Bean and Bac'n Soup

Right off the bat, I apologize for the terrible picture.....just as I was about to snap a photo and serve dinner the camera battery went dead, so I had to use my iPhone to take the picture. Hence, the bac'n turned out as a large brown blob in the center of a soup bowl.....less than appetizing, I know, but the soup was worth sharing. I'll be making it again, hopefully with a better photo to share.

With that out of the way, time for a confession. When I was an omnivore I loved Campbell's Bean and Bacon soup, LOVED it! This was my attempt at mimicking that. While this soup isn't exactly like Campbell's, it is really good. Because this recipe calls for such a large amount of beans I recommend using dried beans and cooking them in advance.

Bean and Bac'n Soup

2 Tbs. Olive Oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 large carrots, peeled and cubed

1 bay leaf

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp liquid smoke

½ tsp oregano

½ tsp celery seed

1 tsp tamari

4 cups good quality veg. stock (I use home made)

4 cups water

8 cups white beans, cooked (Great Norther, Cannellini, or Navy)

2 tsp salt

1 package Fakin' Bacon

In a large soup pot, heat oil. Add onions, carrots and bay leaf and begin to saute. Once veggies are beginning to soften add garlic and saute a few minutes more. Add liquid smoke, celery seed, oregano, and tamari. Stir to combine. Add stock and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, add beans and salt and continue to simmer while you cook the "bacon" according to package directions. When bacon has cooked and cooled, cut or crumble into small pieces and add to soup. Stir to combine.

White Bean and Tomato Soup

As promised, something warm and comforting from the crock pot. Tonight I kind of winged it and threw together this white bean and tomato soup with some things I had lying around that needed used up (although, I still never found a good use for that zucchini, which will promptly be making it's way to the trash...sigh).

Anyway, despite the morning from hell, I found it in me to do some prep work and throw together what turned out to be probably the best bean soup I've ever had. After a week that seems to have gone on forever this was the most comforting meal I could imagine having. And an added bonus, it was simple and required little of my non-existing energy.

Mairin's been asking for some more of Dreena's jumbo croutons, so I humored her and baked some croutons to serve on top of the soup. They were a great addition to the soup.

White Bean and Tomato Soup

8 oz baby carrots, cut lengthwise into quarters

1 small onion, diced

1 medium leek, white part only, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 bay leaves

2 tsp dried thyme

4 cups cooked white beans

28 oz can diced tomatoes with juice

2 cups vegetable stock

salt and pepper to taste

8 oz frozen spinach

In a medium skillet heat 2 Tbs olive oil over medium high heat. Add carrots, onion, and leek and saute until beginning to soften. Add in garlic, bay leaves, and thyme and saute a minute more. Transfer veggies to slow cooker, add beans, tomatoes and vegetable stock. Stir to combine and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook on low 8 hours. During last 5-10 minutes of cooking add in frozen spinach. Remove bay leaves and serve hot, topped with jumbo croutons.