Winter cookbook: Red bean soup with ground beef and chorizo recipe

I created this soup to use up ground beef and chorizo I had left from last night's dip, and 1/2 a green pepper I had. I also usually have plenty of dried beans on hand.

I just threw in a little of this and a little of that. Add and subtract to your particular tastes.

Find everything you need to make this at your local Meijer.

• oil
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups water
• 1 small (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup dried red beans, cooked til tender
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1/2 lb ground beef/chorizo blend (1/4 cup each), browned and drained

1. Heat a little oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Saute onion and green pepper til softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook another minute or so.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients (except potato and meat mixture) and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, covered, for 10-20 minutes.
3. Stir in potatoes and meat mixture and simmer another 15 minutes or so, or til potatoes are tender.