Soups, soups, soups

My 8 year old commented the other day, "We sure eat a lot of soups lately." This is largely in part to recent budget cuts but also because I love the new dutch oven pot I got for Christmas (thanks mom). I have been loving the soups though. The best part is that I've had 95% of the items in my home already so I didn't have to buy things. The following have made appearances over the last 3 weeks.

Caribbean Black Bean Soup
1 pound dried black beans
2 Tablespoons canola oil
2 medium red onions, chopped
4 jalapenos, seeded and minced (I only added one, then added more heat in my own serving)
2 Tablespoons peeled and minced ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
8 cups water
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 12 oz. each ) peeled and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 bunch green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
2 limes cut into wedges

Place beans in colander and pick through, discarding any stones or debris. Rinse beans with cold running water and drain. Transfer beans to large bowl. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Cover and let stand overnight. Drain and rinse beans.

In 6 quart saucepot, heat canola oil over medium heat until hot. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, about 10 minutes. Add jalapenos, ginger, garlic, allspice and thyme and cook, stirring, 3 minutes.

Add beans and water; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 1 hour and 30 minutes or until beans are almost tender.

Add sweet potatoes, brown sugar, and salt; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until beans and sweet potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes longer.

Transfer 1 cup bean mixture to blender; cover with center part of cover removed to allow steam to escape, and puree until smooth. Return to saucepot. Stir in green onions and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze onto individual servings.


Red Potato and Ham Soup
6 red potatoes diced with skins
1 onion diced
1 cup of ham diced

1. first heat a dutch oven(large pot) over medium heat with 4 tablespoons of olive oil
2. add onion and about 1 tsp salt, saute until tender
3. Add the ham and continue to cook until brown around edges, about 8 minutes
4. Add diced potatoes and continue to cook for about 5 minutes
5. Add enough water to cover ingredients about an inch
6. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 45 minutes, until potatoes are tender
7. With a potato masher, mash the mixture and watch it thicken up. Make sure to leave some
texture.
8. Add about 2 cups 1% milk, bring back to a simmer, and it's ready to serve
9.As a garnish I add shredded cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream

I also made this with chicken which was tasty.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
I know there are a bazillion variations of this recipe. This one is tried and true though!
1 1/2 lbs cooked chicken
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 10 oz can enchilada sauce
1 med onion, chopped
1 4 oz can chopped chilies
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 c water
1 14.5 oz can chicken broth
1 t ground cumin
1 t chili powder
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 bay leaf
1 10 oz can corn
1 15 oz can black beans
1 T dried chopped cilantro
toppings: cheese, sour creams, lime, chips

Combine all but toppings in a crock pot. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours.