Bean and Bacon Soup

We have had such a cool Fall here. By that I mean it is cooler than normal for this time of year, plus it has been cloudy and downright dreary. And that type of weather calls for some body and soul warming soup! I wanted to try something new, so I turned to all the recipes I have bookmarked from all the wonderful blogs I read! Let me tell you, there are so many marvelous cooks in blog land and so many mouthwatering recipes to try, that I'll never get through all the dishes I want to make. But, I'm starting now, with this recipe for Bean and Bacon Soup, from Pam at "For the Love of Cooking". Pam has an amazing blog with some wonderful recipes, and this soup really hit the spot on a cold autumn day. I hope that you will try it.

Bean and Bacon Soup- slightly adapted from Pam at "The Love of Cooking"

6 strips of bacon

3 large carrots, diced

2 stalks of celery, diced

1 small onion, diced

1 large clove garlic, minced

sea salt and black pepper, to taste

1 bay leaf, ( I forgot this!)

4 cans of white beans, drained (I used Great Northern beans)

4 cups chicken broth

2 T. fresh parsley, chopped

In a dutch oven fry the bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels and when cool, crumble.

In the dutch oven over medium heat, add the onion, celery and carrots to the bacon drippings and saute for about 7 minutes. . Then add the garlic and saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper.

Add 3 cans of drained beans along with the chicken broth; bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.

Uncover, and remove bay leaf. Use a potato masher to partly mash the bean mixture until it slightly thickens. Stir in the last can of beans, parsley and crumbled bacon. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Enjoy this hearty and delicious soup! I served it with cornbread for a very satisfying lunch. I will be making this again and again as my husband loved it.

I did add an extra can of broth and a couple extra slices of bacon, just to make a bit more so there would be more leftovers. This Bean and Bacon Soup is so easy to prepare, that it would be perfect even for a weeknight meal. Give it a try and visit Pam's blog for more of her great recipes!