Taco Soup

 

I love Mexican food, especially a good hearty taco soup. The first time I had one, a friend of mine prepared it quickly for her kids in a slow cooker. She only added the absolut necessary ingredients (beef, taco seasioning, cans of beans, corn, tomatoes). Despite it being such a "quick" and simple dish, it just tasted delishes. 

Here is my recipe. As always, I went a tiny bit fancier than necessary (adding carrots, jalapenos, and some more spices).

** And don't forget the Toppings **

They are the fun part of this dish :) Here, I defenitely recommend the crispy taco chips, but also the buttery/ creamy avacado, light sour cream and the tangy cilantro and lime juice.

** Copycat Taco Seasoning **

(in case you do not have a fancy Mc Cormick package ready at hand)

Mix of 2 tsp chili powder, 3 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp pepper flakes, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper

 

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp oil
  
• 1 onion - roughly chopped 
• 300g ground beef
  
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 chili - sliced
  
• 2 Tbsp jalapenos - diced
  
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup bell pepper - diced
  
• 1/2 cup carrots - diced
• 2-3 Tbsp of Taco Seasoning (mix of chili, paprika, oregano, cumin, salt, oinion, garlic, etc.)
  
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt
  
• 1 can tomatoes (diced)
• 2 tomatoes - choped
  
• 1-2 cups water
  
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 can black beans
• 1/2 can corn
• 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
  
• salt, pepper, cayenne pepper to taste
  

Toppings:

• taco chips
  
• sour cream
• avocado
• fresh cilantro or parsley 
• lime wedges
  
• spring onion
• jalapenos
• shredded cheese
  

 

Preparation: 

Brown the Beef

Heat up the oil, add the onions and let fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the beef and break it down. Give it a good stir, then add the garlic, chili and jalapenos. Let fry for about 5 minutes till the beef has browned.

Now, add the tomatoe paste and mix good. Add the small pieces of carrots and bell pepper, the taco seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir and fry for a another 5 minutes.

Cook the Soup

Fill up the pot with water, canned and fresh tomatoes. Stir. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Then add the beans and corn. Let simmer for about 10 minutes till the carrots and bell pepper are soft. The beans only need to be heated through. 

 

To finish up, squeeze in some fresh pressed lime juice and season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste.

Serve with the toppings

Add a dollop of sour cream in the middle of your soup bowl, add a few avocado cubes, sprinkle with fresh cilantro (or parsley). For some crunch add some spring onion and crumble up some taco chips.

 

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My Mom's "Eierkuchen" (German style pancake/ crepes)

 

German "Eierkuchen" are very thin pancakes, similar to the French crepes. They are often also called "Palatschinken". My Mom uses a special non-stick crepe skillet and the pancakes come out amazingly. 

 My favorite fillint its blueberry and plum jam. If you want to go more "French crepes" style, I like nutella with fresh strawberries or banana slices. My Mom likes to keep it simple by dusting the "Eierkuchen" with powdered sugar. 

Ingredients (ca. 7)

• 330 ml milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup club soda (sparkling water)
• 1 tsp sugar
• pinch of salt 
• 200 g flour
• 1-2 Tbsp oil
  

Filling:

• jams (blueberry, plum, strawberry, apricot)
• nutella
• apple sauce
  
• powdered sugar
  

 

Preparation:

The Batter

In order to avoid clumps in the batter, my mother adds the flour last.

First, mix the liquid ingredients (milk, eggs, club soda) in a large bowl. Then, add sugar and salt and give it a stir. Lastly, add bit by bit the flour while whisking. Beat till its smooth. Doing this slowly prevents clumps.

Cook the "Eierkuchen" one by one

Heat oil at medium heat in a non-stick skillet of the size of the prefered "Eierkuchen" (thin pancake). Pour one small ladle (about 1/4 cup) into the middle of the pan. Swirl the pan in a circular motion to spread the batter and so that the surface is lightly but evenly covered. The pancake is supposed to be very thin. Let bake for 1-2 minutes till you see that the edges crisp up. Losen it with a spatula. When the bottom is slightly browned, flip the pancake around and fry for another 0.5-1 minute. Repeat for the next pancakes.

Serving the "Eierkuchen"

Serve the pancake immediately. Top with jams, nutella, apple sauce, etc. Spread it evently on it and then roll the pancake. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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