Carla's Tortilla Soup

Chef Carla Hall was a finalist on season five of Bravo's hot series, Top Chef and Top Chef All-Stars, but actually had no intention of becoming a cook! She majored in accounting in college and then modeled in Europe, where she discovered her love for cooking...

Here is a great recipe that includes two favorite ingredients: Lime and Tortilla chips!

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 large white onion, finely diced

4 medium cloves garlic, crushed

1 jalapeno chile, diced

1 poblano chili, roasted and diced (be careful with the chilis...don't rub your eyes!)

1 16 oz. can diced fire-roasted tomatos (or use up those last ones from the garden)

2 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. cumin

salt and pepper to taste

8 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 bag tortilla chips, broken up (we like the lime-flavored ones)

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 ear fresh corn (shucked, roasted, and cut off the cob)

1 zucchini, diced and sauted

Garnishes:

1 lime, cut into wedges

1 avocado, diced

8 ozs. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded or finely diced

Tortilla chips

Mexican crema, or sour cream mixed with fresh cilantro, lime juice, and salt to taste

ONE Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion for 5 minutes, then add garlic and chiles. Add diced tomatoes and spices; season with salt and pepper. Add broth, bring to boil then reduce heat. Simmer about 25 minutes.

TWO Add tortillas to tomato base and simmer until the chips dissolve. Add black beans, corn and zucchini. Adjust seasoning with salt.

THREE Serve hot with garnishes

To make it a little more substantial, we add meat from a roasted chicken we picked up at our favorite store. Just shred and add at the end! And if you are in a hurry, as I was today, I used some canned corn and a can of Rotel tomatoes! You can't mess this up, I promise!

Enjoy!