Makes a little more than 4 gallons (about 60 1-cup servings)
1 cup olive oil
3/4 cup chopped garlic
8 cups chopped onions (about 2 1/2 lbs)
1/2 bunch celery, chopped
3 gal. water
2 tsp. cumin powder
1 tbsp. dry oregano
2 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup vegetable broth powder
2 tbsp. New Mexican red chili powder
5 lbs. rose potatoes, cut into nice bite-size chunks
6 carrots, scrubbed and sliced
1 28-oz can chopped tomatoes
15 long green (Anaheim) chilies, roasted, peeled and chopped (I always use fresh and roast them myself, but you may use canned instead, about 12 oz.)
5 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped into 3/4 inch cubes
2 lb. frozen corn or cut kernels from 8-10 ears of corn
2 bunches spinach, washed and chopped
2 tbsp. salt (to taste)
Heat olive oil in 20-quart soup pot. Saute onions, garlic and celery until tender. Add water and seasonings. Bring to light boil. Meanwhile, prep veggies and add to pot as they are done. Add salt. Adjust seasoning. Simmer with all ingredients 30-45 minutes.
For a nice rich Tortilla Soup, take out about 6 cups of soup (with just a little broth) and puree until smooth. Mix this back into the soup. Just before serving, add 4-6 cups of broken corn tortilla chips.