Someone, somewhere declared January 6th, Bean Day.  Why I don't know, but it makes for a chance to share a nice hearty soup.  A good, hearty meal for the coldest of days.  Goes well with a thick chunk of Pumpernickel, or a wedge of cornbread.

Ingredients
1 pkg Hurst Beef 15 Bean Soup®
(contains these varieties of beans:  Northern, Pinto, Large Lima, Blackeye, Garbanzo, Baby Lima, Green Split, Kidney, Cranberry, Small White, Pink, Small Red, Yellow Split, Lentil, Navy, White Kidney, Black Bean.)
4 cups water
1/2 pound cooked and drained ground beef
2 14.5 oz cans Hunt's Diced Tomatoes w/Balsamic Vinegar, Basil, and oil®
1 cup chopped celery
1 med yellow onion, diced
1 med green bell pepper
1 clove of garlic
1 14.5 oz can of corn

Directions
     Rinse beans and place in med/large stock pot, add enough water to cover beans plus and additional 2-3 inches.  Soak for approximately 4 hours. Once beans have swollen and softened, rinse pot and beans completely. 
     Next place beans back in pot, add 4 cups water, canned tomatoes, garlic, green pepper, onion, and celery.  Cover and bring heat to medium.  Meanwhile, heat skillet with light amount of oil.  Using ground beef, pinch off grape size pieces of ground beef, form small balls and place in skillet to brown. Stir soup occassionally throughout cooking process. 
     When beef is thoroughly cooked and browned add to stock pot.  Simmer soup mixture for 1 1/2 to 2 hours longer and add corn to soup mixture 30 minutes prior to serving.

NK Hurst Bean Co
Hunts tomato products

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Three Sisters

Corn, beans, and squash were known as the "three sisters".  They were vitally important to sustaining Native Americans across the continent.

HOPI BLACK BEAN SOUP

2 cups dried black beans

10 cups water

2 inch cube salt pork

1/2 cup chopped yellow onions

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 bay leaf
1/2 small red chili pepper
2 Tbs. butter, melted
2 Tbs. Pillsbury all purpose flour
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

In a large deep pan cover beans with water and soak at least 8 hours.  Drain beans, reserving the liquid.  Add enough water to reserved liquid to make 10 cps.  Pour this into stock pot with beans.  Add salt pork, cover and cook over low heat 2-3 hours.  Then add onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf, chili pepper, and tomatoes.  Cook till vegetables are tender, approx. 20-30 minutes.  Remove salt pork, and stir in butter mixed with flour.  Blend well into soup.  Continue simmering for 6-8 minutes.  Complement with Adobe Bread.

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ADOBE BREAD

Adobe Bread takes its name from the huge hollow mounds or Adobe-shaped ovens in which it is baked.  A moist wheat bread, it is characteristic of the native peoples of the American Southwest.

1 pkg. dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

3 Tbs. Crisco Veg. shortening, melted

1 tsp. salt

1 cup cold water

4 1/2 cups Pillsbury all-purpose flour

Sprinkle yeast into the warm water to dissolve.  Set aside.  In a large mixing bowl combine the melted shortening, salt, and cup of cold water.  Stir in dissolved yeast.  Gradually sift in the flour.  Beat well after each addition.  You will have to knead in the last cup of flour.  Shape dough into a ball and brush with a little melted butter.  Place dough ball in mixing bowl, cover with a dry cloth, and set in a warm place.  Let rise to double in size, (takes approx. 1 hour).  Then punch down.  Turn onto a floured surface and knead 5-6 minutes.  Divide dough and shape into two rounded loaves.  Place on a greased baking sheet, cover with dry cloth, set in a warm place to double in size. Bake in preheated 400 degrees F. oven 45-50 minutes, until golden brown.

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