A Simple Southwestern Bean Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Soup may seem a strange choice for a summer meal, but it can be warm and refreshing after day on the water. My family is not a great fan of chili in the summer, but they do like this Southwestern-style bean soup that is similar to it in taste. The recipe is straight forward and the soup is simple to make. It can also be stretched to feed unexpected guests with the addition of another can of beans and a couple cups of stock. The soup is a good keeper, but be forewarned, it thickens as it sits and you'll need additional stock to reheat it. This is not a recipe that will enhance your reputation as a cook, but neither will it harm it. Served with cornbread and a salad, it makes a fast and filling meal at any time of year. Your family will love it for its flavor. You will love it for the ease with which it comes together. Here is how the soup is made.

White Bean Soup with Peppers and Bacon

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We had some sun today and it made for a beautiful afternoon at the lake. We did lots of walking before the winds and rain returned, forcing us to back to the cabin to ready it and ourselves for an early departure tomorrow morning. Power has finally been restored, and tonight I can see lights in the houses on the other side of the lake. It seems strange, but not as strange as the odd silver glow the cabin lights throw on the road just outside the door. Even the loons are confused. Dinner tonight was a hydrate and reheat affair, so prep and clean-up was a breeze. As the frozen soup I'd brought from home warmed on top the stove, I added water and an egg to my homemade cornbread mix and popped a pan of it into the oven. It finished baking just as the soup came to a boil. Now that's serendipity. It is a nice soup and it made for a lovely, if simple supper. Years ago, I found the recipe I used to make it in an issue of Cooking Light magazine, and I have made it several times a year ever since. What would have seemed a skimpy meal back home was perfect for the cabin and the less is more circumstances we find here and gladly adopt. I want to share the recipe with those of you who are still battling winter's chill and need warming meals to serve your families as they come in from work or play. Do give this recipe a try. The soup is easy to make and it's near failproof. The only variable might be the amount of time it takes to cook the beans. Mine are never ready in an hour and time from start to completion can vary from 1-1/2 to 2 hours. This freezes beautifully, so I double the recipe whenever I make the soup. Here is the recipe as it appeared in Cooking Light.

Mexican White Bean Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When the weather outside is frightful, I'd like to suggest a cupful of this hearty Mexican soup. While brandy would be delightful, this bean soup is infinitely better for your liver and it will cure baldness and improve your general well-being as well. I was told that by a snake oil salesman, who swore lightning would strike him dead if I did not like his soup. I wasn't looking for a miracle, mind you, so he escaped annihilation, and in the realm of good cheap food, this soup is not at all bad. It is inexpensive to make, really easy to prepare and chances are you already have the ingredients needed to make it in your pantry. I'm not, generally, a huge fan Mexican bean soups because I find their flavors to be muddy and their appearance singularly unattractive. The orange juice and zest that are used in this recipe really brighten the flavor of the soup. When I make this for the Silver Fox, I use a tablespoon or two of orange liqueur rather than the fresh orange that is called for in the original recipe, which, by the way, came from Better Homes and Gardens magazine. The sour cream and cilantro garnish add flavor and more importantly, help improve the appearance of the soup. If you are looking  for a cold weather soup, and your family enjoys Mexican food, you can't go wrong with this one.  Here is how the soup is made.

White Bean Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Today was the day of the coffee I spoke to you about last week. I've added the menu for the get-together to the tail end of this post for anyone who is interested to see what went down. The good news is, that despite a crowd, it went well, the bad news is, I'm exhausted tonight. I thought that might be the case, so, yesterday, I made a huge pot of bean soup to serve for dinner tonight, and was able to freeze another two meals worth for other nights when my energy levels sag and nothing looks more inviting then a hot bath and a "so to bed" evening. This is a simple dish, and save for some chopping, it is nearly effortless to prepare. Served with a salad and Yankee cornbread, it will make for a fine and filling everyday meal. Here is how the soup is made.