A Cozy Sunday Night

Fall seems to have settled back in today after a week of rather warm weather. I canned the last of the green beans yesterday and today we got some sprinkles of rain. I think canning is over for the year.

Dan went out with a friend after church to look at some land the friend is in the process of purchasing and to cut some wood. A tree had blown down near the fence line and they cut it up after running the survey lines and finding a section marker. I stayed home and took a nap! Yeah, as usual, Dan was out being busy and I was resting easy. :-)

When I roused myself from the sofa where I'd been curled up under the quilt daughter-in-law Amy made us last Christmas, I decided we'd have leftover soup for supper. I got the last of some artisan bread dough out of the fridge and shaped a loaf. I love that it's fall and time for cozy food again.

The bread turned out perfectly. I've figured out the best temperature and time for my oven. The towel is one I made using a Mary Mulari machine applique design. Isn't it perfect for fall?

The soup is an easy one I found in Paula Deen's magazine (September/October 2009) and it's very yummy.

Paula Deen's Black Bean Soup

• Five slices bacon, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 14-oz cans of black beans, drained (I used 50% less sodium)
• 2 14-oz cans chicken broth (I used reduced sodium)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder

In medium Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium high heat until it begins to brown. Add onion and garlic; cook for 3 to 4 minutes until onion is tender. Add beans, broth, cumin and chili powder. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

In container of a blender, spoon half of soup and process until almost smooth. Return processed mixture to Dutch oven and stir to combine. Paula suggests garnishing with sour cream and chives. I did not. (And I also did not use onions because they don't like me.)

I told Dan that if I ate this soup and bread at a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant somewhere I'd be singing its praises to friends. Yes, dinner was that good. :-)