Through the years I have shared quite a number of crockpot recipes with you on this blog. The crockpot is one of my favorite pieces of kitchen equipment, and my family and I have a long history of looking forward to the recipes that come out of it. I even gave each of my children a going-away present when they left for college: a crockpot of their own, a simple recipe, a large package of dry beans, and a few small spice packets to allow them to fill their crockpot to feed themselves and friends whenever they chose. 

Today I thought I’d repost one particular recipe that I especially like when the weather is getting cold. If you feel like you could go for a large bowl of nourishing soup that will warm you from the inside out, I recommend that you give this recipe a try. Also, there’s something about all the red ingredients — the beans, lentils, tomatoes, and paprika — that contribute further to the heat that bowl of soup is going to provide.

A few words about this recipe: After the beans have softened and the soup is done, I recommend that you turn off the crockpot and leave it to cool for a couple of hours. This is so you don’t burn yourself inadvertently while trying to fill the jars. Then, once the soup has cooled somewhat, you’ll be able to fill a bunch of Ball jars without having to worry about the ladle catching on the edge of the jar and spilling its contents down your hand. Close the jars tight, and put them in the refrigerator. Or you can fill a jar halfway, place it in the freezer leaning against a frozen package (so the surface of the liquid is diagonal in the jar), and freeze it for another time. 

This recipe will provide you with lunches and dinners for days to come. If you get tired of it, give some away or freeze the rest. In a few weeks you’ll be very glad when you find it in the freezer. Easy-peasy, delicious, and filling.

2 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 c. red kidney beans, dry
1/2 c. red lentils, dry
2 large potatoes, scrubbed and diced 3/4-inch
2 medium yellow onions, peeled and chopped coarsely
4 large tomatoes, washed and diced 3/4-inch
6-8 collard greens, rinsed, ribbed, rolled and sliced into 1/4-inch ribbons
1 small-medium jalapeño pepper, sliced in half, seeded, sliced thinly
6 cloves of garlic, peeled but otherwise left whole
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. red paprika
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. coarse black pepper

Splash the olive oil into the bottom of the crockpot, and sprinkle in the salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes, potatoes, onions, beans, lentils, garlic, and jalapeño pepper. Fill crockpot 1/2 way with water, add bay leaves, and set to high heat. Allow to cook 2-3 hours, and stir in the collard greens. Turn down heat to low, and cook 2 hours more until beans are quite soft. Check the crockpot once or twice while cooking, and add water, if necessary, to keep all the vegetables and beans submerged. Once the soup is sufficiently cool, remove the bay leaves and refrigerate. You can store the soup covered in a pitcher (to take up less shelf space), or in 2-cup or 4-cup Ball jars.

Eat it with plenty of hot sauce, red of course.