Caregivers, this is an easy, delicious recipe out of which you can make several meals with this tip. Seniors tend to eat smaller portions, so rather than preparing a large meal for one or two people that will sit for a week in the refrigerator, assemble a meal and freeze it in smaller portions. The person you are caring for can remove a portion from the freezer, add water, turn on the Crock-Pot and have a homemade meal in a couple hours.
Taco Soup
1 lb lean ground beef, browned
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 15.5-oz can pinto beans
1 15.5-oz can kidney beans
2 15.5-oz cans black beans
1 15.5-oz can creamed corn
2 10-oz cans tomatoes & green chilies
1 1.25-oz package of taco seasoning mix, such as McCormick brand
1 1-oz package ranch dressing mix
To serve:
1 cup of water per frozen portion
Frito Corn Chips or tortilla chips
Sour cream
In a medium size skillet, place the olive oil, ground beef, and chopped onion and add salt and black pepper. Cook until the ground beef is cooked all the way through and the onions have started to soften, about 10 minutes on medium heat. Stir occasionally.
While the beef and onions are cooking, place the canned beans in a strainer and rinse thoroughly. Let drain.
Place the creamed corn, tomatoes and chilies, taco and ranch seasonings in a large bowl and mix well. Add the drained beans and the cooked beef and onions in the same bowl and mix until everything is well incorporated. Separate into pint-size freezer bags.
To prepare soup, remove a bag from the freezer, place the contents in the Crock-Pot, add 1-1½ cups of water, and cook on low for 2-3 hours. Serve topped with chips and sour cream.
— Food writer/photographer Melissa Donald
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