Bean Soup

Bean Soup
--Access Atlanta

Hands on time: 20 minutes
Total time: 3 hours and 45 minutes
Serves: 20
Ingredients:

2 pounds mixed dried beans
1 bay leaf
1 quart (32 ounces) vegetable, beef or chicken broth
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 to 2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen mixed vegetables
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning or chili powder
2 teaspoons original flavor Mrs. Dash
3 tablespoons dried onion
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch garlic powder
Salt or Jane's Krazy Mixed Up Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Instructions:

Pick through beans and remove any debris before soaking. In a soup pot, cover the beans with 2 inches water. Soak overnight, pouring off water and replacing with fresh at least once.

Before cooking, pour off water and replace with fresh. Add the bay leaf and simmer the beans at least 3 hours, until tender but not mushy. Add the broth, tomatoes, vinegar and Tabasco sauce and simmer for 15 minutes. Add additional water if soup is too thick. Add the vegetables, Cajun seasoning, Mrs. Dash seasoning, dried onion, allspice and cumin. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook 15 minutes, or until vegetables are done.