As many of you know, I love to make homemade soup. There are quite a few different flavor profiles I use, but one of my standard “go to” ideas has roots in my Santa Barbara upbringing. Namely, Mexican soup.
Santa Barbara is rich in Mexican heritage, and if you ever go there for Fiesta (which is on the first weekend of August), you will be inundated with parades and celebrations celebrating just that. Here’s a pic from way back in ’68 from one of Santa Barbara’s “Old Spanish Days” parades…

Because of where I grew up, I’d always assumed that that Mexican food was common.  I fondly remember eating my favorites: burritos, flautas, guacamole, and really good salsas.
I guess I passed on my love of those flavors to my oldest son Tyler, because when he would choose his favorite foods, Mexican was always at the top of his list.
I remember one day when he was in middle school, he asked me if I could make a “Mexican-tasting soup”.
“Just put in the stuff that we like to eat” he said, “and make sure to add avocado”. Easy enough, right? 😉
So for years I would do just that and he was always very happy. Fast forward to last week: I was shivering at Cody’s baseball game, and I told Kenny that it would be a good night for soup. Not having a lot of time once we got home, I just started throwing things together and lo and behold, I came up with something that I thought was pretty tasty. 🙂
*Note: It does have some heat to it, since it’s got hot Hatch chiles, but it’s only spicy on the first day. By day two (assuming you’ll have leftovers),  it will mellow out.  (If you like a less spicy flavor, you can always use mild chiles.)

Speedy Mexican Soup

1 bunch green onions, sliced
4 stalks celery, sliced
2 boxes organic low sodium chicken broth
5-6 shakes original Tabasco sauce
10-12 shakes green Tabasco sauce
3 cans petite diced tomatoes (don’t drain it!)
1 4 oz. can hot hatch chiles
 1/2 pkg Lawrys taco seasoning
Meat from a Rotisserie chicken, pulled apart
1/2 box Barilla gluten free rotini pasta
Top with:
Sliced olives
Avocado, diced
Jeff’s Naturals sliced tamed jalapeños
Sharp cheddar, shredded

In a large soup kettle set on low heat, cook the onions and celery in ½ cup of the chicken broth. Once they are semi-soft, add the remaining broth, both Tabasco sauces, tomatoes, chiles, and seasoning. Turn the heat up to medium and bring to a boil. Turn heat up to high and add chicken and pasta. Boil 15 minutes, till pasta is soft. Taste and add salt, if desired.
Serve each bowlful with diced avocados, jalapenos, and a sprinkling of cheddar.

How’s that for simple? It’s just the thing on a chilly day, and my husband loves it with a side of tortilla chips 😉
Enjoy!