VMBURNS: I love pretty much anything I can make in my crockpot. Usually, I just dump everything in the crockpot first thing in the morning and let it cook all day while I'm at work. When I get home the house smells amazing and dinner is ready. I take one additional step with this Taco Soup and brown the ground beef before adding it to the crockpot, but you don't have to. I like topping it with cheese, sour cream (I'm trying to make better choices, so I used Greek yogurt this time), and tortilla chips for added crunch. That's it. It's simple and delicious.
TACO SOUP
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can kidney beans
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can pinto beans
- 1 (14.5 oz) can black beans
- 1 (14.5 oz) can corn (drained)
- 1 (10 oz.) can Rotel tomatoes
- 2 (14.5 oz.) cans petite diced tomatoes
- 1 package taco seasoning
- 1 package ranch salad dressing mix
- OPTIONAL TOPPING:
- Green Onions
- Sour Cream (or Greek yogurt)
- Shredded cheese
- Tortilla Chips
- INSTRUCTIONS
- Brown the ground beef and onion together in a skillet.
- Drain the excess grease.
- Add the ground beef, onions, and all of the other ingredients to a slow cooker.
- Stir and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
- Top with shredded cheese, onions, sour cream, and tortilla chips and serve.
Sam and Nana Jo are back in sleepy North Harbor, Michigan, where Sam is eagerly awaiting the publication of her first book. In search of more immediate excitement, Nana Jo hits the casino with her fellow Shady Acres Retirement Village gal pals—but they get more than they bargained for when they witness Detective Bradley Pitt decking mayoral candidate John Cloverton.
As Sam well knows, mystery novels are full of brilliant detectives, genius sleuths, and hero cops. Detective Bradley Pitt—aka “Stinky Pitt”—is another story. In the past, the dull-witted detective has mistakenly accused members of Sam’s family for crimes they didn’t commit. Now, it’s his turn: when Cloverton turns up dead, he’s arrested. With his predilection for polyester, Pitt has been wanted by the fashion police for years, but Nana Jo knows her former elementary school math student would never commit murder—it doesn’t add up. Somebody’s framed the flatfoot to take a fall, and Sam and Nana Jo must step in to restore the reputation and good name of Detective Pitt.
V. M. Burns
Valerie (V. M.) Burns is the author of the Mystery Bookshop Mystery series. Her first book, The Plot is Murder, was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best Debut Novel. She is the author of the Dog Club Mystery Series, the RJ Franklin Mysteries, a three-time finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, and an Edgar Award nominated short story. Valerie’s newest series, Baker Street Mysteries, will release later this year. And her Pet Detective Mystery series will release in 2023. Valerie is on the board of Sisters in Crime and the Southeastern chapter of Mystery Writers of America. She is also a member of Dog Writers of America, Crime Writers of Color, and International Thriller Writers. She is a manager for a fortune 100 company and a mentor in the Writing Popular Fiction Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA. Born and raised in northwestern Indiana, Valerie currently lives in the Southeastern United States with her two poodles. Readers can visit her website at vmburns.com.
