5 loaves and two fishes?

O.k. Not really. But I did feed 25+ people yesterday with only $15 worth of ingredients. And, since it was a soup, it could have been a meal in itself, although there were other contributions to the meal, both times the soup was served yesterday.

The first group we served the soup to was our missions committee. There were 16 of us because we have the committee members bring their entire family for lunch after church once a month. I guess since Jude really doesn't eat that much, we shouldn't count him, but he ate some soup, so I will.

Then we brought the leftovers to small group where at least another 9-10 people served themselves the soup.

And what is this miraculous soup, you ask? (Or, maybe you don't? Oh, well. I'm tellin' anyway.)
Why, chicken, corn, black bean soup, of course! Once upon a time, I got the recipe somewhere and have tweaked it over time to get it how I like it.

Here's the run down. You can cut the recipe down to suit your needs.
(all cans listed refer to 15oz cans)
8 cans of black beans (rinsed/drained)
4 cans of chicken broth
1 jar (20oz?) of your favorite salsa (I use the Walmart brand Black bean & corn salsa, but the garlic and lime is really good, too)

Mix all in a stock pot, then use an immersion blender to puree it all up. (If you don't have an immersion blender, I guess you could use a regular one, but that's going to be a little more hassle.)

In the mean time, I had browned 2-3 pounds of chicken chunks. Toss that into the mix, as well as 3-4 cans more of black beans (rinsed/drained) and a bag (16 oz) or two of frozen corn. Simmer for a while (until the corn is at the level of tenderness you desire) and voila! It's soup.

Serve with sour cream or grated cheddar cheese. Or, plain if you want. If you like a thicker soup, you can cut back on the chicken broth.

I find this to be a perfect (and quick!) meal for these cold winter days. Now, I think I am going to hit some of the left overs from last night:-)