastic.

Flour tortillas are harder to make unless you happen to be trained by a Mexican mother-in-law. My skills with a rolling pin, however, are horrible so we rely on these when we're far away from Mexican mom. We found these in Costco but you can also order them here.

Some many men, so little time.

I love John Steinbeck. Reading his books informs you like a cultural anthropologist would...yet they're a lot more entertaining.

Food, glorious food! What's your favorite?