Black Bean Chili

Nothing can have a better start than bacon, can it? As you may know, I love cooking with beans, and I recently got a great deal on some dry black beans. (Clearance shelf at Safeway!) So I cooked them up using my usual overnight method, and froze them in bags. Having that all done made this a quick and easy soup to assemble. My hubby declared it one of his new favorites. *score!*

Ingredients:

1/2 pound bacon
1 onion
1/4 cup flour (or corn meal if gluten free)

1 quart of black beans fully cooked and frozen (or 3 cans from the store)

1 quart frozen sweet corn (or 2 cans creamed corn)

1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies 

1 Tbs. chili powder

1 Tbs salt

2 tsp cumin

4-6 cups water

cheese or  sour cream to garnish

In a large kettle: brown bacon over med heat, and when crispy, remove bacon and set aside. In bacon fat, cook the diced up onion until opaque. Add flour and mix until all grease is absorbed and flour begins to brown a little. Add beans, seasonings, corn, and tomatoes, mixing well after each addition to blend with the flour. Add 4 cups water. Return to boil and then turn down to simmer. Ladle about half of the mixture into a blender and process until smooth. Return to pot. Add remaining 2 cups of water as needed for desired "soupiness". Simmer at medium heat for 20 minutes. Just before serving, crumble the bacon back in, and garnish with cheese or sour cream.

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