Ingredients
Black beans
Pinto Beans
Great Northern Beans
1/2 cup of each
White or Brown rice
Lentils, any color
Barley
1/4 cup of each
1/2 tsp garlic powder or 1 garlic clove chopped fine
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
6 potatoes, each chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 whole sweet onion diced
1/2 to 1 tsp of salt when soup is ready to eat
Add more seasoning to taste
Preparation
Soak beans in hot water for 30 minutes, drain, transfer to large pot filled to 2" below rim with warm water on stovetop. Add onions, garlic, pepper, rice, barley and lentils. Turn heat to boiling, watch carefully and stir often for first 1/2 hour. Reduce heat to a light boil, stir every hour, add water when needed. After 4 hrs, add potatoes, cook another 1 hour, add salt, cook another 1 hour. Taste soup and check to see if all ingredients are tender. If not, simmer until perfectly ready to eat. (If you have to leave for a while, just turn down to simmer and cover I have done this for up to four hours, just filled up the water before I left). Check water thoughout cooking to make sure beans, etc., do not dry out. Stir periodically thoughout cooking. When soup is ready, you should have a dark brown creamy broth that is very tasty. Serve with crackers and/or bread of your choice with a fresh garden salad or fruit on the side.
