Black Bean Soup
3 cups dried black beans
10 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup sliced carrot
2 teaspoons dried whole basil
2 teaspoons dried whole oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
2 (14-1/2-ounce) cans no-salt-added whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1 (11-ounce) can vacuum-packed white corn
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato juice
It freezes well and goes great with cornbread. Sort and wash beans; place in a large Dutch oven or stockpot. Add 10 cups water and salt, and bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. (Do not drain beans.) Add celery and next 10 ingredients to beans. Bring mixture to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1-1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Add tomatoes, corn, and tomato sauce; stir well. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Yield: 4-1/2 quarts (serving size 1-1/2 cups).