Taco soup

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
½ cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 cup frozen corn
1 (14 oz.) can Rotelle tomatoes
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 package ranch dressing mix

Directions
In a large pot, brown ground beef, garlic and onion.  Add remaining ingredients,and simmer for 30-60 minutes.  Serve with taco toppings, such as sour cream, shredded cheese, sliced green onion, olives and crushed tortilla chips.

Let's Dish
I've tried a lot of taco soup recipes and this one is the best.  It's really fast and easy to put together.  Besides browning the ground beef, there isn't much more involved than opening some cans, so it's a great way to use up your pantry staples.  It's the kind of recipe I like to throw in the slow cooker on busy days when I know there won't be much time for making (or eating) dinner.  You can use canned corn, but generally speaking I don't enjoy canned vegetables, so I prefer frozen.  Black beans are also a nice addition. The recipe makes a lot more than my family can eat, but the leftovers freeze well. 

Who Dished It Up First
I've tried a lot of taco soup recipes I didn't care for, so I decided to come up with my own.  I got the idea for adding a package of ranch dressing mix from Paula Dean.