Texas-style tortilla soup

---------- Recipe via UNREGISTERED Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
  
       Title: TEXAS-STYLE TORTILLA SOUP
  Categories: Tex-mex, Soups, Crockpot, Meats
       Yield: 8 servings
  
 -------------------SHARON MEHL - CFFM46A-------------------
     1/4 md Onion; chopped
            -OR 1 ts. minced onion
       2    Garlic cloves; minced
            -OR 1/4 ts. garlic powder
       2 tb Oil, vegetable
      28 oz Tomatoes, whole; blended
  10 1/2 oz Broth, beef condensed
            -OR 2 bouillon cubes & water
  10 1/2 oz Broth, chicken condensed
            -OR 2 bouillon cubes & water
  10 1/2 oz Soup, tomato, condensed
       1 c  -Water
     1/2 c  Pace picante sauce
       2 ts Sauce, Worcestershire
       1 ts Cumin, ground
       1 ts Chili powder
     1/2 ts Lemon pepper; (optional)
       1 ts Salt; (optional)
       4    Tortillas; corn (optional);
            -cut into 1/2 inch wedges
     1/2 c  Cheese, cheddar (2 oz);
            -shredded (optional)
       2 lb Stew meat, boneless (option)
       2 c  Chicken mixture; (optional)
            -from Chicken Flautas recipe
  
    1. Cook onion, garlic, and stew meat (if using as
   main course), in oil in Dutch oven until onion is
   tender but not brown; drain well. Add tomatoes (with
   juice) to Dutch oven with remaining ingredients except
   tortillas and cheese.
    2. Bring to a boil; reduce heat.  Simmer uncovered 1
   hour.
    3. Add tortillas; continue simmering 10 minutes.
   Ladle into soup bowls; sprinkle with cheese and serve
   with additional picante sauce.
   
   Makes 6 to 8 servings, about 9 cups soup.
   
   **NOTE: This is so delicious, no one will believe how
   easy it is to make. My "variations" are listed as the
   "OR" in ingredients...found it to taste the same.  I
   usually don't even mess with the tortillas and cheese.
   It tastes wonderful served with "Chicken Flautas"...or
   just make the chicken as indicated in the Flauta
   recipe (except chunk the chicken) and just toss into
   this soup! I think this could also easily be adapted
   to crockpot!
   
   Note from Pace: This spicy, tortilla-topped soup owes
   its authentic south-of-the-border flavor to PACE
   picante sauce and slow, siesta-like simmering. Source:
   Pace Picante 40th Anniversary Cookbook
  
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