More than 15 years ago, one of our local Detroit newspaper's food section ran a piece on an easy to make, chili-like soup called Hummingbird Bean Soup. I saved the clipping, tried out the recipe, and Hummingbird Bean Soup has been a household favorite ever since. The recipe originates from a cookbook titled "Truly Unusual Soups" by Lu Lockwood. Never fear, dear reader, for although the soup is filled with plenty of kidney beans, not a single hummingbird is harmed in the making of this delicious soup. This bean soup utilizes canned beans, which are a wise choice if you are watching your cholesterol levels as beans are particularly high in the gummy, gooey, spongy type of fiber that soaks up nasty cholesterol. Rinsing the beans in a colander before using removes much of the sodium on them. In addition, mashed or pureed beans are used as a thickener for this soup, as opposed to flour or cornstarch. You can puree the beans in a food processor if you wish, but I have found it just as easy to mash them with a sturdy fork on a large plate before adding them to the soup.

1 lb. ground beef

Half of a medium onion, sliced

1 tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. allspice

¼ tsp. black pepper

4 cups beef broth (I simply use four beef bouillon cubes and boiling water)

2 15-oz. cans dark red kidney beans, separated; reserve 2/3 of a can for mashing

Shredded cheddar cheese for garnish

First, drain one and one-third cans of beans in a colander and rinse. Set aside.

Brown ground beef with onion and drain off grease. Add chili powder, allspice and black pepper and stir and cook for one minute. Combine meat, beef broth, and rinsed beans in large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile drain and rinse remaining beans and either mash or puree, then add to simmering soup and stir well with a fork or whisk. Simmer for 20 minutes. Garnish each bowl with a generous handful of shredded cheddar, add some corn bread or Italian rolls and dinner is served. Makes about six servings.