Soup's On 

February 4th is National Homemade Soup Day, and I'm ready to celebrate. I love a good, bowl of hot soup on a cold, wintry day or in air conditioning. In a recent cold snap, my husband even asked for a meal of soup. He's not the big soup fan that I am, often saying he'd prefer a heavier meal. Soup is also usually a safe choice in an unknown restaurant when I'm traveling. I'll never forget the delicious bowl of minestrone I had for lunch in a quaint village inn in Ireland
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Soups and stews were also common in earlier times. These dishes were more manageable than most other menu choices, when cooking in a fireplace  allowed the homemaker to complete other tasks while the meal cooked. I use them often in writing my historical novels, whether they're set in the South, the Appalachian Mountains, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, England, or some other location. 

Interestingly, soups are thought to date back to at least 20,000 BC. They came about as soon as man had waterproof containers, which were likely clay pots at first. Since that beginning, however, soups have become more varied and diverse. At first, they used the locally available ingredients. Today, there are so many varieties of soup it would be difficult to list them all. Nearly every culture has favorites. So, for National Homemade Soup Day today, why don't you pull out your favorite soup recipe and celebrate? Here is one to get you started:

Black Bean Soup

3 cans black beans
1/2 c. beef broth
1/2 c. water
1 sm. can crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
1 small onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped finely 
1/2 tsp. garlic
(optional - 1 sm. pkg frozen corn for variety)

Saute onion and pepper. Add corn if desired and cook until all three are tender. Combine ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer just long enough to allow flavors to mix. Other ingredients can be added, as well or instead, so experiment. Rice also works well in black bean soup. Enjoy!

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