White bean soup

This soup is perfect for chilly nights and even better the following day for lunch.

White bean soup

1 small bag of white beans

1 head of kale, chopped

1 bulb of garlic

6 slices of bacon

Add beans to large pot and add about 6 cups of water. Boil beans until tender, about 1.5 hours or so. I check to make sure the all the water has not evaporated. I also keep the pot covered to cut down on cook time. 

While beans are boiling, cut the top of the whole garlic head off to expose the indivual pieces. Put on a small piece of foil and pour about 2 tablespoons of Olive oil on it to moisten it. Wrap the foil around the bulb and roast for about 40 minutes at 350. I can usually tell when it's done because you can smell the roasted garlic. Unwrap the foil to make sure it's done. It will be pretty squishy when it's done but not overly brown. When it's cooled a bit, squeeze out all the garlic into a small bowl and break it apart with a fork, it will be like a garlic paste at this point. 

Slice bacon and cook in a skillet. Set aside on a paper towel to dry. Or cook the bacon and crumble it. 

Once the beans are cooked, put the beans and about half the remaining water in a blender(I have a ninja so it can tolerate hot liquids) but if you dont have one that can tolerate liquid, use a food processor. After beans and half the water are blended and smooth, pour the mixture back in the pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add roasted garlic. Add kale and simmer soup for about 20 minutes to soften the kale. Add chopped or crumbled bacon . Sometimes I will make this soup a few days ahead of time so the garlic has a chance tonreqlly soak in. As most soups are, this soup is always better the second day:) and go easy on the salt, because the bacon usually makes it pretty salty. And like the true fat kid at heart that I am, I sometimes add about 1/4 of heavy cream or whole milk at the very end before I serve it.