Tonight I sit here writing my blog covered in chili powder, sour cream and lime juice but I am happy. If you have ever cooked with me you would know that I am one dang messy chef...actually that is an understatement...hmmm hot mess...nope lets one up that to full on tornado. If I was a tropical storm I would definitely be upgraded to a hurricane...especially when making soup but hopefully the lessons learned tonight will help me with my future soup endeavors...especially blended soups. When I cook that is exactly what the kitchen looks like and often time whatever I am making also ends up all over me. If I am not covered in flour I did not bake...that is actually how you know I cheated and bought the dessert. If the kitchen sink does not have every dish in the house in it I did not make dinner. So tonight I decided to make Black Bean Tomato Soup with Cilantro Lime Cream from Cooking Light. The recipe sounded easy and I thought I could whip it out no problem. Boy was I wrong but I did learn some valuable lessons that I thought I should share.

1. Chili powder is spicy especially when you put it into a pot with sauteeing onions, celery and garlic and then you put your face into the pot to look at it. For some reason it likes to be inhaled back down your throat, into your eyes and sinus cavity. I still have scratchy chili powder throat as I write this

2. Lime juice likes to squirt up at you...especially if you aren't paying attention and you are pointing the lime at your face instead of the bowl. Yup learned that lesson tonight as well.

3. Sour cream ended up on my shirt...don't know how and also the cookbook. Just be careful I am sure sour cream is sneaky...not user error at all

4. And this is actually a valuable lesson because I have blended soup countless times and sprayed it out the blender like a volcano on several occasions as the steam often pops the top off the blender...last time I covered the entire kitchen counter and cabinets in soup. However, this recipe recommended when you blend the soup you take the center out of the blender lid to let the steam escape....and by golly it worked...no soup volcano. This is a lesson I will take with me.

Pardon me....just sneezed some more chile powder

So this recipe is actually very easy, very flavorful and has a nice spice to it which is not too intense. The cumin gives it a nutty texture and due to the chicken broth it is lightly salted without being overbearing. Since it has just a dollop of sour cream on it the fat content is low and the lime in the sour cream is a nice contrast to the spice of the chili powder and cumin. Here is the recipe:

Black Bean Tomato Soup with Cilantro Lime Cream by Cooking Light

2 bacon slices, chopped ***I cooked them whole and crumbled them after crisp ***
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 tsp ground cumin, divided
1/2 tsp chipotle chile powder ***watch your throat ***
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp ground blk pepper
1-15oz can blk beans drained and rinsed
1-14.5 oz can diced tomatoes undrained
1-14 oz can chicken broth
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 T minced fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp grated lime rind
1 T fresh lime juice

1. Cook bacon in a large saucepan over med heat until crisp. Remove bacon and reserve 1 tsp of bacon drippings in pan. Set aside bacon. Add onion and celery to pan and cook 5 min. ***I found it cooked way faster *** Stir in 3/4 tsp cumin, chile powder and garlic and cook 1 min. Stir in bacon, pepper, blk beans, tomatoes and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 min.
Place half of bean mixture in blender and process until smooth. Repeat with the rest of the soup.
2. Combine sour cream, remaining 1/4 tsp cumin, cilantro, lime rind and lime.  Serve the soup with a dollop of sour cream on it.

Have a good night all...think I better hit the shower
By the way thanks for all the feedback on the wok article...damn there are a lot of wok owners...and a lot of people really did get them for wedding presents. Um when did woks become the trendy wedding gift?