Bean Soup and Potato Latkes

So this is kind of a two part post.  One for Bean Soup with Peppers; and one for Potato Latkes.  I paired them up at the end of the day for a great fall dinner.

I love making beans in the slow cooker, using dried beans because they are soooo much better.  But I have to plan ahead and sometimes that doesn't happen, but when it does, man, is it tasty.

So here is my thought process at 9pm one night this week:
I want potato latkes...
I should make enough to freeze so I can have them later too...
What should we eat with it?
Oh, I am picturing soupy, peppery homemade beans with apple sauce on the side, (feeling giddy about this idea)...
I'll make it tomorrow....

Keep in mind that I make more than we could possibly eat and then we will eat leftovers or freeze it for later.  So this soup recipe could be halved if you don't like leftovers.

Bean Soup:
The night before....
* Soak 1 lb dried beans in 6-8 cups of water over night in the slow cooker pot.  The package usually has soaking directions, use those.  I used half kidney, half garbanzo
* Cut peppers into bite size pieces: 4 bell peppers, 1 poblano and 3 jalapeno peppers for heat.  If you don't like the heat just use 6 bell peppers.

In the morning...

Add peppers to beans and season with:
1 Tbs oregano
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
Add water until it is even with peppers

Cook on low x 8 hours.  Go to work.  Come home and eat when ready...SO GREAT!

So, we ate this with potato latkes and it was pretty yummy.  I made a ton of them to freeze so it took me a while but you could easily make less in about a 1/2 hour.   Here is the recipe I used and I made 40 latkes.

Ingredients:
3 lbs. assorted potatoes, coarsely shredded   (grown at the farm)
2 small sweet potatoes, coarsely shredded    (grown at the farm)
1 bell pepper, coarsely shredded                   (grown at the farm)
2 onions, coarsely shredded                      
4 eggs, beaten
4 1/2 Tbs flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
1 Tbs veggie oil
1 cup fresh applesauce
** add any veggies you like.

Shred veggies, place them on a towel and soak up the extra liquid.  Place in a large bowl and add remaining ingredients.  Stir until well mixed.

Heat oil in pan or griddle, place about 1/4-1/3 cup of potato mix on pan or griddle and flatten.  Cook 4-6 min per side until browned and cooked through.  Enjoy with applesauce and, if you like, a little sour cream.

Remember that I made 40 of these?  Well to freeze them I put them on a cookie sheet to freeze them individually then moved them to a freezer bag by Glad.  Labeled the bag and will enjoy them for the next couple months.  To reheat: heat oven to 350 degrees and cook defrosted latkes 15-20 minutes.  This keeps them crunchy.  Or just toss them in the toaster and enjoy!