Today's hot lunch

I decided if I couldn't have any sunshine outside my door, I'd cook some up in a pot. I adapted a black bean soup recipe my MIL sent me. Its very tasty! I also baked up corn muffins to go with it.

Black Bean Soup

1-2 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 celery ribs with tops, chopped
1 Jalapeño pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
large handful of baby carrots, chopped
1 Quart of veggie broth
2 T cumin
1 Garni bouquet *(see recipe below or use a bay leaf)
1 15 oz can of chopped tomatoes- I used the kind with chopped chilies in them.
3 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed, (reserve one can for mashing)

Heat the oil in a soup pot and add in chopped veggies, starting first with onions, garlic and celery. Add the rest of the veg, broth, seasons and tomatoes. Mash one can's worth of black beans and add with the 2 other cans of beans. This will thicken things up a bit. Remove Garni bouquet before serving. It freezes really well. 

Garni Bouquets
(makes 12 for use in making soups/stews)
-12 dried bay leaves
-1/4 C dried thyme
-1/4 C dried parsley
2 T dried celery leaves
Crush the dried herbs with a rolling pin and mix together.
Cut a double layer of cheesecloth into 3 inch squares.
Put 1 T of herb mixture on each square and tie up tightly into a little bag using string.
Store in airtight jars.