dos cozy

I love to make soup on Sunday afternoons. Just the sound of me banging around inside the cupboards, dragging out the big soup pot on Sundays makes my family really happy. "Oh! Are you making soup? Yea!!!" There's just something deeply comforting about soup on a Sunday evening . . . the cozy bubbling, the lovely aroma, the steaming bowls served with something simple on the side, like cornbread. It's a great way to end the weekend and also have tasty leftovers to start our week.

My soups tend to be very simple and also very thick. I honestly don't know how to make a thin soup. Why this is, I'm not sure, but perhaps I made a lot of chowder in a previous life. Regardless, the following recipe is for a vegetarian soup / chili that I've been playing with for years. The inspiration came long ago from one of those dried bean soup kits that was given to me as a gift. I made that (way too salty) soup and thought, you know, I can do better. So, here you go.

 

Veggie Mama's Tex Mex Soup

1 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
extra-virgin olive oil
1 tetra-brick box of vegetable broth (I prefer the Pacific brand)
1 large can tomatoes with chiles (this time, I used fire-roasted organic tomatoes with chipotle peppers = wonderful, smoky, spicy taste!)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup cooked brown rice (in a pinch, you can use Uncle Ben's instant brown rice)
1 tsp chili powder (or more for your preferred level of kick)
1 tsp cumin

grated colby jack cheese for topping

Make some noise pulling out your big soup pot to alert the family that deliciousness is on it's way. Saute the onion and garlic in a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil until aromatic and golden. Pour in the broth and dump in all the other ingredients. No finesse needed here. Bring to a boil and cover and simmer for around 30 minutes or so. Or, this can bubble on low for a long while, scenting your home with it's spiciness. Top each serving with grated cheese when you are ready to put the bowls on the table. Ole!

As stated above, this soup pairs beautifully with cornbread. I've got a great recipe to share with you, thanks to my friends at the Moosewood. Check out my next post for more details . . .