Black Bean Soup

The cold weather we are getting calls for a warming soup to keep our souls warm. Black bean soup is that hearty dish that everyone will go back for seconds.

Black Bean Soup
1 pound bacon - cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion - diced
5 celery ribs - diced
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
4 16-ou cans of black beans - rinsed and drained
6 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup picked jalapeno
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Saute the bacon until it is crisp in the olive oil. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside. Add the onions and celery to the bacon grease. Saute for about 7 minutes. Add in teh cumin, chili powder, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Saute for a few minutes. Add the beans and stock. Simmer for about an hour. When you are ready to serve, add the jalapeno, cilantro, and the cooked bacon to the stock.