Tortilla Soup

(This is really great – other wise I wouldn’t have submitted yet another Tortilla Soup recipe.)

Soup Base:

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. cooking oil

1 (28 oz.) can pureed tomatoes

4 cups chicken broth

2 t salt

¾ t pepper

juice of one lemon

1 t ground cumin

Additions:

1 lb. boneless chicken or steak, roasted and cut into bite size pieces

1 bunch cilantro, cleaned and chopped

½ red onion, diced

1 c cheddar cheese, shredded

1 lime, cut into wedges

2 ripe tomatoes, dices

1 avocado, diced

sour cream,

tortilla chips

Combine the onion, garlic and cooking oil in a 6 qt pot and cook over medium high heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining soup base ingredients to the pot and continue to heat for 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

Arrange remaining ingredients in separate bowls.

To serve: put the desired ingredients in your own bowl and top with soup broth.