To soak or not to soak? This age old question has been debated before. Here we’ll take another look to see what we ought to put into that bowl!
It may not be soup weather as you read this. IT IS 94* here today! But soup weather will soon be upon us. If you have beans on your shelf, you are going to be in the soup…but in a GOOD way! Enjoy this one, kids!
Those of you who have food commodities sometimes get cans of beans…those of you who think of canned beans as ‘convenience foods’ watch for sales like hawks hunt for prey! Those of you who have practiced frugality like an art form may prefer canned beans but they may also like the challenge of soaking dry beans.
To be honest, soaking beans CAN be challenging. Sure, all you do is throw them into a pot and let them sit and soak. BUT you also have a house to keep, a job to be on time for-if you are fortunate to HAVE a job, maybe two!-and then there is the small matter of keeping your gang fed on whatever schedule everyone in the house has going! And we have not even mentioned getting everyone to school/work/wherever OR the laundry… It’s enough to drive a person out of their ever lovin’ mind! I’m sure you can relate.
So I found a soup recipe that calls for 8 cans of beans. There was a huge debate in Mother Connie’s head about whether to mention it, since the price of canned beans is obscene. I’m quite sure you could make this with only one type of bean to make it easy on the bean soakers of the world; if you have the where-with-all to get 8 cans, that’s good. If not, you might make only half a recipe IF that will feed your gang. Use your own good judgement. I offer it here for your perusal:
Eight Can Soup with a South of the Border Flair
I do not recall the source…emails abound in the Club House…
1 (15 oz.) can each: drained and rinsed, black beans, pinto beans, diced tomatoes, sweet corn. *Personally, Mother Connie would not RINSE corn…
1 15.25 oz can chicken, drained *The Kitchen Police will not write you up if you use leftover cooked chicken…
1 (10.75 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 (10 oz.) can green enchilada sauce
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth *Nobody will die if you use home made broth or even water with a bouillon cube or two. We are all about saving $$ in the Club
1 packet taco seasoning
**Mother Connie is DEATH on seasoning packets! They are full to the top with rubbish the human body does not need to maintain good health! Surely you have chili powder on hand! You are most likely to have cumin. You’ll save a bundle by NOT using packets and your budget with thank you for keeping a few spices on your shelf. Seriously, kids. You CAN be healthy on a tight budget.
Toss everything into your favorite soup pot. Heat through gently but thoroughly, stirring every so once in awhile.
This soup is hearty, tasty, and would pair up quite well with a green salad and corn or tortilla chips. Mother Connie does not normally recommend chips but there are times when chips are just the thing. *I already ranted and raved about the seasoning packets; I’ll let up now. 
If you are holding an EBT card from SNAP or WIC, if you are using food commodities or things from a food pantry, food bank, food drop, or any other form of public assistance, we are delighted to be of service to you. Most everybody finds themselves living on a dime at times… We dearly hope our ideas and recipes help to keep your food costs at bay. We hold no judgement and we are not about selling you stuff. We are tickled pink whenever we see new names on our roster (which has been every day, thanks to all our Members’ spreading the good word!) and we love hearing from each of you.
It may not be soup weather as you read this. *IT IS 94* here today! But soup weather will soon be upon us. If you have beans on your shelf, you are going to be in the soup…but in a GOOD way! Enjoy this, kids!
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