Fiesta Pasta Soup

Ingredients

• 2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans chicken broth

• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth with roasted garlic (if you can not find this, mince 2 cloves garlic and use an add'l can of chicken broth)
• 2 cups water

• 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained (I use the hot Rotel myself)
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced (reduce to 1 tbl if dried is used)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 lb smoked sausage (or spicy)
• 6 ounces vermicelli, broken into about 1 inch pieces

• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can corn (Mexican corn if you can find it)

• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 sliced avocado (to garnish)
• grated cheddar cheese or monterey jack cheese (to garnish)

Directions

1. 1

   (remember spices can be adjusted to taste).

2. 2

   In soup pot, combine all ingredients up to the sausage bringing to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes.

3. 3

   Slice sausage in 1/2 lengthwise then thinly slice into pieces.

4. 4

   Add the sausage, pasta, corn& black beans to the broth mixture, cover& simmer another 10 to 15 minutes (or until vermicelli is cooked).

5. 5

   Stir in lime juice.

6. 6

   Ladle into bowls and garnish each with thinly sliced avacado (or you can chunk if you prefer) and grated cheese.

7. 7

   Note: I like to serve this with hot Mexican corn bread and a small dinner salad.