Crockpot Taco Pasta Soup (Meat-free)

12/7/2008: Whoops - I forgot to add the pasta to the ingredient list! Recipe updated and comment added at end of recipe.

Crockpots are an awesome invention. When we have traveled out of town, I take one along to make meals in the hotel room (although you do need to choose meals that don't require sautéing, precooking of anything, or browning of meat).

This is a quick and easy (not to mention delicious) meal.

1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
3 C vegetable broth (can substitute beef broth)
2 C canned or prepared black beans
3 C tomatoes, diced (with liquid)
1 box (13 - 16 oz) pasta, uncooked
1/4 C vinegar
2 C water
1-1/2 C sweet corn kernels
2 T jalapeño peppers (remove seeds for less heat)
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 T cilantro (optional)
2 T chili powder
1 T ground cumin
1/2 C cheddar cheese, grated
sour cream (optional)

Sauté onions and garlic in oil . Combine all ingredients except cheese and sour cream. Cook on low 2-3 hours, or until pasta is cooked.

Serve in bowls, top with sprinkling of cheese, and add a dollop of sour cream.

Upate: 12/7/2008. One caution is that if you don't have a family big enough to eat it at one sitting you may have a problem with overcooked pasta. A modification to avoid this is to cook the pasta separately in the 4 C of the liquids (your choice) and add 1 cup of either broth or water to the total liquid. When draining the pasta, save the drained liquid and add to the soup. Serve the soup over the cooked pasta.