Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

Ok, first off….I need to apologize for two things…

One. After falling asleep in my 3 year old’s bed whilst trying my darndest to get him to sleep, I was awoken to my 9 month old screaming; apparently he was having a nightmare that did not want to end immediately. So, I fell asleep in my bed holding him, all the while dreaming of writing this post for you.

It was supposed to be up, right here, for you all, last night.

It wasn’t. I’m sorry.

Two. I need to say I am sorry for the quality of these pictures. While my husband is an amazing photographer, I am not. When the camera is around, I can sort of take pictures, however, when he is not, and the lens has been detached from the body, I don’t go near it. Hence the not-so-pretty pictures you see before you.

After all this, can we still be friends? I have a slight feeling you might want to after eating this soup!!!!

This was an off the cuff, on a whim meal.

Every few months I take my family on an extreme whirlwind eating adventure that lasts about a week. Inevitably, we always find our way back to “normal” (whatever that is), but for that week, they are forced into whatever I make for them.

This time, it was not veganism, or raw, or eating only meat (I know, I know…my quest for the best way to eat does not make any logical sense….) this time, I decided I wanted the challenge of trying to not only live off of $60 a week for groceries, but actually make really yummy food.

We’ll see how long this one lasts.

Nonetheless, I decided to go and buy black beans in bulk; they were like 1.69 a pound!!! And this beautiful goodness is what I ended up with.

Wait for it…..

Here’s what you do

Rinse beans and soak in a large pot overnight or for about 5-6 hours

In a slow cooker (set to low), throw your pre-soaked beans…

The Ortega Chili’s….

The Garlic….

The Onions…

The Tomatoes and Water…

The Broth or Bullion Cube….Wow this picture is exceptionally bad…

Blurry Chili Powder…

Cumin….

Cayenne Pepper…

The Salts and Pepper (forgot the picture…oops)

Now give it a stir, put the lid on and go about your life for about 8 hours (or 4 if you set the crock put on high)

Come home, take in that incredible aroma that just wafted up to your nose….

Ladle out some soup….

Add your garnishes

and perhaps a warm tortilla with butter….

Sit down, relax and enjoy every minute of that soup! You slaved all day after all…

Ingredients:

4 Cups Dried Black Beans

1 4 oz Can Diced Ortega Chilis

1 12.5 oz Can Southwestern Style Diced Tomatoes or Ro*Tel®

5-6 Cups Water

1 Can Chicken Broth (or one extra cup of water and 1 Chicken Boulion Cube)

1/2-3/4  Onion Diced

2 Large or 4 Small Garlic Cloves Chopped

2 Heaping tsp Chili Powder

1 Heaping tsp Cumin

1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

1/4 tsp Seasoned Salt

1/4 tsp Garlic Salt

Avocado

Sour Cream

Grated Cheese

Preparation:

Soak Beans overnight or for about 5-6 hours.

Place all ingredients into a crock pot (set to low for 8 hours or high for 4).

If most of the water has been reduced, you can add another cup or two and simmer for another 30 minutes.

Serve with Garnishes and Enjoy!

The Best Meatballs….Ever

I know that may seem like a bold claim however…I need you to make these, end up eating until you feel your stomach fighting back…eating and eating even though you should have stopped 5 meatballs ago but they are just so good, and moist and you cry out:

“I

Can’t

Stop”!!!!

Ok, maybe your reaction will not be as severe with equal parts love and discomfort as mine was,

however,

I pretty much promise you will love them all the same. If not, there is no money back gaurentee…Just puttin it out there….

Here’s what else I love about meatballs, other than the fact that they are delicious,

You can make a ton, eat some now, eat some tomorrow, and freeze the rest for other quick meals in the future.

I know what you’re thinking

She’s a genius. How does she think this stuff up???

I am here for you.

So, again, go put the kids to bed, or if you are desperate like I usually am when attempting to make dinner, go put on another Dora or Diego or Veggie Tales…whatever the kids are into nowadays (Duck Tales is my personal fave…Woohoo) and give yourself about 15 minutes (ok maybe 20) to create something the stuff that dreams (and wife/mom of the year awards) are made of 🙂

The What

2 lbs Ground Meat (I used beef but feel free to experiment)

1 cup bread crumbs with Italian Seasoning ( or you could dry about 5-6 slices of bread, throw it in the food processor with 2 tsp basil and 2 tsp parsley)

3 Eggs

1 Cup Parmesan Cheese

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 medium onion (finely chopped)

4 medium garlic cloves (finely chopped)

The How

Pull out another brightly colored bowl and get to work…

Crack 3 eggs into it (please dig out your shells, no one likes crunchy bits in their meatballs)

Whisk the eggs vigorously. Like your life depends on it. Let’s try to keep the eggs in the bowl though

Throw in your 2 lbs of ground meat. Does that not look a little like the state of Louisiana???

Add your breadcrumbs…

and your cheese. Please refrain from pulling some of the cheese out and eating it. remember, it is touching raw meat…

use your beautiful hand to sprinkle in your salt…

Add your pepper. Take a big whiff of the aroma that is working its way up to you. Sneeze. Move on.

Finely chop your onions so that you don’t have to dig through each meatball picking them out before your son will actually eat them.

And add it to the lower left quadrant of your bowl.

Chop your garlic with the fun garlic roller/chopper that you bought on a whim at Target and have used like every other day since….

and, now the fun part….

Dig in. No not with a fork…this is raw meat here people! With your hands. Squish it, mix it; do whatever you have to do to get it all mashed together.

Go grab your cookie scooper (who woulda thought that sucker had another amazing purpose), and scoop out portions of the meat mixture, roll it into beautifully formed balls and….

throw them on a plate. I got 50 meatballs in total out of 2 lbs of ground beef. You may want more or less depending on the size that you prefer – that’s what she said – note to self, too many reruns of The Office lately….

Throw about half of them into a pot of water that you so diligently started boiling after you finished mixing the meat and thoroughly washed your hands and before you started “ball rolling”…maybe that is where the phrase came from…

**please don’t throw them in but rather gently place with a spoon or spatula. Boiling water hurts when it splashes your face**

Boil them for about 5 minutes

then retrieve them with a slotted spoon and set aside. You will lose some of the onions. Please don’t be sad. It’s a part of life. Onions come and go….

When you are done boiling all of the balls, let them cool for a bit, stick them in a few bags and throw them in the freezer.

Or, add them to some marinara and throw it over spaghetti.

Or, put them in the crock pot of bubbling bbq sauce that your just made (Oh don’t you worry, that ones a comin’).

Or, just sit down at the table with a fork, no need for a knife, and eat….and eat….and eat until your insides feel all warm and fuzzy.

No need to thank me, that’s what I’m here for 🙂