Product Review: Pace Picante Sauce ...Spicy Southwest Tortilla Soup (#7) & Shredded Southwest Pork

A little while ago, I received a couple of jars of Pace Picante Sauce to try out from Pace through the FoodBuzz Tastemakers program. This isn't something I normally buy at the market, so I was glad to get the opportunity to experiment with it a bit.  Although the heat is labeled as medium, we found it rather mild...but I'm sure this is due to the fact that we eat a LOT of chiles around here.  It did have a nice, subtle heat to it, though.  Picante sauce is smoother than salsa...with a good balance of sweet and heat which makes it great for cooking with as opposed to dipping or smothering, as one normally would with salsa.  After playing around with it a bit, I actually think that it's a great convenience product to have in your pantry...for days when you want a no-fuss meal that still packs a bit of heat and a good deal of flavor.  I knew immediately that I would use it for a quick version of Tortilla Soup...you know me...I'm on a quest and all.  I did want to try it in another application, though...so I pulled a bag of cubed pork butt from the freezer (an essential in this house) to start it thawing.

Spicy Southwest Tortilla Soup

from the kitchen of girlichef

soup:

olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. ground cumin

big pinch of dried Mexican oregano

1 c. Pace Picante Sauce (medium)

1 (14.75 oz) can creamed corn

1 c. cooked black beans

1 qt. chicken broth/stock

1 chipotle chile in adobo, chopped

garnish:

freshly made tortilla chips, crumbled

sour cream

shredded pepperjack cheese

lime wedges

Heat a big glug of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Sauté onions and garlic until they begin to soften.  Add cumin and oregano, stirring for ~30 seconds, just so they start to release their fragrant oils.  Add Pace Picante sauce, corn and black beans and cook for a few minutes.  Pour in broth, lime juice and add the chipotle chile.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer and let it cook for ~ 15 minutes.  Serve with garnish.

I liked it!  It had a great amount of heat and the corn and beans added some great texture.  The picante sauce was a quick, simple way to add a lot of flavor with no effort. 

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Speaking of no effort, this shredded pork dish is by far the simplest thing in the world to make (with a little help from a slow cooker)...and it is TO DIE FOR!  It makes a great taco or tamale filling or stuff it inside of a crusty bun for a gorgeous, flavor-filled shredded pork sandwich!

Shredded Southwest Pork

from the kitchen of girlichef

1½ lb. pork butt, in 2" cubes

1 c. Pace Picante Sauce (medium)

2 onions, sliced

4 garlic cloves, peeled & smashed

1 bell pepper, chopped

Ready for this?  Place everything in a small slow cooker.  Put on the lid.  Cook on low for 5 hours.  Et Viola!  Start stuffing your face sammiches, tacos, burritos, quesedillas....

*I received these products free of charge from Pace through the FoodBuzz Tastemakers program to review if I chose.  I did not receive any compensation for this review.  The opinions expressed in this post are all mine. MINE!