Bean Soup with Salsa Verde 

Warn the kids and ask hubby to sleep in the spare room tonight.
This simple, yet spicy soup is loaded with musical beans and takes no time at all to bring together.  Serve it up with fresh cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese & handful of tortilla chips and you're ready to chow down!

If you have loved ones with sensitive taste buds, substitute the poblano pepper with a green bell pepper.

BEAN SOUP WITH SALSA VERDE

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 poblano pepper, seeded and minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 oz.) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 oz.) can fat-free refried beans
• 1 (8 oz.) jar salsa verde or 2 c. of your own green chili salsa
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• Juice of 1 lime
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Sour cream
• Your favorite shredded cheese
• tortillas chips

In a large pot or Dutch oven, saute the onion and poblano in the oil until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, all the beans, salsa and chicken stock.  Stir gently to blend in the refried beans.

The refried beans really thicken the soup.  You can leave them out if you prefer a broth type soup.

Add cumin, oregano and chili powder.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in the juice of 1 lime.  Simmer about 10 minutes until warmed through. Serve with fresh cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese and chips on the side.

NOW FOR LAUGH FROM FRANCIE

For years! I begged my husband to get a dog.  After all, I reasoned, he'd have someone to point the blame on when the room was less than fresh.  He had always pointed the finger at our small cat, but I called him out because based on the sounds I heard.   If our cat had been the culprit, she would have hit the wall at a force of Mach 5!

So, he broke down and got the dog.  But here's the funny thing.  The dog is worse than my husband...much, MUCH worse.  We happened to adopt the one dog from the shelter whose gastric emissions put my world-champion husband's to shame.

Still, the dog does come in handy for hubby who happens to get gas when he eats most any vegetable. Beans, particularly, are his digestive mortal enemy.

If my husband were James Bond, beans would be Dr. No.
And yet, he loves this soup.  I love it too, because it's cheap, healthy and made in 15 minutes with pantry ingredients.

Francie
FranticHomecook.com