Simple Black Bean Soup

Happy (meatless) Monday! For my second week in a row, I decided to make black bean soup, from scratch. Yup, with dried beans. Yes, this recipe does take some time but it's a great money saver. Dried beans are a fraction of the cost of buying them in a can. This soup makes a quiet a few servings as well.  You can serve a family of 6 in one seating, enjoy it all week for lunch, or do as I did and freeze the soup for when you are feeling super lazy!

I adapted the recipe from Smitten Kitchen, minus the (what I can all imagine is delicious) toasted cumin seed crema on top. Creme fraiche just isn't in the budget, Deb, sorry. I decided to top mine with avocado and cilantro. The creamy avocado is just what this soup needed.

I have to be honest here, folks. I did not follow the directions of removing two cups of the mixture to puree smooth and add it back into my soup. I used my Cuisinart smart stick hand blender instead and I think I got a little carried away. I absolutely love my hand blender for soups. Just be careful and watch how much you blend it! If it gets a little thick over time, add some vegetable stock in to thin it out. Works like a charm. Hey, it's soup people, it shouldn't be fussy. After all it is Monday and the last thing we all need on a Monday is a fussy meal.

Black Bean Soup
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen who adapted it from Bon Appetit
Yields 6 main course servings
Please note:
**  If it has been one of those Mondays, and you didn't remember to soak your beans overnight, then put the beans in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover by three inches. Do not cover. Bring the water to a over medium-high heat. Continue simmering for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain.
*  If you are feeling particularly lazy on this Monday, just remember you can substitute canned black beans. Just remember: 1 cup of dried beans produces 3 cups of cooked beans. Each can of beans contains 1/2 cup of beans.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped
1 medium-size green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 lb. carrots, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 16-ounce package dried black beans
4 quarts water (divided)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Cilantro and avocado for topping (optional)
1. Soak your dried bean overnight in 2 quarts cold water. (Every website I checked said to "check over your beans and pick out any stones". Not sure what I was suppossed to find, but all my beans were beans!)
2. The next day, drain the water. Add in 2 quarts (8 cups) of fresh, cold water. Bring to a boil.
3. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, pepper and sauté until beginning to brown, about eight minutes. Add garlic and cumin; stir one minute. Transfer mixture to your pot of beans. 
4. Cover and cook on high until beans are very tender, about 3 hours. (Bean cooking time can vary, so keep an eye. I just kept coming back and giving it a stir and a tasted now and then.)
5. Transfer two cups bean mixture to blender; puree until smooth (or use your hand blender, if you are feeling lazy like me). Return puree to remaining soup in slow cooker. Stir in lime juice, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste.. Ladle soup into bowls. Top with avocado and cilantro if you would like. (I have also had it topped with sour cream, which is a perfect garnish as well!)
Do ahead: This soup keeps great in the fridge, and even thickens a bit.  Also freezes well!

Broccoli-Cheese Soup

I have always been a little imitidated by making soups. I'm not sure where this fear originated from, but I decided to conquer it after all. I threw open the closet door, expecting a big hair soup monster to attack me and lo and behold- there was nothing there. There is nothing to fear but fear itself. Aw such wise words. Fear not! Soup is easy!

Soup seems to be such a great way to use up ANYTHING you have in the fridge that is mocking you by not having been used.  I had some leftover broccolli in the fridge staring me down begging to be used. I knew I had chicken stock, some heavy cream (freshly purchased to make my favorite scones later this week) and knew I would have extra. So- here I was all the components to make a great soup lay before me. All that was standing in my way was fear. Perhaps that is what I love about being in the kitchen the most- it is always a challenge and always a learning experience.

I did a quick internet search for broccoli soups (with cheese of course!) and found a few similar recipes on Annie's Eat's blog and The Curvy Carrot.  I adapted to what I had on hand, and lightened it up a bit by reducing the cream, and using more of the milk (1%, to make it even lighter). I used fat free chicken broth as oppossed to vegetable broth (sorry vegetarians- but it was in my fridge!) I did not have cheddar cheese, but a montery-cheddar blend. Hey, the only bad cheese is no cheese right? I also subsituted out the bay leaves -(again- just wasn't in my fridge!) and had some leftover thyme from my herb-roasted potatoes and decided what the heck, I'll use up those!

There was one moment where I was about to throw in the proverbial soup towel. I had begun making my roux with the flour and butter. Good things were occurring. I added my cream and began to stir. Still all was well. Then when I added the broth, some icky coagulation between heavy cream and broth began to occur. A happy marriage it was not- but I kept stirring! This is blissful union in the end. Fear not!

Upon first spoonful- absolute bliss! My soup monster is gone! Throw away my closet door (if you have seen Monsters, Inc. ever you know what I'm talking about)..I am no longer afraid. I'm now currently hunting down more soup recipes. 

*** I made a smaller batch of this. Eight servings?! (I was making it for 2..and a few lunches for the next day so a half batch was all I needed.) If it becomes a little too thick, thin it out with a little more broth or milk until the desired consistency is again reached.

Here is the final version of what I came up with:

Broccoli Cheese Soup
Servings: approximately 8 servings
Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk (I used 1%)
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 cup vegetable broth (plus more if needed) (I used fat free chicken broth)
Pinch nutmeg
3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 carrots, grated
4 cups broccoli florets
8 ounces shredded monterey-jack and cheddar cheese blend
Instructions
1. In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter.
2. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Remove the onions from the heat and set aside.
4. In a large Dutch oven or sauce pot over medium heat, whisk together the flour, milk, and cream.**It’s very important to be PATIENT here and whisk continuously.  The mixture will be lumpy, but it will smooth out eventually with the heat.
5. Whisking constantly, add the vegetable broth until smooth.
6. Add the nutmeg, bay leaves, and salt and pepper (to taste) and let the mixture simmer,uncovered, for about 20 minutes.
7. Add the cooked onions, broccoli, and carrot, mixing well.  Let simmer for another 20 minutes.
8.  Add the cheese and stir until completely melted, adding more broth if necessary.