Bean soup does not have to be boring.  As a matter of fact, it should be warm and inviting, and what’s better than combining two great flavors in a fabulous Bean and Bacon Bits Soup.  If you like a traditional style of soup like Split Pea with Ham, you’re going to love this soup.  You get the texture and flavor of the beans with a nice “shout out” from the smoky bacon that just makes the meal.  I like to fry up my own bacon until it’s nice and crisp and crumble it up to use.  Some folks may prefer using turkey bacon, or bacon bits in a jar.  Whatever you use, be sure you use the smoky style.  Bean and Bacon is a real marriage of flavors.

My drawer full of cheap bean, pea, and lentil recipes gets shuffled through several times a week.  One reason is because I’m always looking to squeeze the most money out of my food budget.  The other reason is because there are so many great recipes to choose from.  If you start cooking with beans, you may find yourself buried up to the elbows in your own recipe pile!