Taco Soup and Absolute Mexican Cornbread

Two of my favorite fall recipes work perfectly together - Taco Soup and Absolute Mexican Cornbread.  I have been preparing this meal since around 2005 and it is a fall staple in the Dally household.  The Taco Soup is made in the crock-pot and is super simple to throw together.  The cornbread is a quick mix of ingredients.  However, it does take an hour to bake in the oven.  I usually stock my crock-pot in the evening and place it in the frig overnight and then just turn it on in the morning.  While the crock-pot is in it's last hour of cooking you can bake the cornbread so they are ready at the same time.

Taco Soup

1.5 lb. ground beef
1 can black beans
2 small cans tomato sauce
1 can Rotl tomatoes
1 package taco seasoning
½ red onion, chopped
1 can shoepeg corn
1 cup water
1 package ranch dressing
Salt & Pepper

Garnish: Shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream

Serve with: Tortilla chips or corn bread. The soup can also be served over steamed rice.

Brown meat with salt and pepper, drain and set aside. Mix ranch and taco seasoning with water in a crock pot. Place corn in the crock pot. Add beef. Add all remaining ingredients. DO NOT DRAIN ANYHTING.

Cook all day on low (8 to 10 hours).

Serve with cheddar cheese sprinkled on top with a dollop of sour cream.

Absolute Mexican Cornbread
Source:  All Recipes

1 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
4 eggs
1 (15 ounce) can cream-style corn
1/2 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers, drained
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in cream corn, chiles, Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese.

In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to corn mixture; stir until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted into center of the pan comes out clean.