Black Bean Soup

2 tablespoons Olive oil or canola oil

1 onion, diced

2-3 celery stalks, diced

2 carrots, diced

3-4 slices deli ham, diced

¼ cup diced roasted red pepper or 1 small jar diced pimento

1-2 cloves garlic, grated

2-3 teaspoons ground cumin

½ teaspoon celery salt

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 -1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 each teaspoon black & white pepper

3 - 15 ounce cans black beans, undrained

1 – 15 ounce can black beans, mashed or blended with a hand blender

1 -15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes

15 ounces canned or fresh chicken stock or broth

 

Heat oil in a large soup pan, add onions, celery, carrots, ham, and red pepper cooking until tender but not brown. Add garlic and cook for one more minute.  Add all other ingredients to the pan, bring soup to a boil and then turn down the heat and simmer the soup for 2-3 hours.  You can puree all the soup if you desire, I do not puree this soup.  Serve the soup with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt.