Sephin's Amazing Taco Soup

The day was cold. It must have been below 20˚, but with the wind blowing on campus it felt more like -29˚. My phone chimes, alerting me to a new text message from Sephin. It was a picture message. He was making his famous taco soup, famous at the time only in Continental 12 during the 2005-2006 school year. It was something that we would eat on a nearly-weekly basis. On this occasion, I still had two classes left to attend and thus became both jealous and irate that he would tempt me into skipping them to indulge in that soup.

This, among many others, are the great memories I have of Sephin's Amazing Taco Soup, so named by its hordes of consumers. Shortly after college, Sephin decided to open a restaurant called Sephin's Perfect Balance, and thus marketed his soup. His original recipe, a bit dull for my own taste, has become ever-popular among residents and visitors of southern Utah and Mesquite, in which the now 2 locations are open for business. I'm trying to sell my old friend my modified recipe, alas being as successful as he his, he has no time to hear me out. A good friendship turned sour over soup. It's quite curious that the soup, once made to strengthen bonds among friends and roommates, now serves as the source to the breaking of our fellowship.

I have decided to divulge the recipe on a public blog. You may see things differently, but I call it vindication.

Sephin's (much awaited) Amazing Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef

1 can corn*

1 can black beans, washed

1 can tomato puree (a size bigger than the corn and black beans)

1 can El Pato chili sauce (comes in a yellow can)

1 can hot green chiles, chopped*

Brown meat, season as you wish. Add all to a crock pot. Stir. Salt to taste. Cook on high until begins to boil. Turn to low. Cook until you are too hungry to wait any longer and begin to eat the flesh off of your best friend's hand. Serve with cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips (no partially hydrogenated oils), etc. Allow to cool - will scourge mouth if eaten too rapidly.

* Instead of 1 can of corn, you may use 2 cans of corn with green and red bell peppers. You may also use fresh bell peppers for a true delight. Hot green chiles also not in original recipe.

There you have it. Sephin, if you don't like it, sue me.

Peace.

Note - for the record, Sephin's real name is Paul The Grass Man Harris, he owns no such restaurant, and our friendship is perfectly intact. You can find his blog here and his photo here.