It is winter in upstate NY and I am in soup making mode.  Number one, I have more mouths to feed during college breaks.  Number two, nothing warms the body and the soul like homemade soup.  Number three, I love to make soup.

I cannot take full credit for the recipe below.  I swear I saw one similar to it somewhere, meant to be made in a slow cooker.  I should see if I emailed it to any of my kids who are big on using their slow cookers.  This is the way I made Three Bean Soup on January 1, 2009.

Three Bean Soup

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, sliced thin

2 bay leaves

5 cups vegetable broth (mine was made a week prior)

1 can (approx 15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (approx 15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (approx 15 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups pre-cooked (according to packaging directions) brown basmati rice

2 tablespoons tumeric

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Coat bottom of dutch oven or stock pot (depending on what you have on hand to make soup in) with olive oil.  Place onion in and sauté until translucent.  Pour in broth and add bay leaves.  As liquid and onion are heating, open and drain the three cans of beans.  Add beans to pot.  Stir to combine.  Add turmeric to pot.  Stir.  Bring soup to boil and turn back heat to simmer.  Remove bay leaves, or leave in and be sure to not serve in a bowl of soup.  Before removing from heat to serve, add rice.  Let simmer so rice heats up.  Taste soup and season with salt and pepper.  Serve with a hearty bread.