Tangy Taco Soup

I forgot to take a picture, so I'm borrowing one from my
original recipe post for now.  The major difference is
I served it over rice, not chips, this time.

This is just a modified version of my original Taco Soup, but I figured I'd go ahead and make a new post for it, since there several differences.  I used my own taco seasoning mix this time, instead of purchased packages, and I added a package of Ranch dressing mix to make it more tangy.  And I cooked it in the slow cooker for about 3 hours, instead of the stove top.  I didn't have quite the variety of beans this time, so it was just kidney beans, and my canned tomatoes were whole, rather than diced, so I chopped them before adding to the pot.  I added fresh carrots & green peppers, and not as much water, so it was more of a 'stew' than a soup.  I served it over brown Jasmine rice instead of chips, and topped it with shredded cheese, salsa, olives, sour cream and avocado.  

Tangy Taco Soup
Ingredients & Directions:
1) Brown 1 lb of meat (ground beef or turkey or a combination) in a large saucepan with onion.  Add taco seasoning + 1/4 c. water, stirring to combine.  Cook until liquid is mostly absorbed, and meat is well coated.
Taco seasoning mix [I used a doubled batch for this amount of soup]

2 tsp. chili powder

1 1/2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp black pepper

pinch of cayenne pepper (adjust to your preference)

pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (I grind mine up, so they blend better with everything.  Again, adjusted to preference)
2) Add 1-2 packages of Ranch dressing mix, stir to combine.
3) Dump meat mixture into slow cooker and add:
     2 large cans tomatoes (diced is easiest, or chop them if they are whole)
     1-2 large cans kidney beans, rinsed & drained (can also use a variety of beans: black, pinto, Great Northern, etc)
     2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
     1 bell pepper (your choice of colour), seeded & coarsely chopped
     2 c. frozen corn (or 1-2 cans corn, with or without liquid, your preference)
     Enough water to make it mixable to soupy, depending on your desired effect.  Less soupy is easier to serve (with a slotted spoon) over a salad, more soupy I would recommend serving over rice or tortilla chips. 4) Cook on high for 2-4 hours, or on low for 4-8 hours -- the longer the better, as the flavours meld more.
5) Top with your favourite taco toppings.