Nothing's Better Than Soup on a Cold Day

Today's forcast was for a high near 70, but rainy.  I know, I know, that's not very cold, but it's the rain that makes it feel cooler than it is.

Cool weather always takes me back to being a little kid.  My mom would occasionally make a big pot of beans with ham hocks and some homemade cornbread.  Hot and hearty, the beans were flavorful, and what could top fresh cornbread with melted butter and honey? 

I decided right away that soup would be a perfect choice for dinner, and had already decided to try Hurst's 15 Bean Soup as the ticket.

Most people I know won't cook with dry beans, for two simple reasons.  One, it takes forethought, and two, it's not as simple as opening a can.  With a little planning though, it really is the most economical way to use beans of any kind.

The first thing I did was pull out a glass bowl and fill it with water.  Then in went the beans for about 8 hours of soaking. (This isn't a special mix of mine or anything, it's simply a 20oz package of mixed beans that I picked up at the local Wal-Mart for aobut $2.  It's name on the package is Hurst's 15 Bean Soup Mix.)  You can soak beans first thing in the morning for use at dinner, or if you are using a crockpot you could soak the beans overnight to put in the pot before leaving for work.

Anyhow, by 3pm the beans had soaked and I was ready to make soup!  Following the directions, I rinsed the beans and added them to a pot with 2 quarts of water.  Next you add whatever meat you are using - ham, ham hocks, or smoked sausage.  I went with the sausage because I had some in the freezer.

I also chose to add some onion at this stage because I wanted it to really add flavor into the soup.  Either way, the next thing to do is let it simmer for about 2 1/2 hours.  Once I had it going I went about cleaning up the kitchen and doing some housework.

At 5:30pm it was ready for the tomatoes and seasonings.  I also mixed up some cornbread and put it in the oven.  I mean really, what's better with bean soup than cornbread?

A little after 6pm we sat down to eat.  It was fantastic!  Thick, hardy and flavorful, my husband really enjoyed it as well.  Because there is just two of us and it makes so much we have plenty for lunches and lots for the freezer.

I know not everyone has all day to spend on soup, so I'm thinking you could make this in a crockpot pretty easily if you cooked it on low, which is below a simmer heat.  I'll try it next time I make this and report back!

Stay warm!