Snow Days Call For This Warm You Up Taco Soup
The weather folks are calling for winter advisory type weather for the Carolinas. So, that makes me think of soup. And, more specifically, I crave a warming taco soup. I have a recipe a friend gave me years ago. It’s an easy, dump everything together, no fuss recipe. And, it seems like the perfect time to share it.
The Story Behind This Taco Soup Recipe
In 2002 our little family moved near Birmingham to Hoover, Alabama to start a new job. We were in an unfamiliar town with a premature infant son and quite frankly, a bit, or maybe a lot, anxious. Truthfully, we were scared to death! Then one day we got the neighbors’ mail delivered to our box by mistake… The rightful owners of the bills, flyers and coupons lived two doors down…Keith and Amy. When we went to return it, we struck up a conversation. And, it’s as if we’d known them all our lives.
They had children very near to our son’s age, and we discovered we shared a love of good wine, impromptu cookouts, laughter and Halloween. We would spend the next 4 years celebrating birthdays, rejoicing in life’s ups, helping each other through life’s downs, and canvassing the neighborhood for candy every October 31. And, one Halloween Amy told me it was tradition in her family to have a meal of taco soup to warm everybody up before venturing into the dark suburban cul-de-sacs! And that was when she shared this amazing taco soup recipe with me.
I can’t tell you the number of times we enjoyed a big pot of this taco soup and planned our kids’ futures and their next costume party. Sadly, we found out in 2006 we would be leaving our little cul-de-sac to head to Charlotte. There were tears for sure, but miles can’t break the bonds of friendship formed over good wine, good food and lost mail. I knew I would make this soup every fall and think of all our fun family times and miss them so much.
But, plot twist…happy endings…a couple of years after we moved, Amy’s husband Keith’s job required him to make a move. Guess where they ended up! So here is Amy’s taco soup that still warms my heart in so many ways!
This Southern Delicacy Is South Carolina's Favorite Comfort Food
South Carolina
Could there be a better comfort food representation of South Carolina than shrimp & grits? When this meal is good it’s GOOD. Especially in Charleston and other coastal towns. In the south we know how to really cook grits and this meal is the perfect blend.
North Carolina
Chicken & Waffles. Maybe I just didn’t get out much but I feel like in the last 10 years or so is when chicken & waffles became a thing. I love a good waffle and I love fried chicken. But for a while, I was very hesitant to try this combination. It just sounds so weird, mainly the syrup on fried chicken part. But as soon as I finally tried it, I get it. This combination is so good and an absolute staple on brunch menus for a reason!
Virginia
Is there a better southern delicacy than fried chicken? It’s a classic for a good reason. When you find a restaurant or even better a family member who makes the best fried chicken, it’s a blessing!
Tennessee
Full disclosure I had no idea what Chess Pie is and had to Google it. But thanks to Cooking Classy, I learned that it is “a custard-style pie with a crisp browned topping”. This dessert typically consists of a traditional pie crust with filling consisting of eggs, milk or buttermilk, flour, sugar, and often vinegar or lemon.
