Messy Cook

Every kitchen, pantry, and refrigerator are stocked with staples; those 10 or 20 things that you buy every grocery trip and make up the backbone of the food for the week.  

Rewind to 7 years ago when my husband and I began shopping together as college freshmen.  In those early college years, our grocery cart, without fail, would include: bacon, smoked sausage, frozen chicken cutlets, frozen biscuits, lots of eggs, a sugar laden cereal or two, pop-tarts, ice cream, kool-aid, instant oatmeal and way too many bananas.  (My husband’s college roommate didn’t know that you were allowed to split the bunch of bananas.  For over a year we wondered why he bought 6 bananas and only ever ate two of them.) 

Our grocery trips today bare no resemblance to those earliest trips.  

Our eating habits and cooking habits have changed dramatically in the intervening years.  Today, we spend the majority of my time and money in the produce section of the store.  We buy mostly ingredients instead of products.  Today, our grocery staples include: fruits and veggies that are in season, mushrooms, lettuce, onions, ginger, potatoes, apples, bananas, oranges, berries, at least 3 varieties of canned tomatoes, whole wheat flour, old-fashioned oatmeal, brown rice, milk, cheese, and most importantly, canned black beans, by the case.

I serve seasoned black beans as a side dish with enchiladas, fajitas, flautas, tamales, and chili rellenos.  Black beans take center stage in taco salads, quesadillas, huevos rancheros, and this black bean soup.

Add the entire jalapeno for some spice; remove the seeds and membranes to dial it back a little.  And please, don’t skip the cilantro sprinkled on top of the soup.  It adds an amazing flavor.
Black Bean Soup

Soup:
1 tsp oil
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, diced (optional)
2 carrots, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
5 cups of chicken stock
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
3-14 oz cans of black beans, rinsed & drained, (divided)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp corn starch (combined with a bit of cold stock – mixed thoroughly) (optional)

Toppings:
Sour cream
Cilantro, chopped

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat.  Add onion, both peppers, carrots, and celery.  Saute until slightly tender.  Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add stock, seasonings, and half of the beans.  Simmer uncovered for 1-2 hours.  Remove bay leaf and blend using an immersion blender (or blend in 2 additions in a blender).  Add the reminder of the beans and corn starch slurry.  Bring to a boil to thicken the soup.  Taste and add salt and pepper, if necessary.   Top each bowl with sour cream and cilantro.

Adapted from http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/2008/05/black-bean-soup.html