Mexican Jumping Beans – ((Taco Seasoned No-Peek Bean Soup))
There are so many things I love about beans – but I think my favorite is how hearty & healthy they are. Oops, that’s two things – sorry. I know I have shared a lot of bean recipes on Food for a Year, and this Mexican version my be my favorite. Well, it is probably a tie between this and the Cajun Red Beans & Rice.
After years of the slow cooker, stovetop, and pressure cooker, I have come to believe the very best way to cook beans is in a Dutch Oven on a low temperature for a long time.
That is precisely what I did for this recipe. One pound of rinsed, dry beans goes into a large Dutch oven.
To that, I added:
- 2 T homemade taco seasoning
- 1 t garlic blend seasoning
- 24 oz of chicken broth
- 10 oz chardonnay
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 14 oz can of diced tomatoes & green chilies
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ c sundried tomatoes packed in seasoned oil ((with oil))
- 1 T vegetable oil
- ¼ c ponzu ((shh, it’s my favorite secret ingredient!!))
- 2 c chopped white onions
- 4 strips chopped applewood smoked bacon ((raw))
Once it has cooked away it will look like this:
Isn’t it pretty?? The spicy/smoky aroma alerts your tastebuds to imminent yumminess!
A simple garnish of pickled veggies, a scoop of fresh salsa & shredded cheddar is all this soup needs. However, chips and queso never hurt anyone right???