Name: Spicy Black Bean Soup
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 1/2 cups chopped red onion; 1 4-ounce can diced mild green chilies; 2 garlic cloves, chopped; 1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño chili with seeds; 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 2 15-ounce cans black beans, undrained; 2 cups canned low-salt chicken broth; 8 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro; Sour cream; Tortilla chips

"For me, cooking is a very relaxing and creative process — I just wish I had more time for it," writes Katherine Burk of Seattle, Washington. "I make a point of fixing dinner during the week, but with my hectic schedule (I work in information technology), there are some nights I'm too wiped out to attempt anything more complicated than a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Usually, though, I can put something together — my spicy black bean soup, for example — in under thirty minutes."

A southwestern favorite, simplified: Most of the ingredients are pantry staples.

Recipe notes

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