I hope by now that you are really tempted to give Crock Pot Wednesdays a try. Our second $25 giveaway gift certificate that will be awarded comes from K. Chenault Designs, an online store full of Karen Barton Chenault’s creations. I’m only showing just a small number of the items that she can create and personalize just for you. You can visit her store in order to see more of what you might want to choose.
At one time, Karen was president of our middle school student council which I sponsored. I have to tell you that she was AWESOME at it. I know that word is overused, but it truly fits her. When she was in charge, she was IN CHARGE. Not only is she a creative and talented mother of three, she is a gorgeous person both inside and out. I hope you will take the time to visit her shop just to learn a little bit more about her.
Brazilian Black Bean Soup is another one of our favorites that I originally found in Cuisine At Home, February 2006. That issue also contains my favorite pot sticker recipe that I will share at a later date. This soup is rich and meaty with just the right of spicy heat. I typically use the canned black beans, but you can cook up a batch from scratch if you prefer.
Brazilian Black Bean Soup
Makes 7 cups
4 strips thick-sliced bacon, diced
8 ounces kielbasa,diced
1 cup onions, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder (I sometimes substitute chipotle chili powder.)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup dry converted white rice
5 cups chicken broth (low-sodium)
3 cups collard greens, stemmed and chopped
1 cup Roma tomatoes, seeded, diced (I sometimes substitute in a can of Rotel chilies and tomatoes.)
orange wedges
sliced serrano chilies
olive oil
8 ounces kielbasa,diced
1 cup onions, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder (I sometimes substitute chipotle chili powder.)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup dry converted white rice
5 cups chicken broth (low-sodium)
3 cups collard greens, stemmed and chopped
1 cup Roma tomatoes, seeded, diced (I sometimes substitute in a can of Rotel chilies and tomatoes.)
orange wedges
sliced serrano chilies
olive oil
Sauté bacon in the soup pot over medium-high heat until crisp; remove and drain on paper towels. Add kielbasa and brown in the bacon drippings; remove, drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings.
Add onions, garlic, chili powder and salt. Sauté until vegetables are soft, about 3 minutes.
Stir in beans and coarsely mash (We prefer ours mostly chunky.). Add rice, cook for one minute, then deglaze with 1 cup of broth, scraping up bits at the bottom of the pot. Add remaining broth along with the bacon and sausage; reduce the heat to medium and simmer until rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
Sauté greens and tomatoes in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat until just wilted; stir into soup and simmer to heat through.
Serve with orange wedges and sliced chilies. I usually stir in the chilies with the soup, but I omit the orange wedges. Instead, I like to squeeze in the juice of one orange to the pot. You can certainly do this to suit your taste. You might even try lime juice for a different kick.
I typically serve this with Mexican Corn Bread Sticks (not everything has to be from scratch!) or Blue Corn Bread Sticks. You might also try Stephen Pyles’ recipe for those because it is delicious as well. If you don’t have a corn stick pan, just make your corn bread as usual in a cast iron skillet. 
I was lucky enough to inherit two of these pans from my grandmother — well-used and well-seasoned.
Note: I adapt this to the crock pot. Typically, I would do most of this the night before and set it to heat while I am at work. After the meat and vegetables are ready, I put them in the crock pot along with the chili powder, salt and chicken broth. I prepare the rice separately or use leftover rice and do not add it until I get home from work. (You can just serve it over the rice if you prefer.) While that is heating, I will sauté the collard greens and tomatoes and then stir them in before serving. I like to let them simmer with the soup about 20 – 30 minutes, but it isn’t absolutely necessary.
Linked to:
Souper Sundays
at Kahakai Kitchen
Menu Plan Monday hosted this week by The Happy Housewife.
Blue Monday with Smiling Sally
Magazine Mondays hosted by Cream Puffs in Venice
You’ll want to check back here and at Tasty Tuesdays at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam , Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays at Blessed with Grace and Tuesdays at the Table hosted by Cole at All the Small Stuff. for the final giveaway announcement. Get those crock pots plugged in!
Oh my yes..I am delighted to join in Crock Pot Wednesday..I have loads of recipes and it’s one of my favorite ways of cooking. I will be here with bells on…well, maybe not bells on, but most certainly with an apron on.
Now, I’m off to try and post about this on my blog, grab the button.. and become a follower. By the by..I really do love your blog and can’t wait to look more. Hugs from Texas…CC
Yum! You got me super hungry. I am cornbread fanatic. I make it from scratch, buy mixes – whatever! Mainly, I just like to eat it! Ha.
The soup looks wonderful and easy to prepare when it is so hot outside! I must participate in Crockpot Wednesdays…just need to get myself organized!
I do plan on joining in as often as I can for crockpot Wednesdays. I love it when I remember to use my crockpot especially during the work week. It makes dinner time so much easier. Looking forward to all of the recipes other bloggers will share.
Hi Debbie,
Your soup looks great. I am sorry it got missed in the Souper Sunday round-up but I just went back and added it. I didn’t realize you were entering a soup this week. Can you email me at debinhawaii@gmail.com by no later noon HST on Sunday when you have posted a soup that you want in the round-up. That way I don’t leave you out. Also if you attach a medium picture to your email, I can make it bigger on my post. I can’t adjust the picture from your site to be any bigger so it is smaller than the others. I mentioned your Wednesday event in the round-up again too. I hope to join in one of these days.
Mahalo,
Deb
Thanks for sharing. Happy Blue Monday.
Hello Debbie,
I noticed you are new Pink Saturday blogger..just wanted to stop by and say “Welcome”.
I hope the PINK bliss follows you through your week. When you have a moment please do drop by for a visit. :0)
Have a great day,
Stephanie
Happy Blue Monday!
Looks very good.
Cindy
Mmmmmm… sounds scrumptious! I am lovin those corn cob pans!
Great menu you’ve got there.
🙂
Howdy
Happy Blue Monday .
Great post.
Love those corn muffin pans.
May you have a wonderful rest of the week.
Hugs
Happy Trails