When I was younger and my family would head out on vacations, if we passed through the DFW area, we would often stop at a Mexican food place that had the best tortilla soup (none elsewhere compared). I loved that soup, and got it every time. And my mom knew it. Because we didn't have one of these restaurants within five hours of home, mom made a version of that soup and tweaked it until it was perfect. She, then, made her own additions and changes, and it ended up being taster than the original. To this day, I don't think anyone has made a better bowl of tortilla soup! And it will always remind me of our family trips together.

–Rebecca Fuller, Producer, PBS

Directions:

1. In a Dutch oven or large pot, sauté onion and jalapeño pepper in oil until tender.

2. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes.

3. Add chicken, broth, tomatoes, and beans.

4. Bring to a gentle boil, then turn heat down and let simmer for 15-30 minutes.

5. Add several turns of freshly ground black pepper.

6. Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot with toppings.

Notes: Everyone in my family makes their own additions/changes to the soup (frozen sweet corn, Spanish rice, etc.). This is just my version. Feel free to make your own adjustments. Additional Mexican seasonings that are also tasty in this dish are cumin and chili powder.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced

• 4-5 garlic cloves, minced

• 4 cups chicken broth

• 1 can diced tomatoes with chilis (RO*TEL)

• 1 can diced tomatoes or diced stewed tomatoes

• ½-1 can black beans, rinsed

• 1 can Ranch Style Beans (with juice)

• 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken (rotisserie can be convenient)

• black pepper

• optional: frozen sweet corn, Spanish rice, cumin and chili powder.

Toppings:

• shredded jack, cheddar, or pepper jack cheese

• sour cream

• chopped cilantro

• freshly sliced avocado

• lime wedges or freshly squeezed lime. (I'm a fan of lime, so I'll add about 2-3 freshly squeezed slices to my own bowl, alone.)

• corn tortilla chips or tri-color strips