Black Bean Chili Soup

I tried this new recipe last night, and it was so awesome I just had to share it.This recipe meets all my criteria for a winning recipe: easy, healthy, quick to prep/cook, frugal, and tastes great! Plus, my husband and I are big soup fans. I'm always on the lookout for great new soup recipes. I found this one in a little recipe box I found in our storage room when we first moved into our house. The previous owners had left it here....hmm...maybe someone told them about my cookbook hobby? I changed it up just a bit (like usual) and the result was really good. It's kind of like a vegetarian chili soup - perfect for snowy fall days. I served it with buttermilk cornbread. Here's my version of the soup:

Black Bean Soup (Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes)

3 Tbsp butter
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup chicken stock (you could probably just use water, too)
1 19 oz can black beans (drained and rinsed) or about 2 1/4 cups cooked black beans
1 28 oz can stewed tomatoes (don't drain)
3/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 small can of diced green chilies (optional) I used about 1/2 a can, but adjust to your taste
sour cream and/or green onions (garnish)

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic. Saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add black beans (drained and rinsed), chicken stock, and undrained tomatoes. Add diced green chilies, if desired. Stir in cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes. Spoon about 1/2 of the soup into a blender container and process until pureed. Return to saucepan. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of chopped green onions, if desired. Serves 3-4.

*Tip: To save a little more money, I usually buy chili-style diced or stewed tomatoes instead of regular stewed tomatoes and then I omit the diced green chilies* Or, if you would rather use diced green chilies and only use half a can, place the rest in a freezable container, label, and freeze for use another time*

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