Mom's Tortilla Soup (again)

I've posted this recipe before, but it was a long time ago and there was no photo, so I'm posting it again. MAN, this stuff is YUMM-O!!

Mom's Tortilla Soup

For soup:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped
8-12 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8-12 guajillo peppers (available at Mexican specialty markets)
16 cups chicken stock, divided (I highly recommend the Kitchen Basics brand, it is the highest protein chicken stock I've found with 4 grams/cup)
salt

Optional garnishes:
Corn tortillas
Canola oil
Cheese (cojito, jack, or cheddar)
Sour cream
Avocado, sliced

In a large pot, boil the peppers in 4 cups of chicken broth until they're soft (about 20-30 min). Remove peppers from the broth; add the remaining broth to the pot and simmer.
Remove the seeds and veins from the peppers, scrape the fleshy part off of the skin (you end up with a paste) and put it back into the broth.
Saute the onion and garlic in the oil until tender. Add them to the broth. Add salt to taste and blenderize until smooth (we use a stick blender). Simmer for at least one hour.
While the soup is simmering, cut the tortillas into small strips and fry in canola oil until crispy.
Makes about 16 x 1-cup servings of soup (50 cal, 4 protein). Serve with cheese, sour cream, and avocado, throw in some fried tortilla strips as a treat for kids and other non-dieters.