PINTO BEAN SOUP & FRIED CORNBREAD

This simple and easy to fix recipe makes a wonderful bean soup that is especially good during cold weather or any time.  You can make a larger pot of soup if you add beans and tomatoes in equal quantities.  Please remember that Pinto beans have a negative effect on the digestive tract of some people.  If this happens just make the offender stay out in the yard until his/her stomach settles down.  A surprisingly good wine to serve with this soup is French Rabbit Pinot Noir.  Don’t let the foil lined box fool you, this is a cheap and great tasting wine with a large nose, a slightly fruity taste, and a finish worth waiting for.

Soup Ingredients:

4

Slices market-style bacon

1

Large sweet onion, sliced or coarsely chopped or 2 Baby Vidalia Spring Onions, sliced

1

27 oz. can of Lucks Pinto Beans w/pork

1

28 oz. can of Hunts Whole Tomatoes

2

Slices Streak-o-lean or seasoned Side Meat

1

Supply of peanut oil

1

Stick of real butter

Cooking Instructions:

Cut the bacon into 1” pieces and fry.  When almost done add the onions and cook them until they are tender or you get tired of looking at them, whichever occurs first.  Add the side meat, tomatoes, and beans.  Turn heat down and cook for about an hour, until the tomatoes can be easily diced with a fork.  Keep your eye on this soup and stir it every so often as it is bad to stick to the bottom of the pot.

Serve with fried homemade buttermilk cornbread made using Gourmet Whole buttermilk (1 ¼ cup), mixed into two cups of Martha White Self-rising Cornmeal mix mixed with ¼ cup of vegetable oil and one slightly beaten brown hen egg.  Add just a touch of water so the mix is thinned out just a mite.  Heat enough peanut oil to cover the bottom of a 9” cast iron black skillet on medium high heat.  Use a large spoon to make two or three small (about 4” diameter) cakes.  Turn the cakes over when the edges begin to brown (a couple of minutes or so).  Put a thin pat of butter on the top of each cake.  Cook for another couple or three minutes.  Flip the buttered side down in the skillet for a couple of seconds then place on a warm platter.  For a change of pastry, break the fried cornbread into small pieces and mix with your soup.