Food Network's Tortilla Soup

The photo on the Food Network's latest magazine cover, Tortilla Soup, looked irresistable. I started to crave tortilla soup and knew I had to make it for dinner. The soup in the photo looked rich and hearty.  There were pieces of avocado and chicken, topped with strips of tortilla that made the dish look even more irresistable. 

I attempted to make the mouth watering soup for dinner.  Would it turn out the same? for a start, there were no ripe avocados at the grocery store or ancho chiles, so I had to improvise.  In the end, however, I was surprised by my meal.  It was interesting.  The soup was light and flavorful.  It was also an extremely healthy meal, which is a good thing for those who are trying to eat well!

Recipee:  "Puree 2 seeded, soaked ancho chiles, 1 onion, 2 tomatoes and 2 garlic cloves; fry in oil.  Add 6 cups chicken broth, 4 torn corn tortillas, some shredded cooked chicken and 1/2 cup cilantro;  simmer until thick.  Add salt; garnish with crisp tortilla strips, Mexican cheese, avocado, cilantro and lime juice." (October 2009, Food Network Magazine, pg 111)

Puree

Fry

Simmer

Eat

I enjoyed the tortilla soup, but I did have to add some black beans & corn (just a little!) to the recipee since I did not have avocado.  Also, I still have no clue what an "ancho chile" is.  I used jalapeno.  It wasn't spicy, but perfectly mild. 

I enjoyed the tortilla soup, but at the same time, it was very light.  It made me feel as if it needed more substance.