A slow cooker recipe that got me through some hard times!

[@bearscritter]

OMG! Our next door neighbor has been bringing us dinner every night since June when My 76 yr old husband was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. (we found out this past Monday that he is in remission!) She brought this soup to us last night and we fell in love with it! You KNOW i just now printed off the recipe and plan to make it again! We BOTH loved it! Thank you so much!!!

[@mrsblondback]

I'm so happy for you and your husband! Best wishes for continued good health!

[@maymorning8504]

So thrilled for you and your husband about the remission news!! What an incredible thing. Sending good thoughts to you and to your neighbor who sounds absolutely lovely.

[@Back-handedLuck-ul7ms]

How wonderful! Best wishes for long and happy lives for you both.

[@NeighborofKT]

2 beautiful blessings; a caring neighbor, and the remission news!

[@social-distraction]

🙏

[@lindajonesartist]

This brings me back to when my husband was first starting a new business 40 years ago, and we literally had very little money, well below the poverty line. No lower priced grocery stores, no Dollar Trees back then. Thankfully, the house that we rented had a large yard, and I planted a huge garden, and I canned and froze as much as I could, and I built an indoor hydroponic system in every single south-facing window we had so we could have fresh vegetables in the winter. I never felt poor, because we had such an abundance of food that I gave it away to people in our neighborhood and my church. Even the wealthy people were delighted to get fresh grown garden produce because it tastes so much better than store bought. In the past few years, I have struggled to afford groceries again, due to health issue expenses and inflation, and I'm back to growing an indoor hydroponic system to supplement my diet with fresh-grown produce. But I'm always looking for cheap meals.And I did not know that we have a Dollar Tree just a few blocks away, in our tiny little town of 4500 people. I had to look it up to see where the nearest Dollar Tree was to us, and it's within walking distance! I would not have known if I had not learned about your channel. So, thank you.

[@darby-lu]

My town is 74 people. I truly love hearing the perspective of others - 4500 sounds nice and generous to me but certainly very tiny compared to those places with so many more people, right? So fun to learn from others. 😊

[@BrowneyedGirlmjd]

Rebecca, I say this all the time and I truly mean it from the bottom of my heart. I don’t think you realize how many people you have helped with this channel. First is all the people with little to no money for groceries who you have shown how to take “humble”ingredients and turn them into gourmet dinners. I am grateful every day that I do not have to worry about where my next meal is going to come from. I want to help people facing food insecurity. Having enough food is a basic human right. You have transformed my perception of what to do with my donation dollars (where I donate and what I donate). Thank you. ❤️❤️❤️

[@daisyd90]

Totally agree!

[@crescentmoon374]

I agree ! she is THE BEST !!!!!

[@kevinbarton7589]

Why does she make me feel normal when so many people make me feel like a poor person by choice? Thank you.

[@Omgitsbrooklynn.]

Me too! I love Rebecca she is awesome !

[@Bear-cm1vl]

Rebecca has been there and done that, even if not in the same way. That's why...

[@kevinbarton7589]

@Bear-cm1vl , it's okay to be nice and not nasty. That's why. 🖕🏼Lose your attitude Karen.

[@beatrixpendragon]

Because she is talking about actual choices we ordinary people would make at a time when money is tight. I really appreciate these videos.

[@elledriver6849]

So many are hurting in the financial climate we have now

[@sarahj.5840]

I love the idea of donating can openers to food banks! What a simple, yet immensely thoughtful, idea.

[@colleenderbak8939]

That is a fantastic idea!

[@earnold1896]

Yeah and pet food.

[@KatWrangler]

That had never crossed my mind! Embarrassed to say I hadn’t thought of it.

[@KatWrangler]

@@earnold1896Supplies too. We have three cats, 2 Guinea Pigs and a Leopard Gecko.

[@AmirahJoy]

I used to acquire my grocery money via plasma donation. I got by back then on $10 per week for groceries. Dollar stores weren’t a thing then, so I shopped the discount grocery stores and got creative! I survived it, but I will never, ever forget what it was like. Thank you for your channel. You are helping many, many people.

[@melissagarr4907]

I make a version of this with an even shorter shortcut: I use a can of black beans, a can of corn, a box of chicken stock, a jar of salsa, and half a Rotisserie chicken. Throw everything in a pot on the stove, bring to a boil, simmer for ten minutes. Double if you're feeding more people. The salsa has SO much flavor and your can swap out all kinds of different salsas to change up the flavors!

[@The3Storms]

Palates change, budgets change, health changes, skill sets grow. I quickly came to appreciate your channel for including many different circumstances, educating without condescension, practical expectations, and honesty in demonstrations and reviews. As your channel’s grown you’ve continued to handle the problematic dodgeballs of public interaction with admirable grace. Thanks for all of that and for being a genuine source of help to a lot of people.

[@smilingjacks83]

This ❤❤

[@debrafoster499]

All this supersized!!! Perfectly stated @The3Storms 👏👏👏👏

[@jadedgramma]

Well said!

[@realong2506]

I can remember moving to Hampton Va back in 1985. My husband was in the Air force at the time, we lived off base with our 10 month old daughter and he didn't make much money as a Private First Class. Our apartment rent was $400 a month plus utilities, one paycheck out of two, and no ALDI in site. We shopped on base when we could and at Save A Lot since it was close to where our apartment was located. I was lucky that I grew up with parents who knew how to stretch a buck and we ate pretty well, got WIC for our oldest daughters formula and baby food which help out a lot. Our youngest daughter was born at Langley AFB and we moved to a cheaper apartment nearer to the base that was only $380 a month utilities included. My mom used to send me care packages with ALDI canned foods every month from Ohio. That was always my favorute time of the month. lol

[@christinarodriguez7642]

For those watching their sodium levels, make your own Taco Seasoning. Spices are so cheap at the Dollar Tree and then save it in a jar to use again and again. Rebecca…….just love watching you. Wish I had all of this information when I was a young adult and living on literally $97 a month for my son and I. Thanks for all you do. ☮️

[@ericfile]

That’s exactly what I do--I make my own salt free seasonings using spices from Dollar Tree, Big Lots, and occasionally Walmart’s cheapie spices. I make taco/Mexican seasoning, Emeril’s Essence Creole Seasoning, and my own Italian Seasoning blend. I also season and mix store-bought plain bread crumbs to make Italian bread crumbs. I like mixing my own blends because I can control the ingredients and make them as spicy or as plain as I want and add more of my favorite spices--like cumin--and none of spices I don’t like. And it’s cheaper as well, so it’s a win-win.

[@aboy6236]

Also, canned items are often high in salt (sodium). You can sometimes find low-salt versions. (Sometimes scarce or more expensive.) But rinsing items (discarding the liquid that comes in the can) such as the corn and beans can help.

[@kellychuba]

this is not a recipe for people with high blood pressure

[@slarson231]

We were starving as children. I love recipes that get us through the tough times. Thank you.

[@daphblue]

I’m so sorry to hear that, but glad you lived through it

[@poorthing]

I am a struggling senior living on SS....I am hungry all the time.

[@michah321]

​@@poorthingseriously call your local county office of aging. They can't help with everything but they will keep you fed. They'll get you meals on wheels and other things to help you. Please call for help. Use food kitchens. Call a local church. They'll probably send you groceries. It breaks my heart to think of a senior citizen being hungry 😢

[@CraftsandMorewithDonnaJackson]

Rebecca you are so real and im here for it. You do help so many people, including myself. I'm so behind with $. I had surgery a few weeks ago and could not work, your ideas really saved me. I only had 25.00 for the month of Sept and man it was close but i did it using so many of your recipes from Dollar Tree. Tfs Have a blessed week ❤

[@DreamingOfDirt]

This is awesome❤ I hope you’re healing and doing well

[@CraftsandMorewithDonnaJackson]

@@DreamingOfDirt ty and yes I am

[@ClarissaBergere]

Rebecca, when were you gonna tell me you had over a million followers on tiktok??? I thought you were my little "underground" influencer. I'm so proud of you!

[@angelaschaefer5883]

That is fantastic. 👏🏻👍👍

[@Sainjl]

Tiktok’s algorithm is easier than KZbin.

[@cherylcrozier-garcia8862]

We called this 8 can soup. As long as you have one can of beans and one can of tomatoes, use whatever you have on hand. We would sub in gravy mix or ranch powder or even italian salad dressing mix for taco seasoning.

[@allyrooh3628]

This is a staple in our house with the exception that I add frozen mixed veggies & a can of stewed tomatoes. Sometimes our cheap go to meals are even more delicious because of the memories that go with it. I think you should call the MEMORY LANE soup!

[@lisalee1110]

@@allyrooh3628 my mom used to make SOS with chipped beef on toast and of course buttering the toast first. That will always be a cheap meal that I love

[@minabasejderha5972]

I've done a vegetarian version for years: 1 can tomatoes with cilantro/lime (or with green chili's) 1 can corn (you can splurge for fire roasted) 2 cans beans (I do one black one kidney) 1 pack taco seasoning 1 pack ranch seasoning 0.5-1 cans water Cook until heated, serve with tortilla strips and shredded cheddar

[@justmissjamey]

Thank you!!

[@rayrayravenclaw4385]

We call it taco Soup and instead of chicken we use ground beef! any meat that you could put in a burrito works well and can impact the cost.

[@susielisle922]

I love your honesty, TY for your story, life is hard! Sometimes harder than others but always count your pennies & the dollars will watch themselves. I tell my kids all the time..." ($20.00 is a lot of money if you have $0.00)" TY again for sharing your life with us! The soup looks AMAZING & SO customizable. Taco aoup is one of his favs! My son's 1st job gave him a travel stipend for food. He thought it was great until it wasn't, sick of FF happened quickly for him. I'm a home cook & he loves it + he's the ONLY kid I've ever met that dislikes McD's. So I suggested he buy a cheap crock pot & make dinner in it. (Donate it when you leave that job & buy another @ the next). Win,win for all! They were about 10 bucks then. When he got "to the hotel home" everyone said "what's that smell", its my dinner...(Taco soup or W/E he choose that day). They all ended up paying him to make them dinner. Fast food sucks after a hot minute.

[@Aliencat197]

Thank you so much for sharing your story! It brings a lot of comfort to me to hear that there are other people out there who donated plasma to buy groceries and make ends meet, and yet found ways to make it work. Last year, that was us, and maybe every year at some point for a period of time. After years of struggling and saving barely anything, we finally moved out of NC as well, part of what helped us to get there is to sell our vehicle, eliminate car related expenses all together and put that money towards our health and future. Your videos, having decent bus transportation available, a loving family, and patience really helped us on that journey. So thank you, and thank you for all that you continue to do for this community!

[@SimplyBeautiful516]

For around 7 years our weekly grocery budget was $$37- $45 for two adults, and 3 children. Our oldest son was around 16 when we finally had $60 a week for groceries. I was finally able to afford taco soup then! Before that, taco soup was too expensive. So I made it a lot during the winter because I had eaten at a friend’s house and had been dreaming about it ever since. It was too expensive for our struggle meals but it still is sentimental because it was our celebration meal!! ❤

[@mollysmith6055]

Your recipe is a lot like the taco soup my mom and her sisters used to make in the 70's. Theirs had a jar of salsa instead of the Rotel, only 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning and a package of ground beef instead of chicken. I'll have to try it your way with the chicken, that sounds so delicious. Do enjoy your lower grocery prices now before you move. I'm always shocked when I see what great prices people outside of Washington get compared to us here. Thank you for sharing all these great soup recipes and I'll be watching out for the shorts.

[@susans9491]

As a former Washingtonian now living in northern Vermont, I can tell you that your prices could be worse! I was shocked the first time I went to the grocery store and had genuine fear that we would have to get second jobs just to eat. I’d never seen oranges sold by the piece (about $1 an orange) and very high milk and dairy prices although we are supposed to be a dairy state. We used to buy those 2 lb. loaves of mild cheddar, sometimes even Tillamook, for just a few dollars on sale. We rarely even see big hunks of cheese like that here, and they run closer to $6/lb. I’m used to the high prices now but whenever we visit my family I feel like grocery prices are all a fire sale!

[@cindys9858]

@@susans9491 Depending where in N. VT you live, cross the border weekly/bi-monthly whichever, shop in NH. We used to and saved us money even counting gas used for travel. Pack some good coolers. Far as cheese, we had a couple of friends worked in local cheese factories, they get to take home runoffs, mis-packaged goods etc and always had nice supply of cheese choices. I'm in FL now and single oranges are hovering at a buck a piece, yeah Florida the citrus state.

[@susans9491]

@ Did you mean shop in New Hampshire? My father in law lives in New London, so we stop occasionally at Costco or Aldi when we visit. I do cross into Quebec at Freighligsbutgh, which is about a mile from our house. I shop at IGA and WalMart there and also in season at several farm stands and a berry farm. I do have trouble communicating as I don’t speak French; I grew up on the west coast and we all took Spanish in high school. I’ve been shortchanged numerous times, and have had some very rude locals laugh at me, snidely remarking in French about stupid Americans. I know this as my youngest son speaks French very well and he has translated their comments for me. It’s like visiting a hostile environment most of the time. There are certain products I buy there, but for the most part the savings are negligible and it’s just not worth the disrespectful treatment. I do find a better selection of organic produce and a lot of nice baked goods that Hannaford can’t match.

[@ChrisOverby-k9t]

Thank you. This soup is something I have made so many times. I have even made it without the meat. I have also added small pasta or rice. It is a recipe that saved me so many times. Keep up the great work.

[@sarahwarlady]

I made the Butternut Squash Soup tonight, some little adjustments (little bit of milk, some cinnamon.) OMG, so good. It was supposed to be a side and we ended up putting the chicken in the fridge for tomorrow and just eating the soup! Thank you for the inspiration to get out of my comfort zone!

[@tinakloepfer1581]

Soup is so comforting. Your taco soup sounds great! Thanks for sharing this recipes that you leaned on in hard times. We didn’t grow up with a lit of money, but I never knew it as a kid. My mom made a lot of soups, stews, chilis and pastas to keep us fed. My fav soup is her navy bean and ham hock. So good especially with home baked, warm bread and butter. Her potato and bacon soup was so darn good too. Another favorite is chicken and dumplings. I really miss my Mom.

[@Chelle-kd1po]

Thank you -- frugal, filling, & no ingredients that I wouldn't normally buy or have on hand. I love your videos & down-to-earth approach to cooking.

[@kathleenbigot54]

Rebecca, You are Such a Joy for me to watch. I am 66 y/o who Always learns something from You. You Truly Care About Helping Others Through Tough Times! You aren’t try to Sell Cookbooks (although You Could have a Bestseller), like all the others do. I am Amazed by Your Ability to Cook Wonderful Meals at Such a Young Age. Praying 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻for a Speedy Sell on Your House and Safe Travels for You, Michael and Your Furry Family on Your Cross Country Move🥰

[@charylliss3741]

What a great story❣️ Thank you for sharing, and thank you for your channel. Back in 2012/14,I had limited funds and no transportation. I had a Family Dollar store practically in my backyard. So for 2 years I did ALL my shopping there.

[@phoenixrising4609]

I loved Save A Lot! It was my saving grace too when I bought my first house! Jewel T was also a favorite store of mine. I had no idea about Dollar Tree (food wise) until your channel! You have helped so many people and I love your honesty and how humble you are. As I say all the time, any one of us can fall on hard times in a blink of an eye and your channel has given me so many ideas. Thank you for being so wonderful and inspiring. 😊

[@helencraw]

I love soups like this from pantry ingredients. I live where we get big snow. Have been stocking up my pantry to be ready. Nothing better than being snowed in making soup and homemade bread. Ive made this soup with sausage, hamburger, even cubed pork.

[@VoulezVousTrueCrime]

i love when your videos have story time in them! That's why I enjoy the long form content more since we get you and the food instead of just the recipe but i'm happy that you'll be able bring your channel to more people through the shorts! This soup sounds delicious. i crave soups now that we have colder evenings but my kid doesn't like them so I have a hard time spending a lot of money on ingredients just for me and i don't really have the time to cook a soup when i need to also have another meal for her but this one sounds so easy to make and $10 for 7-10 portions is really good value so i'll definitely have to try it

[@mwahl1686]

You might could scoop the solids out of the soup and serve over rice for her? Then have the soup for yourself? Just a suggestion, as I have some selective eaters in my house as well as one with food allergies, so I have had to get creative to save my sanity!

[@susans9491]

@@mwahl1686That’s a great suggestion! I was also thinking she could look for some low ingredient soup recipes to keep costs down.

[@renel7303]

Most soup freezes beautifully. $🌲 has great small freezer containers to use. You could have a cup of soup and half a sandwich while your daughter has a whole sandwich. Maybe a little salad for each of you and a cookie for dessert.

[@robinwilson9008]

Love that you are so genuine. And really liked hearing your story. Keep up the great work. Looking forward to the next recipe!

[@traderkaz]

Thank you for the story and the recipe. It’s nice to know others have been through the same with tight budgets. 👍👍

[@LIVEINPEACE2023]

This is a great recipe, but what’s even greater is learning more about you! ❤ 🤗

[@celestecolton1638]

That soup looks absolutely amazing, and I think even to make it harder if my kids were to have it, I would put some pasta in with it like elbows or something, it would make it so many more servings, it’s crazy how much you get as it is! Love you and your channel and I am excited for your next video

[@yadrielll]

omg im acc so excited my mom makes this too! taco soup the only diff is that she uses ground beef and adds a packet of ranch seasoning too!!! i'm so glad this is a recipe that ur sharing !! it's extremely good and very filling.

[@1bwash]

I have made this type of chili myself too! If you want to bulk it up even further, add a back of those frozen potato shreds that are supposed to become hash browns.

[@GiancarlaMacaluso-u3i]

This looks like a great soup and loved your story! Food can be so comforting.

[@DianeWeikle]

I love your soup! We call it taco soup and we use ground beef, but I have used canned chicken when I didn’t have ground beef. It’s delicious. Sometimes we use part of a ranch seasoning packet too. I am so glad I bumped into your channel. I think you’re doing a wonderful thing for people and I really enjoy your videos. I’ve been power watching your videos kind of a lot lately. Have a wonderful weekend. Thank you. 🎉

[@sharonhutchinson9604]

This soup is a winner for families or groups - feeding extra people? Add extra cans. I make mine on the stove with canned chicken or ground beef and it can be ready in 20 mins. Our recipe doesn’t use broth and it’s still yummy. I fed my family of 7 on this and they still love it.

[@kdcats4092]

I make a version of this from a crockpot recipe book fromyears ago. It calls for ground beef instead of chicken, no broth just dont drain the cans and add some velveeta. Have made it with and without meat, with a full pound of velveeta and with much less, used breakfast sausage instead of beef. Glad to get another idea of how to vary it

[@DollarTreeDinners]

Sounds great! With the chicken version you don’t have to brown meat on the stovetop first so it’s slow cooker exclusively

[@lindahess6529]

I enjoyed hearing your story and I have been saving all of your soup recipes this month! I would definitely be up for buying one of your recipe books, if you decide to publish one. I think you are a wealth of information with tips and tricks for eating on a budget. Thank you for sharing your story. 😊

[@klbriceno1]

Same, I think she should write a cookbook or even release an Ebook recipe pamplet.. kind of like Karolyn Kakes did, if she doesn't want to deal with publishers and stuff like that. I would support her no matter what she did.

[@sharonoldham4374]

Thank you for your soup recipe. I make this but add dry ranch dressing mix with the taco seasoning. Either way it's a really delicious soup. Thanks for sharing your story of when you were younger. With the economy this a recipe many of us can use.

[@diannesmith1104]

Rebecca, your channel has been such an inspiration to me! I’m a widow who lives alone, but my husband and I used to have a farm and some of the family lived with us…dinner time was always chaotic. We never knew how many we’d be feeding…anywhere from two to 15. So soups, especially chicken tortilla soup, became a go-to. Learning to cook for one has been a challenge. I really don’t enjoy it. But you have demonstrated ways to use items available anywhere to create delicious meals. My Dollar Tree has a refrigerator/freezer section but the selection is limited. However there are a nearby Aldi and Walmart where I can get similar items, often for the same price. So I am enjoying experimenting for the first time in a long time. Thank you for your videos!

[@JenniferGee-t4k]

I love that you share your personal experiencies and how you made it work. Many many thanks. It gives me new ways of navigating through my budget and having hope that I can work around anything. I also have pets and they sometimes get better food than I do. I appreciate that you also have pets as part of your planning. Perhaps you could make some content about how you feed your pets? I give mine lots of chicken organs and beef hearrts, and femur bones for the pup. It's about 1.49-1.79. I live in a small town where the butcher has a buzzer and can check in the back for stuff we need.

[@kakylong2]

Rebecca, Thank you for sharing your story. We've all gone through phases of our lives where $ has been tight. This is 1 of those times in our lives, too. I'm a vegetarian so this meal would be even cheaper without the chicken. I would probably add vegetarian crumbles to it. I love dump meals & this one sounds delicious. 😊

[@DollarTreeDinners]

It’s a time I remember quite fondly, and even though it was hard it made me who I am today! ❤️

[@TooLazyToFail]

Oh yeah, adding some TVP would beef up (if you'll pardon the expression) this soup without any meat!

[@mariaayon4997]

I love this soup, you can add some lime juice and hot sauce as a topping it makes it even better. Also chopped onions and cilantro . I love the idea of pantry cooking, I have some stuff I really need to use before I move, and it’s nice to get some fresh ideas. Looking forward to the next soup recipe ❤😊

[@RachelW-a1b]

I make this soup as well as my French Canadian yellow pea soup all the time. I just call it Mexican soup but hey whatever you call it is just as good. Love this! You are very kind and generous to donate to the hurricane. I have friends in Florida and thank goodness they are all well.Thank you.

[@orchid5223]

❤ I love that you portray real life in your videos, which sometimes also means that things/timing doesn't always go as planned. Your honesty and realness about life are what keep me watching your videos ❤ You're doing a great job 🌟

[@maryanns9364]

Really good soup. Very easy, too. I used chicken thighs. Also mixed my own taco seasoning and used less. I didn't want the spices to overpower it. Added taco flavor chips. The broth was so rich and delicious! You are a talented cook and fun to watch.

[@elvataylor9279]

Nice,❤❤❤❤, That's is More like Taco Soup! Well rice and pinto beans and cornbread, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or egg sandwich took me over in hard times today as an adult . When I was a kid it was also some of the items we had plenty of these items on hand. Living on the farm we had plenty of eggs and a garden.😊😊😊

[@tigarlori2545]

I watched this video yesterday and made the soup this afternoon. DELICIOUS!!! The only (small) changes I made was I used a can of Rotel diced tomatoes with cilantro and lime and I used Better Than Bouillon to make the broth as I had it on hand. I was shocked at how flavorful the soup was and how tender the chicken was - this is definitely going into my winter soup rotation! Thanks so much!

[@tinamariebartley8675]

Rebecca, thanks so much for sharing this one! All of the ingredients seem pretty accessible and some of us may already have these items at home. I love your story of using this to get by during rough times. I think we can all relate! And something like this works even when we have not so rough times, hopefully as we forge ahead!

[@thecreativecountrycrafter]

I just cooked that for supper tonight! I make mine the same way! I cooked a box of Jiffy corn muffins with mine. Really makes a lot fo soup!

[@joannreinhold9430]

My mom was a depression, air kid. Canned foods were our staple. We didn’t eat fresh vegetables. I’m so glad that you make that normal.

[@july77773]

"era" kid

[@joannreinhold9430]

Yeah, I know that but talk to my phone…it adds words or changes words as it wants to.😂😂😂

[@danie5522]

made this soup earlier this week when i thought i had nothing left in the house and had to go to the store! i didn’t have any chicken so i just added rice to make it a bit more filling. delicious! when i finally went to the store i was able to add chicken to the leftovers and it was even better. definitely gonna be keeping these ingredients on hand!! thanks as always!!!!

[@Pauleysteph]

I do a cheat on this and I've been using it for years. 2 pounds of chicken, 2 cups salsa, 2 cans sweet corn, 2 cans of black beans rinsed, 1 packet of taco seasoning, and 1 packet of Ranch seasoning. You can make it in the slow cooker or on the stove. Like with your soup, when the chicken is easily shredded then it is done. We usually keep it simple and top with sour cream. l

[@rosettatodd883]

I LOVE SAVE A LOT TOO ! When I was married we had 3 daughters and I shopped there. Their meat and canned vegetables were the best !!❤

[@simplypatti6705]

Save a Lot is the OG! I hadn’t even heard of ALDI back in the late 9Os but Save A Lot was always there!!

[@cindys9858]

Made this soup, same ingredients, except canned chicken, when electricity went out due to a hurricane. Had a gas option to cook but no refrigeration. Just pantry staples. I love all sorts of soups so certainly was good to me, and filling. Family really liked it. Best bet though is use reduced/ sodium free cans if possible. I have tried it with leftover pork shoulder and it was really good.

[@chrisrasmussen4612]

I love hearing your story, I'm in my 60's and it's similar to my story in my 20's. Thank you for sharing your story and your recipes!!!

[@jillgott6567]

Never be concerned you don't stick to a schedule with a series. We enjoy your videos, the information is awesome and the meals fun to see. For years, in the Fall I would make a huge batch of Pasta Fagiloi yummm. I froze it in different size containers and it made about 10+ cups. Filled with nutrition as I used 4 different beans , Onions, Tomatos, Peppers, Zucchini, Mushrooms, crushed and diced Tomatos. I would eat it throughout the winter over pasta, potato, with an egg on top, cheese topping it you name it. It was delicious but I rarely make it now as I do nit have the freezer space and I got tired of it. Still it is a terrific soup to have in my pocket.

[@Joyfulmagpie]

A friend shared a very similar recipe several years, she did call it Taco Soup. The base for her recipe is V8 which is a little pricey. I'm excited to try it with broth and tomato sauce instead. I used less than 1/2 of a shredded rotisserie chicken when I made it last month.Thank you for sharing your creative recipes with us!

[@MissieLotus]

I'm so glad you posted this recipe we called it taco soup too. But every time I try to find the recipe they do the one that has a packet of ranch and we never did that. This is the recipe my grandma made!! Total nostalgia totally yummy. We did ground beef instead of chicken can't wait to try it with chicken. 👍

[@robertbeining141]

Hi Rebecca. Thanks so much for your content. I am expecting a super tight food budget the next two months and I am definitely making this recipe. It looks delicious, super affordable, nutritious, and while I love this soup, I have never made it. I will definitely splurge for the tortilla chips (or make my own) and sour cream of course. Since it is just me will definitely freeze this flat in quart zip bags and have over the course of the next month.

[@janabuchheit3389]

Thanks for sharing. I make this kind of soup often. There's so many options to choose to change the world feel of. Sometimes, I will cut up cabbage and drop it in. It's very versatile. It also can be turned into enchilada soup if you add cream or chicken, or cream of mushroom. This version is good with a little Velveeta. If you have a can of cheese you can use that. Thanks Rebecca, this video triggered my old brain memory.

[@DollarTreeDinners]

I was thinking when I made it how adding velveeta style cheese would probably make an easy enchilada soup!

[@SylviaHarper-p2u]

You're amazing! You're great on camera, nice voice and calming. I have learned so much from you. Many tid-bits of information. I'm also passing them on to others. You have a good heart Rebecca and I'm grateful to have discovered your channel. God bless you and your family and open new an exciting opportunities and experiences in your relocation. Plus we'll get to ride along on your journey ❤❤❤❤️

[@seiblair43]

Thank you so much for everything you do. You have helped so many people.

[@bobbycoleman9457]

You can't go wrong with this soup and it is delicious!! This is how I make taco soup also. You top yours just like I do. Of course, you don't have to and it is still just as good. What is so nice about soups is that you can be creative and just throw in whatever you want or have on hand. Make it any way you want and it's still a delicious pot of soup that fills bellies😋 ❤Claire (Bobby's wife)

[@karical]

I have been making this same soup for YEARS. It is one of my children's favorite things. I use ground turkey, but have used chicken often. One thing I do different is that I add a packet of ranch powder dressing. It makes all the difference!!

[@ellecee453]

Thanks for this recipe! I have to watch my sodium, so I choose no salt added canned goods when possible or cook beans from dry. This recipe can easily adapt to a lowered sodium diet. I look forward to making this.

[@nadys6206]

Rebecca, I love your channel and content, you are so humble and down to earth. I always feel like Im sitting in the kitchen with you as you cook. Thank you for the great soup ideas and for bringing us into your life.

[@haleydawson11]

I had to come back to this video to let you know that I made this for dinner this week and it's so good! What a great recipe!! We even have leftovers for the freezer. Appreciate you and your channel!

[@ronnipeters8453]

I love taco soup! Survived on this myself too when I went through my divorce and was completely broke!!! but still eat it often today because it’s so good. Thank you for sharing such a fantastic recipe and your own experiences too❤

[@pamsheets632]

Rebecca, i love your videos, you keep it real! You are an amazing inspiration to us all! I cant tell you how much you've helped me! Its so exciting to see what you do next. What a blessing you are! Thank you so much! 😊❤

[@hopecandelori9081]

I love your recipes so much! But today I found your story about tough times so inspiring! So many of us have struggled and sometimes feel awkward or self conscious talking about it because people can be so judgmental. I really thank you for helping to normalize the ups and downs of life that we all go through 💙

[@kathy3178]

My heart rate rests high also. We have been through some hard times with money also. I remember when we first moved to North Carolina. We little money for groceries. Thankfully Dollar Tree was still a dollar..That is where we shopped. We also went every Sunday to a local church to eat dinner.

[@suzannejenkins]

thank you so much. I have a nostalgic recipe too, a nurse I worked with brought it to my baby shower 50 years ago. I make it all the time and my family loves it! It's not healthy. Lol! It's called Husband's Delight. Ingredients are so easy; ground beef, vermicelli, a block of creamed cheese, a container of cottage cheese, chopped scallions. Add the cheeses to the ground beef and melt the cheese, add to the pasta. Top it with shredded cheddar and bake until the cheese is melted. xo

[@judithbuckreis6979]

You can use minced onion from the seasoning aisle

[@NLaBruiser]

First time viewer, but I love the idea behind your channel. I'm fortunate enough to not have struggled with food insecurity but I have loved ones who have and seeing someone out there helping to stretch purchases is really heartwarming. Just a hint, if it helps anyone - the US knows that white meat is preferred by most people so they mark breasts way up. Not only are boneless skinless thighs cheaper, but they do incredibly well in an instant pot as, unlike white meat, they're pretty much impossible to overcook. Got a slightly different flavor but I think they're they're my first pick for IPs and soups / long cooks. Sending everyone good vibes.

[@krystachrones7306]

I was shown a similar recipe years ago that was very similar to this, and had forgotten it, until now! Thank you so much for awakening this memory lol. Gonna see if my family loves it as much as I do! ❤

[@Lottie_Girl]

I love those recipes that take you to your feels. The soup looks so delicious and I'll be trying this one for sure! Thank you for sharing your story! It was even better than you finding a 2nd life for the leftover soups. I hope you guys have a great weekend too ❤

[@cindym7234]

I also have a high resting heart rate. It runs in my family! Thanks for the yummy recipe! Love from Texas ❤

[@barbaragervais6991]

You are amazing! Thank you for nourishing my soul and helping me nourish my family with these amazing recepies

[@xingcat]

I love a "set it and forget it" recipe. It's starting to get colder up here in New England, and my favorite slow cooker recipes always feel more like fall/winter to me.

[@janiehowington7622]

Love a dump and go meal, especially for busy parents who both work, kids have lots of sports, and activities and by the time they get home, they are too frazzled to cook. Great alternative to "order a pizza" yet again.

[@donnasmalley8907]

I love this 😍. I was born and raised in Chicago my mom and grandma always shopped Aldi's then I moved to Evansville in. And didn't have a Aldi's until a few years ago but did have save-a-lot and yes it was like Aldi's anyway we no longer have save-a-lot and now have Aldi's makes me feel like home again.. love ur videos tyfs

[@Etherealcherub222]

Just wanted to thank you for sharing your recipes. I’ve been struggling with my health lately & it’s been also impacting my financial situation/ability to work. I was just thinking about what I can do to make some cheap meals and thought of your channel. Thank you so much ❤️

[@O2BAmachine]

A delicious $10 soup? I'm already sold. I already have some of the ingredients. Awesome. Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes with us! 🖤

[@sharondunn6513]

I make something similar and call it taco soup. I skip the corn and add a can of diced chilies and a packet of ranch seasoning along with the taco seasoning. you can increase the number of servings by adding more beans and I have made this with ground beef instead of chicken. Both work.

[@scook5599]

Great video! Thank you for the soup recipe! Looks delicious! Rebecca, I know that you are very busy decluttering and getting ready to move, but what are your plans for Thanksgiving meal(s)? Your review of frozen turkey meals last year is still one of my favorites. I am looking for ideas on affordable and healthy Thanksgiving meal options. I already know that can be a pretty challenging request. I am hoping that one of your holiday meals this year is not Dollar Tree based. Like many, I can't shop at the Dollar Tree and there are few healthy options at Dollar Tree. I am aware that you get many requests for videos and can't accommodate everyone and I appreciate whatever you have the time and energy to do.

[@annettemurielle]

I'm a newbie and I've been bingeing on your channel for several days. Thank you so much for writing this recipe out for us. I've saved and printed it and I cannot wait to make it. Thank you!

[@bernadettechute7998]

Thanks for the story time 💗. I appreciate your honesty and sharing your personal. There are those that Who similar things at different times in our life. You are so relatable and seem like such a lovely person. 🥰

[@brendathompson348]

Try this soup with a squirt of lime. Game changer! Really brightens it up. Thank you for making this without ranch dressing mix. So many people add that, but I am not a fan of ranch and I love it just as it is. Same as you make it.

[@beverlymcsheffery8811]

❤ Love your simple soup reciepes, could watch you for hours, insirational

[@tinadavis9796]

I have lots of tortilla chips to use, so this is perfect timing. I'm prepping for retirement (10 years to go?) and these ingredients are staples for me. Thank you for sharing your story. Our lives are similar, including I'm a "ginger", too. Blessings to you and yours!

[@katherinerichardson1767]

October is Appreciation Month in our church for our pastors. This will be the perfect dinner for our 4 pastors and their mates. Thank you for sharing.

[@StephanieMT]

I make chicken chilli my 7 year old loves it. It needs chicken, chicken broth, corn, pablano or whatever pepper you want, we used minced garlic and chickpeas. Can top with sour cream cheese fritoes before serving. I cant have tomatoes so you can add but we dont. I almost always have all these items.

[@crissieburdette4654]

Thank you for sharing your story. I remember going thru hard times fondly... yes, fondly, because it makes you a stronger, kinder person. Once you are through the hard times, it makes you stop and count your blessings more often, even the little ones. ❤ This recipe looks like a good, cozy, rainy day soup!

[@enutz666]

Family of 4 here. Been watching your videos for awhile and decided to give this a try. Everyone loved it, I'm glad I made a double batch so we can freeze some. Thanks!

[@DollarTreeDinners]

So glad it was a hit, and I’m super impressed you made a double batch!! I always forget to do that until I’m out!

[@TPrice-j8n]

When I first heard of this recipe, it was called “Seven Can Soup.” Since then, I have made many variations with different substitutions. It is SO good! I add rice to it and that stretches the recipe even further. It’s so easy, too!

[@loriloristuff]

Today, I am making a "harvest" soup from a big jug of bone broth I made last month, and stuff out of my garden. I realized I didn't have frozen chicken in the freezer. So guess what? I am using canned chicken breast. One of the things I do at Christmas is get a bunch of can openers for the food pantry. I call your soup Aldi soup. I read it on the side of a can of Aldi beans. Aldi includes a packet of taco mix and a packet of ranch seasoning mix. YUM!!!!!!!!