Menu Day Three

So...day two and day three are switched from the original menu. This is because I forgot about the whole "soaking the beans" thing. Luckily, Wednesday is our "whatever" day during the week...so it was fairly easy to switch Tuesday and Thursday without issue.

A couple of notes: I replaced the butter with olive oil and the marjoram with oregano. I prepared this the day before and just put it in the crock pot for the day to cook. It was amazing.

Day Three: Old-fashioned black bean soup

1 pound dried black beans, picked over, soaked overnight, and drained

1 ham bone or ham hock

6 cups chicken broth or water

3 T unsalted butter

2 Med-sized onions, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 c. chopped celery, including some leaves

1 tsp marjoram

1 bay leaf

salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper

1/2 c. dry sherry (optional)

1. Combine the drained beans, ham bone or hock, and broth in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH until boiling, about 1 hour

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add the onions, garlic, and celery and cook, stirring a few times, until softened. Add to the cooker along with the marjoram and bay leaf. Cover and cook on LOW 7 to 8 hours.

3. Discard the bay leaf and bone, returning any bits of meat to the soup. Puree in batches in a food processor. Taste to adjust the seasonings. Add some water to thin, if desired. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.