Carolyn's Tortilla Soup

Tortilla soup is like an enchilada...add what you like to suit your taste buds.

Suggested toppings: Tortilla strips (packaged especially for salads and garnishes)
Monterey Jack shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, avacado, cillantro or green onions.

1 small onion - diced
2 cloves garlic - minced
1/4 c. olive oil
Diced peppers of your choice (handle with care - remove all seeds)
2 med Habanaro, Jalapeno chile or Anaheim
(I've used canned diced green chili's in a pinch, just not as hot as I'd like)
Chili Powder (about 2 Tbs - add more later if you like)
Cumin (about 1 1/2 Tbs...more if desired)
Chicken broth (8 to 10 cups) approx.
Canned tomatoes (any type, diced, crushed, stewed)
1 small can tomato paste
1 can small black beans or beans of your choice (drained and rinsed)
1 can corn
Salt to taste
Cilantro - 1/2 bunch finely diced and added towards the end of cooking
Cooked Chicken - diced

Saute onion and garlic in oil till tender. Add diced fresh pepers (know your peppers...some can be extremely hot and can burn skin). Cook for 5 minute or so.

Prepare chicken broth, enough to fill a large soup pot 2/3 full.
Add sauted onion, garlic to pepers to bouillion. Add tomatoes and spices and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes or so, then add rest of ingredients. Simmer 20 minutes and serve.

Ladle into bowls and top with tortilla chips, avacado, cheese, onions, sour cream or salsa.
Makes a pot full!