Taco Twist Soup

Weird weather for January in Maine, wouldn't you say?  We had soup yesterday.  Steve has a little cold so it was a good meal for that.  We love taco type things, and I like good hot soup.  Steve is not a huge fan of soup, but this was a Mexican one, and I served it with tortilla chips on the side, so this was a hit.  Also it's a vegetarian soup, so it gets points for that, too.  This is from Simple & Delicious.

Taco Twist Soup
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp olive oil
3 cups vegetable or beef broth
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 cups picante sauce (I used my favorite, Pace mmmmm)
1 cup uncooked spiral pasta
1 small green pepper, chopped
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (we used shredded Mexican)
3 tbsp sour cream (omitted by me)

Saute onion and garlic in large saucepan (or soup pot) until tender.  Add all remaining ingredients except cheese and sour cream.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.  Ladle into bowls and top with cheese and sour cream.  (we had ours with tortilla chips for dipping and scooping, too)

This was well liked.  When we were almost done, I asked the kids if they had noticed that it was a vegetarian meal.  They were surprised.  The broth was very yummy and tasted awesome with the tortilla chips.  This soup came together quick and easy.  We will definitely have it again.