Taco Soup and Black Bean Dip

Tuesday night was Mexican night! I'm not sure why I keep making fresh batches of Taco Soup, because it always makes so much. Alistair and I will eat it for close to a week, and then I still end up with enough to freeze. I already have 2 large yogurt containers of taco soup in my freezer, but I keep forgetting to use them! Anyway, each time I make it, it turns out a little different, and Tuesday was no exception. Thanks to my sister, Alli, I have a fantastic supply of dried beans, so this time, I used a mixture of these instead of canned ones. Also, I don't always make an appetizer, but I was really craving some of my Aunt Wendy's black bean dip, so I decided to make that too. Unfortunately, the stainless steel bowl was not the best choice, for photography purposes... but you get the picture! (sorry, bad pun.)

Taco Soup:
Ingredients:
1 lb hamburger, browned with chopped onion
2 packages taco seasoning
1 large can diced tomatoes, with juice
1-2 cans water (use tomato can)
2-3 cans (or equivalent) variety of beans (drained and rinsed): dark red kidney, black beans, pinto beans, great northern, etc... (whatever you have on hand/ prefer) my mom's recipe only calls for kidney, but I like the variety of a mixture.
about 2 cups frozen corn
chopped up bell peppers
1 can sliced olives (with juice) [in my house, they have to be a topping because A doesn't like them...]
a few splashes of hot pepper sauce, to taste

Directions:
Brown the hamburger with the onion. Add taco seasoning and mix until the meat is well-coated. Add the tomatoes, the rest of the ingredients, and enough water to make it a soup-like consistency. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 1-20 minutes, to allow flavours to intertwine. Serve over tortilla chips, topped with shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, green onions, anything else you typically add to tacos! :-)

Black Bean Dip:
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed, reserving cooking liquid
1/2 cup reserved black bean cooking liquid
1 1/2 Tbsp. oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 fresh jalapeno or serrano chile, seeded and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz goat cheese (chevre)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Tabasco-style hot pepper sauce, to taste
salt
1 small green onion, including top, for garnish

Directions:
In a food processor, process beans with 1/2 c. bean liquid.
Heat oil in 2 quart saucepan over medium heat.
Add onion, cover and cook until onion is soft, but not brown (4-5 minutes).
Add chili and garlic, cook 1 minute.
Stir in beans.
Cook over low heat until beans are hot.
Crumble in goat cheese (reserving 1 Tbsp for garnish). Add Monterey Jack cheese.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheeses are melted.
Add hot pepper sauce and salt to taste.
Garnish with goat cheese and onion.

Serve with tortilla chips.