Black Bean Soup, Tasty Tuesday

Connie's Colossal Crock Pot Black Bean Soup


You read that right.  This is a Connie Joye original recipe.

Ingredients

·         1 lb. dried black beans (soaked overnight)

·         Two boxes of Swanson’s Chicken Broth

·         2 carrots, chopped

·         2 stalks of celery, chopped

·         6 garlic cloves, crushed

·         6 fresh from the garden tomatoes – peeled and chopped into large chucks

·         1 small can tomato paste

·         2 tablespoons chili powder

·         2 teaspoons ground cumin

·         ½ teaspoon dried oregano

·         ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

·         4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

·         1 tablespoon salt (more or less, to taste)

·         1 smoked turkey drumstick, ham-hock, or ham bone (for added flavor)

Options to add:

·         1- ½ quarts of water, instead of the chicken broth

·         1 large onion, chopped

·         2 green bell peppers, chopped

·         2 jalapeno peppers, chopped

·         ¼ cup lentils

·         1 (28 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes – instead of the fresh tomatoes

·         ½ cup uncooked white or brown rice

·         Sour cream

·         Lime wedges

·         Cilantro

Soak beans overnight in water to cover.  If you don’t soak beans overnight: In a large pot over medium heat, place the beans in three times their volume of water.  Bring to a boil and let boil ten minutes.  Cover, remove from heat and let stand 1 hour.  Drain and rinse.