Dicentra
03-09-2010, 15:13
Hubby, the kidling and I spent part of the weekend at the used bookstore. I picked up yet another cookbook. 365 Easy Mexican Recipes (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/365-Easy-Mexican-Recipes/Marge-Poore/e/9780760740446/?itm=2&USRI=365+Easy+mexican+recipes). I also have 365 Ways to Cook Vegetarian from the same series so I knew it was going to be a good one. I'm loving this book! As promised, the recipes are easy and almost all of them sound good.
To start with, I made the Black Bean Soup.
Black Bean Soup
2 T vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 t dried oregano
1 t ground cumin
1 15 oz can chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup prepared red salsa
2 16 oz cans black beans, drained
1 14 oz can chicken broth
1 lime, quartered
cilantro for garnish
Saute onion and garlic in oil. Add herbs and spices. Cook until onions begin to brown. Add tomatoes, salsa, beans and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cook, 5 minutes, stirring.
In batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Return soup to pan and heat through. Serve with cilantro and lime wedges.
But you all know that I can't follow a recipe, right? http://images.freewebs.com/Images/Smilies/Round/rolleyes.gif So I made a few changes... I didn't have any salsa in the house, so I used 2 cans of tomatoes instead of one. I also used 3 cans of black beans. I added about 1 1/2 tablespoons dried cilantro instead of adding it as a garnish. I wanted the soup to be vegetarian (vegan!) so I used vegetable bouillon instead of chicken broth. I added two carrots, diced, for color (sauteed with the onions and garlic) and after tasting the almost done soup, added about a tablespoon of chili powder.
Pretty, isn't it?
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2783/4417968192_0b069abea0.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8680409@N03/4417968192/)
I don't have a food processor, so I used my stick blender to puree the soup. I left just a few beans whole for texture. I then let the soup cool before spreading it on lined dehydrator trays.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4018/4419754223_8fe3056ab0.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8680409@N03/4419754223/)
Five trays of soup later... The dehdrator was set at about 140 degrees and ran for about 5 hours (more or less).
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2699/4420523490_bfbdbb3445.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8680409@N03/4420523490/)
I'm thinking I can add some instant rice or various veggies (zucchini, tomatoes, corn?) to the finished soup to give me more variety. Taco sauce for more of a kick would be a good addition too.
To start with, I made the Black Bean Soup.
Black Bean Soup
2 T vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 t dried oregano
1 t ground cumin
1 15 oz can chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup prepared red salsa
2 16 oz cans black beans, drained
1 14 oz can chicken broth
1 lime, quartered
cilantro for garnish
Saute onion and garlic in oil. Add herbs and spices. Cook until onions begin to brown. Add tomatoes, salsa, beans and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cook, 5 minutes, stirring.
In batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Return soup to pan and heat through. Serve with cilantro and lime wedges.
But you all know that I can't follow a recipe, right? http://images.freewebs.com/Images/Smilies/Round/rolleyes.gif So I made a few changes... I didn't have any salsa in the house, so I used 2 cans of tomatoes instead of one. I also used 3 cans of black beans. I added about 1 1/2 tablespoons dried cilantro instead of adding it as a garnish. I wanted the soup to be vegetarian (vegan!) so I used vegetable bouillon instead of chicken broth. I added two carrots, diced, for color (sauteed with the onions and garlic) and after tasting the almost done soup, added about a tablespoon of chili powder.
Pretty, isn't it?
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2783/4417968192_0b069abea0.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8680409@N03/4417968192/)
I don't have a food processor, so I used my stick blender to puree the soup. I left just a few beans whole for texture. I then let the soup cool before spreading it on lined dehydrator trays.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4018/4419754223_8fe3056ab0.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8680409@N03/4419754223/)
Five trays of soup later... The dehdrator was set at about 140 degrees and ran for about 5 hours (more or less).
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2699/4420523490_bfbdbb3445.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8680409@N03/4420523490/)
I'm thinking I can add some instant rice or various veggies (zucchini, tomatoes, corn?) to the finished soup to give me more variety. Taco sauce for more of a kick would be a good addition too.