Black Bean Soup

October is the time for soups! I'm sorry I failed to post the promised Bean & Bacon Soup (via Twitter). Michael would not let me take pictures. So, the next time I make it, I will take pictures and post the recipe!

This soup is completely vegetarian/vegan friendly. Not to mention delicious. The last time black bean soup was made in our house, we couldn't quite get it right. I say "we" because Clark is the one who actually made it. The beans weren't soft enough. So, this time I thought I'd do it up right.

This is not to say my husband can't cook. He's a wonderful cook. He's just not good at doing things free-hand. He likes to follow recipes. Me? I like to make the recipes!

*WARNING*
This recipe is easy, but time consuming. Great for moms/wives who only have moments here and there and not 30 minutes in a row to monitor the cooking. GREAT for if you're having company over, just make sure you remember to soak the beans the night before and start preparing them in the morning to be ready by dinner time!

SUPPLIES:

- 1 lb raw black beans
- 6 C water
- 1 white onion, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 C Chopped Green Pepper
- 3 TBSP Chicken Bouillon
- 1/2 Tsp Chili Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Cumin Powder
- 1/2 Tsp All Season Salt

Directions:
- THE NIGHT BEFORE YOU WANT THE SOUP FOR DINNER: Put the beans in a pot well covered with water (about 8 cups). Bring to a boil and let boil for ten minutes. Cover, remove from the heat, and let them soak over night.
- IN THE MORNING: Drain the beans, rinse, and put them in a crock-pot with six cups of water. Turn on high and let them cook for three hours.
- Once your three hours is up,
add the chopped onion(You can chop the onion as finely as you like. I chop it in bigger chunks so people can pick around it if they're not fans of onion.)
1/2 C green pepper
and seasonings.
- Keep the crock-pot on high. Check on the beans about every two hours. Once they have softened to al-dente, turn on low unless you want them to be softer. This can take anywhere from four to six hours more. Like I said, it's time consuming, but so worth it in the end.


My husband always has to add cheese. I'm a black pepper person myself.What do you add to your black bean soup to make it extra tastey?