I’m back from my trip down south, and am SWAMPED with work and catching up to do. I’ve tried to look ahead at my schedule to see when I’ll finally get a break, but I realized that’s pretty much not going to happen until…..well, never. First it’s out of town visitors, then Thanksgiving, then holiday party season, then tax season, then spring travels, then SUMMER! Maybe I’ll get to chill out a bit once that rolls around. Until then, I’ll just keep my head down, pretend I’m not mad that it gets dark so early, and drown my sorrows in my favorite food, and the only good thing about winter, soup.

I made this soup for The Hubs and I before we left, and I’m pretty sure its one of my favorite soups of all time. Hubs was crazy about it, and the two of us just gobbled it up and were happy as clams. What is it about soup that makes everything seem ok in the world, even if its just for a moment while you’re eating it? I guess that’s why they call it comfort food.

Tortilla Meatball Soup recipe from Cooking Light

• 2 jalapeño peppers
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 ears corn on the cob
• 4 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips
• Cooking spray
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 6 garlic cloves, minced and divided
• 1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1 pound ground sirloin ***I used ground turkey
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2 cups (3/4-inch) cubed red potatoes
• 1 cup (1/2-inch-thick) slices carrot
• 3 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• 1. Preheat broiler.
• 2. Cut jalapeños and bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Arrange corn on baking sheet with peppers. Broil 4 to 6 minutes or until blackened, turning corn once. Place peppers in a paper bag; fold to seal. Let stand 15 minutes; peel. Mince jalapeños, and coarsely chop bell pepper. Cut corn kernels from cobs. Set aside.
• 3. Place tortilla strips in a single layer on a baking sheet; lightly coat with cooking spray. Broil for 3 minutes or until golden brown, turning after 2 minutes. Set aside.
• 4. Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 garlic clove, panko, and the next 3 ingredients (through chipotle chile) in a large bowl, and gently mix until just combined. With moist hands, shape the meat mixture into 24 meatballs (about 2 tablespoons each).
• 5. Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add meatballs to pan; sauté for 8 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove from pan. Add onion, potatoes, and carrot to pan; sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 5 garlic cloves; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add peppers, broth, and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are almost tender, stirring occasionally. Return meatballs to pan. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and corn; return to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes or until meatballs are done. Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with 4 teaspoons Monterey Jack cheese, 2 teaspoons cheddar cheese, and 4 teaspoons cilantro. Top evenly with tortilla strips.