Navy Bean and Bacon Soup

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                            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks once more to lifetime subscriber Caroline for sharing this classic food funny with us:

An elderly couple with memory problems are advised by their doctor to
write notes to help them remember things. One evening, while watching
TV, the wife asks her husband to get her a bowl of ice cream. "Sure," he says.

"Write it down," she suggests.

"No," he says. "I can remember a simple thing like that."

"I also want strawberries and whipped cream," she says. "Write it down."

"I don't need to write it down," he insists, heading to the kitchen.
Twenty minutes later, he returns, bearing a plate of bacon and scrambled eggs.

"I told you to write it down!" his wife says. "I wanted fried eggs!"

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                            TODAY'S RECIPE
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Here is an easy version of a classic American soup.

Navy Bean and Bacon Soup

1 lb (450 g) dried navy beans
8 cups (2 L) water
1 lb (450 g) bacon, diced
2 large onions, diced
3 ribs celery, diced
8 cups (2 L) chicken, beef, or vegetable stock
1 bay (laurel) leaf
A pinch ground cloves
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 can (15 oz, 425 g) chopped tomatoes with their juice

Combine the beans and water in a large pot and bring to a boil over high
heat. Boil for 10 minutes, cover the pot, remove from the heat, and
allow to sit for 1 hour. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet
until golden brown. Remove all but about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the fat and
add the onions and celery. Saute for about 10 minutes, stirring
frequently. Drain the beans and combine with the stock in a large pot.
Add the bacon mixture, bay leaf, cloves, salt, and pepper and bring to a
boil. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 90 minutes, until the beans
are tender. Stir in the tomatoes with their juice and simmer an additional 30 minutes.
Serves 6 to 8.
Received on Wed Dec 2 19:29:18 2009