Instructions: Saute first 4 ingredients in a large saucepan until onions become transparent. Add next 6 ingredients and heat to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add cilantro and simmer for 5 minutes more.

To serve: place 2 Tbsp. broken corn tortilla chips in individual serving bowls. Ladle in soup. Add 1 heaping Tbsp. Monterey Jack Cheese.

Book: Steamboat Entertains: Winning Recipes From The Rocky Mountains.

NOTES : Brendas note: I made this really nice soup without cheese or cilantro 10/3/00. Wonderful anyway!!! (I also added about 1/8 to 1/4 cup of diced bell pepper and a little bit of hot pepper flakes and about 3 roasted, peeled and seeded green chilies. I didnt use the whole jalepeno pepper...most of it tho. I used a bit more tomato, maybe 2 cups and a bit less broth.) I didnt expect the soup to taste so darned good. It was awesome and as you can see, it uses far less ingreds than most other tortilla soups. Im making this one again and again. I think it would be good with whatever is on hand in the refrigerator. Its low-cal and lower fat, too! Yahoo! Servings not given, so I am guessing serves 4.

NOTES : Yum this was good - for those of you trying to figure out how to use up the last of the red tomatoes from the garden, this is fast, easy and tastes better than it reads! :)

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