My Favorite Soup

When Jon introduced me to Bahama Breeze's black bean soup several years ago, I got hooked on it. It is soooo good, and I tried many times to make something similar at home. I finally found a recipe that I'm happy with....it's not exactly like Bahama Breeze, but it's close. I found the recipe on one of those copycat recipe sites last year, but I had to change it a little...ok, a lot. The original recipe was awful (just ask Jon), but my version tastes great.

I made a pretty big pot of it tonight so I'd have some left over to freeze. It is a very filling soup, so you don't have to have a huge meal to go with it...we usually have grilled sausages with it. And if you want a vegetarian version (Jennifer), just leave out the bacon...it would still be good.

Here's Savy chopping a green pepper for me...she loves to help me cook. She picked out this child-sized apron with the bees on it at Williams-Sonoma outlet.




This was our dinner tonight...chicken andouille sausage and black bean soup.I don't think I've posted this recipe before, so here it is.



Black Bean Soup

4 cans black beans
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup green peppers, diced
2 tbsp garlic
1/4 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp tabasco sauce
sour cream
salt to taste

Heat oil in a pot on medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and saute for 1 minute. Add the peppers, onions, and garlic; saute for another 2-3 minutes.

Add the water and tabasco sauce, and bring to a boil. Add 3 cans of beans with the juice and bring back to a boil. Using a hand held blender, puree the soup until smooth.

Add the remainig 1 can of beans and bring back to a boil. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Add salt to taste and, serve with a dollop of sour cream.