R. B. has discovered from his guitar teacher, Wayne Avers, that playing music is a lot like cooking. A solid background in fundamental scales and chords is the key ingredient for intuitive playing. As with cooking, the more you can take advantage of a basic, well-stocked pantry, the better prepared you are for cooking on the fly. For tortilla soup, a regular two-timing favorite, we have on hand onions, potatoes, celery, and carrots and cans of tomatoes, beans, and broth. With these ingredients, some seasonings, and some cheater meat, you’ve got dinner. Go lighter on the chipotle peppers for a milder flavor.

　　

Ingredients

makes 6 to 8 servings

　　

For the Soup

1 large onion, chopped

　　2 tablespoons vegetable oil

　　1 large green pepper, chopped

　　5 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds

　　3 cups chopped leftover cheater meat like pork shoulder, beef, chuck, or chicken

　　One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

　　Two 14 1/2-ounce cans chicken broth

　　1/4 cup minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

　　1/2 cup chopped green chiles, frozen, or 2 small cans (optional)

　　1 teaspoon ground cumin

　　

For the Toppings

Lime wedges, avocado slices, crumbled fried corn tortillas, sprigs of fresh cilantro, and sour cream

　　

Step 1

COOK the onion in the oil in a soup pot over medium heat until soft and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

　　

Step 2

STIR in the remaining soup ingredients. Simmer the soup for about 30 minutes.

　　

Step 3

PASS bowls of garnishes at the table for everyone to help themselves.

　　Cheater BBQ