Lenten Soup Suppers

Last week we tried the black bean soup from Twelve Months of Monastery Soups. It was pretty good, but I make a much better one from a recipe from the folks at America's Test Kitchen that uses a ham steak for flavoring. I guess meat makes everything taste better. Still, everyone ate it with no complaint and it was perfect as a Lenten meal. I also made one of the cornbread recipes from Secrets of Jesuit Breadmaking. The cornbread was fantastic, and I'll absolutely make that recipe in the future.

Tonight we are revisiting the Red Beans and Rice soup we had the first week of Lent. I am going to boost the amount of beans and reduce the amount of rice this time around and see if we like that better. I'm also making a new bread recipe, but this one is from the latest Cooks Illustrated Magazine. Ciabatta is one of my very favorite types of bread, with it's big airy , yet chewy interior and thin, crisp outer crust it's perfect for dipping in a little herbed olive oil. I had to make a biga last night before heading to bed, so this bread definitely requires a bit of forethought. I'll let you know how it all turns out in my post next week. Pax Christi.

Oh yeah, GO 'HEELS!