Tony Perona's Hot Taco Soup

I really like Tony's Nick Bertetto series for many reasons. But a really big one for me is that he is a realistic dad. In too many series the little children are easily sent off to always available free babysitters. Nick took his little one to an interview in Saintly Remains and she got bored and had to be entertained. He even cut the interview short! I was so amazed to find this reality in a book! I'm thrilled Tony came by here to Warm up with Flaming Foods this month. Enjoy!-AA

The standard recipe has a nice flavor without a huge kick, but those who feel it needs to be kicked up should add copious quantities of their favorite hot sauce. This is also an incredibly easy recipe.


Hot Taco Soup

Brown 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef and one chopped onion. Drain grease.

Add to the browned beef and onion:

1 can Rotel (original)

2 cans stewed tomatoes

1 can whole kernel corn

1 can pinto beans

1 can Ranch style beans

1 pkg dry taco seasoning mix (use the hotter stuff)

1 pkg dry ranch dressing mix

Let simmer for an hour or so. Adjust for taste with your favorite hot sauce!

A final note: I use a combination of lean ground turkey and lean ground beef to cut back on the fat content. No one will know, trust me.

Tony Perona is a former General Motors advertising/public relations manager who became the first man at GM to take the corporation's two-year leave-of-absence policy to care for his children. While at home he kept up his writing by becoming a newspaper correspondent and columnist. SAINTLY REMAINS is the third in the series about stay-at-home dad/freelance reporter Nick Bertetto.  Perona also served as co-editor for the mystery anthology Racing Can Be Murder, a series of nineteen short stories revolving around the Indianapolis 500 race. It was a finalist for the 2008 Indiana Book of the Year.