Turkey-Bacon Bean Soup

Turkey-bacon Bean Soup.

Yesterday was certainly a good day for soup.  It was rainy, windy and very cold.  So I made this Bean Soup using a recipe from Cooking at Home with Dan Eaton.


                                                           Turkey-Bacon Bean Soup
SERVES: 6-8
INGREDIENTS:
• 6 slices turkey bacon, diced
• 1 Tbs vegetable oil for crisping bacon
• 1 cup peeled, diced carrot
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 Tbs vegetable oil for cooking vegetables
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 3 drained 15-ounce cans white beans (such as navy or great Northern)
• 1/3 cup chopped green onion or rough parsley (optional)
• black pepper to taste (and salt if needed)

PROCEDURE:
1. Cut all the vegetables you need before heading to the stove and then add a splash of vegetable oil to a heavy bottomed soup pot and crisp up 6 diced slices of turkey bacon.
2. Take the crispy bacon out of the pan, add another splash of vegetable oil to the pot and add about 1 cup diced, peeled carrot, about 1 cup diced onion, 1/2 cup diced celery, 2 minced cloves of garlic and add a sprinkling of dried thyme.

Diced carrots, onions and celery.

Diced turkey bacon.

3. While you're keeping your eye on the vegetables and stirring them around occasionally, take a minute to drain three 15-ounce cans of navy beans.

Navy Beans.

Drain three cans of white beans.

4. Once the onions are translucent, add 4 cups chicken broth and add the drained white beans, stir those in, and bring it up to a simmer.

Add chicken stock.

5. Then adjust the heat on that so it's gently simmering along for 10 - 15 minutes.
6. At that point you could use a potato masher to gently mash the beans up a little bit, or use a hand blender to give it a somewhat smooth, somewhat chunky consistency.

Fold in bacon.

7. Then fold in the crispy bacon and an optional handful of chopped green onion and season it to taste with a little salt if it needs it and a good crack of black pepper and it's good to go.

Fold in green onions.

Ready to eat.

This was most welcome on a cold day like yesterday.