I’m being super frugal lately. At first, out of necessity. But now it’s also become a source of pride. (A sick pride? Perhaps. But when I’m walking around with a vaguely sticky stain on my right sleeve, I’ll take a little pride wherever I can get it!)  So when I read FoodieTot’s post a couple of weeks ago about Eating Down the Fridge (inspired by Kim O’Donnel’s Eating Down the Fridge Challenge), I realized I wasn’t alone.

There’s something immensely gratifying about taking some foodstuffs you already have, stuff you didn’t buy with a specific dish in mind, stuff that was left over and forgotten (and perhaps about to spoil) in the far reaches of your pantry—and turning it into something special to feed your family. That’s what I did with some dried white beans, fast-fading fresh-ish vegetables, and frozen smoked bacon. This delicious White Bean and Bacon Soup made me feel like I could turn lead into gold. And suddenly the vaguely sticky stain on my shirt didn’t matter anymore.

White Bean and Bacon Soup

(can be served to kids 12+ mos)

1 lb dried organic white beans, soaked overnight and drained

1 lb organic smoked bacon, diced

1 cup organic carrots, diced (about 4 medium carrots)

1 cup organic celery, diced (about 3 medium stalks)

1 cup organic onion, diced (about 1 medium onion)

water

1 large organic potato, cut into cubes

1 organic bay leaf

1 tbsp organic herbes de Provence

Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a cast iron pot or dutch oven, sautee bacon over low-to-medium heat until mostly rendered (that means it has given up its fat). 

2. Scoop out most of the fat while leaving the bacon behind.

3. Add the carrots, celery, and onion and sautee about 5 minutes.

4. Add the drained beans to the pot and add water until beans are covered.

5. Add the potato, the herbes de Provence, and bay leaf. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 2 hours.

6. Using a potato masher, mash the soup a few times directly in the pot. I take aim for the potato especially. This will give your soup a creamy, stew-y texture.

7. Remove bay leaf, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Tips: Pair this with a hunk of bread (the no-knead variety works great) for filling dinner or lunch.