Bean Soup Mix
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup dried garbanzo beans
- 1/4 cup dried navy beans or lima beans
- 1/4 cup dried red kidney beans or pinto beans
- 1/4 cup dried whole or split peas
- 3 tablespoon minced dried onion
- 2 tablespoon whole wheat berries
- 2 tablespoon pearl barley
- 2 tablespoon dried celery flakes
- 2 teaspoon instant beef bouillon granules
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a plastic bag or an airtight container; store, tightly sealed, until needed.
Bean Soup:
- Combine contents of package with 7 cups water in a 3-quart saucepan.
- Bring to boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour. (Or soak bean mixture in the water overnight in a covered pan.) Do not drain.
- Bring beans and liquid to boiling, reduce heat. Cover and simmer 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until beans are tender.
- Remove bay leaf. Season to taste. Makes 6-8 side dish servings.
Bean Soup with Meat:
- Follow basic recipe through the soaking step. Add 1 3/4-1 pound smoked pork hock or beef shank crosscuts.
- Bring to boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 1 hour for pork hocks or 1-1/2 hour for beef shanks.
- Remove meat, chop coarsely and return to soup. Remove bay leaf.
- Add 1 16-oz. can tomatoes, cut up and undrained. Add one medium carrot, chopped.
- Cover and simmer for 30 more minutes. Season to taste. Makes 4-6 servings.
Chili Bean Soup:
- Follow basic recipe but reduce water to 5-1/2 cups.
- Remove bay leaf. Brown 1/2 pound ground beef and drain off fat.
- Add 1 tsp. chili powder and cook 1 minute. Add to bean soup along with 1 10-oz. can Rotel.
- Heat through, stirring occasionally. Season to taste. Serve in tortilla bowls or with corn chips. Garnish with jalapenos, if desired. Makes 6-8 main-dish servings.
Bean Cheese Soup:
- Follow basic recipe through the soaking step, except reduce water to 4 cups.
- emove bay leaf. Mash beans slightly.
- Add 2 cups milk and 1 6-oz. link cheese food or smoked cheese food.
- ook and stir until beans are soft. Makes 4-6 main dish servings.