Tortilla Soup
| 3 tablespoons corn or olive oil | 2 bay leaves |
| 4 corn tortillas, coarsely chopped | 2 quarts chicken stock (4 cans Swanson) |
| 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped | Salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon) |
| 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro | Cayenne Pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon) |
| 1 cup fresh onion puree | 1 cooked chicken breast cut into strips |
| 2 cups fresh tomato puree | 1 avocado peeled and cubed |
| 1 tablespoon cumin powder | 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese |
| 2 teaspoons chili powder | 3 tortillas, cut in thin strips |
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté tortillas with garlic and cilantro until tortillas are soft. Add onion and tomato purees and bring to a boil. Add cumin, chili powder, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil again and reduce heat to simmer. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste and cook, stirring frequently for 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Process in food processor or blender in batches to make a smooth soup.
To serve, pour into soup bowls and garnish with chicken breast, avocado, shredded cheese and tortilla strips. Soup can be made a day or two ahead and reheated before serving and garnishing. Note: I like to buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery and slice off the chicken for garnishing.
This recipe was adapted from a recipe from "The Mansion of Turtle Creek Cookbook".