Black Bean Soup

I am feeling the fall weather come and of course that means lots of soup!

This was delicious! 

Black Bean Soup 

1 pound dry black beans, rinsed, soaked and cooked per package directions. Drain and set aside. (I used 2 cans)
4 slices center-cut smoked bacon
olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
1 banana pepper, seeded and diced (I left this out)
6 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 quart chicken stock
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes (I used fresh, but you can use canned)
2 TBSP ketchup
2 tsp Worchestershire sauce
2-3 tsp hot sauce (optional) I used Sriracha chili sauce
1 TBSP chili powder
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper
1/2 lime, juiced

Lots of cilantro!!
sour cream, cheddar cheese and thinly sliced green onions for garnish

In large soup pot fry bacon until crisp. Remove from pan to paper towel to drain. Add enough olive oil to rendered bacon drippings to equal about two tablespoons. Heat oil and add onion and banana pepper and season with salt and pepper. Saute for 3-4 minutes then add pressed garlic. Saute for another minute or two before adding chicken stock, tomatoes, Worchestershire sauce, hot sauce (if using,) chili powder and cumin. Stir in beans and season again with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 40-45 minutes. Add lime juice. If you like your soup chunky, serve as is. If you like it more creamy use either a submersion blender to smooth it out a bit, or transfer about 1/2 to a blender (in batches) and puree.

Remember those four bacon pieces you fried back at the beginning? Well, those are supposed to be either mixed into the soup or added as a garnish, but I got a little hungry while I was making this soup and they ended up garnishing my stomach instead. I thought the soup was terrific without.

Martha's Zucchini Bread

Smells just like fall! 

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 large zucchini
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with cooking spray, and set aside. Grate zucchini on the large holes of a box grater (to yield 1 3/4 cups); set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together sugars, oil, vanilla, and eggs.
2. Into a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, and stir to combine well. Stir in grated zucchini.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes; invert onto a wire rack, then reinvert, top side up. Cool completely before slicing