(Layered bean soup mix in canning jars makes a great gift and is also quite handy to keep stocked in your own kitchen. If you are giving as a gift, do not forget to attach the cooking instructions. This will make enough for 4 jars or 4 pots of soup of 8 servings each.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups dry onion flakes
- 6 cups dried small red beans
- 2-2/3 cups dried lentils
- 1-1/2 cups dried white navy beans
- 1-1/2 cups dried yellow split peas
- 4 cups uncooked brown rice
- 1/4 cup dried crushed basil leaves
- 4 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 4 bay leaves
Preparation:
Place dry onion flakes in a dry nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and toast, stirring constantly, until toasted and golden. Watch carefully and do not let them burn. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.
Line up 4 decorative 1-quart canning jars. Into each jar, layer dried beans in the following order: 1/2 cup red beans, 1/3 cup lentils, 1/3 cup split peas, 1/2 cup red beans, 1/3 cup lentils, 1/3 cup navy beans, and finishing with 1/2 cup red beans.
Divide brown rice into 4 additional zip-top bags, 1 cup in each bag. Squeeze out the air and seal. Place 1 bag of rice on top of the beans in each jar.
Line up 4 small bowls. Measure 1/2 cup toasted onion, 1 tablespoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1 bay leaf in each bowl. Pour each bowl into a small zip-top bag, so you have 4 packets of seasonings. Squeeze out the air and seal. Place 1 bag of seasoning on top of the seasoning packet in each jar.
Tightly seal jars with canning lids. If the jars seem too full to seal with the lids, tap gently on the counter-top to compact the contents. Attach a cooking instruction card (below) with each bean soup mix jar if giving as a gift.
Yield: 4 soup mixes
Rinse beans and place in a large stockpot with 9 cups of water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 30 minutes. (Alternatively, you may soak the beans overnight.) Drain beans and return to the stockpot. Add brown rice, 12 cups of chicken or vegetable stock, and the seasonings. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 1 hour until beans and rice are tender. Garnish individual servings with chopped chives.
Yield: 8 servings per soup mix jar
Line up 4 decorative 1-quart canning jars. Into each jar, layer dried beans in the following order: 1/2 cup red beans, 1/3 cup lentils, 1/3 cup split peas, 1/2 cup red beans, 1/3 cup lentils, 1/3 cup navy beans, and finishing with 1/2 cup red beans.
Divide brown rice into 4 additional zip-top bags, 1 cup in each bag. Squeeze out the air and seal. Place 1 bag of rice on top of the beans in each jar.
Line up 4 small bowls. Measure 1/2 cup toasted onion, 1 tablespoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1 bay leaf in each bowl. Pour each bowl into a small zip-top bag, so you have 4 packets of seasonings. Squeeze out the air and seal. Place 1 bag of seasoning on top of the seasoning packet in each jar.
Tightly seal jars with canning lids. If the jars seem too full to seal with the lids, tap gently on the counter-top to compact the contents. Attach a cooking instruction card (below) with each bean soup mix jar if giving as a gift.
Yield: 4 soup mixes
Cooking Instructions for Bean Soup Mix
Remove seasoning mix and rice packets from the jar and set aside.Rinse beans and place in a large stockpot with 9 cups of water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 30 minutes. (Alternatively, you may soak the beans overnight.) Drain beans and return to the stockpot. Add brown rice, 12 cups of chicken or vegetable stock, and the seasonings. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 1 hour until beans and rice are tender. Garnish individual servings with chopped chives.
Yield: 8 servings per soup mix jar
