Last night's dinner: Black Bean Soup

So I got this recipe from hillbillyhousewife.com (http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/blackbeansoup2.htm). I've been trying alot of things from there lately. It's a great site with all kinds of tips and recipes, I love it!
Anyway once again I was out of carrots and celery so I altered it a bit. My altercations will be listed at the bottom of the recipe. Maybe tonight I will run to the grocery store!

BLACK BEAN SOUP FROM DRIED BEANS

1 pound dry black beans
3 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 to 6 carrots, sliced
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
6 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

This recipe is not hard, but it does take a little bit of time for the beans to cook. In a large pot, soak the beans in 2 quarts of cold water overnight, or in 2 quarts of boiling water for an hour or two. After soaking, or the next day, drain the beans and cover them with fresh water. Bring the beans to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat. You want the beans to simmer gently for most of the cooking process. Cover the pot and simmer the beans for an hour. Add more water if needed, to keep the beans covered.

Taste the beans after an hour and see if they are tender. If they are, then you can add the vegetables now; if not, then let them cook another 30 minutes and try again. When the beans are perfectly tender add the vegetable oil, chopped vegetables and seasonings. Taste and add salt if you think it needs it. Put the lid back on the pot and simmer the soup for another 30 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. The soup will be rich and dark with vibrant colors from the vegetables peaking through. When everything is tender, it's ready to serve.

Some people mash the beans a little bit to thicken the soup. You may do this or not as you like. I like it with dollops of yogurt on top, but it is also good with a few boiled egg slices decorating the top. Makes 8 to 10 servings

NOTES:
I left out the carrots and celery and replaced them with a can of corn. We usually don't do canned stuff unless I know who canned it but that is all we had. I also replaced the vegetable oil for extra virgin olive oil and put somewhere between 1 tsp to 1 tbsp of dried parsley flakes in it. I didn't try it with the yougart or the eggs and I didn't smash it up either, but it turned out great anyway! Unfortuately I didn't get a pic of it, but it did make for some great lunch the next day!

MY RATING: 5 black beans out of 5 black beans!