tortilla soup-er easy

i know this isn't real tortilla soup. this is a quick and easy tortilla-ish soup.
but your tummy will feel warm and full and happy all the same.
fry tortilla strips and chop toppings while you heat up the soup.
my sil shauna is busy (awesome) mother of 5. this easy soup is on her menu rotation all the time.

tortilla soup-er easy
recipe from shauna n.

1 (big 48 oz) can tomato juice
1 (big 48 oz) can V-8
1-2 Tablespoons chicken bouillon (knorr pollo or tomate)
1 onion, chopped (optional)*

toppings:

corn tortillas, sliced into strips and fried crisp; or tortilla chips, crushed
avocado, diced
onion, diced
cilantro, chopped
shredded cheese
sour cream

combine tomato juice and V-8 in a big stockpot. season to taste with bouillon, salt, and pepper. bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes or so, until ready to serve. (or dump it all in a crockpot in the morning and crank it to low all day.)

*my simple variation is to first soften a chopped onion in a little oil in the stockpot, then add in the tomato juice and V-8.

** i realize this may be blasphemous to even mention, but you can leave out the tortilla strips/chips if you don't have any. if you will look closely at the picture, you will see that my tortilla soup is without tortilla. it's yummy and filling either way.