Simple and Delicious Tuscan Bean Stew (and brining beans)

Brining: To have tender skins and not mushy beans - can help very old storage beans! (from Cooks Illustrated)
put1 lb beans in 4 quarts room-temperature water with 3 Tablespoons salt, soak 8-24 hours (long is good if the beans are old - even 36 hours won't hurt them). Rinse well and cook gently in your oven, for tender yet not mushy beans that keep their shape, as below (about 1 1/2 hours at 250 if already simmering when put in)

For Tuscan Bean Stew: (adjust ingredients to taste or with what you have on hand)
Heat oven to 250 degrees with rack down low enough to fit your soup pot
If you have a bit of bacon (maybe three slices) or pancetta, or a bit of good sausage, chop and brown it to render fat, (or pull a bit of bacon fat you saved in the freezer from making corn chowder) then add:
a bit of olive oil if needed
large chopped onion
chopped celery (2 stalks)  and
thin sliced carrots (3) and
cook til soft.
Add up to 8 peeled and crushed cloves of garlic - (or spoonful of store-bought minced garlic in jar) and cook another minute.
Add 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth and
3 cups water,
2 bay leaves, and
1 lb. previously brine-soaked, rinsed white beans.
Bring to simmer over high heat then cover and put in oven. Cook an hour then add :
a can of petite diced tomatoes and
your choice of greens (1 bunch kale or collard greens or spinach, chopped, or a bag of coleslaw cabbage, etc.) and
return to oven for about 45 minutes. Remove bay leaves, (you can mush some of the beans to make it thicker if you like).
I like to add Pensey's Foxpoint seasoning or "Nature's Seasons" or "Mrs. Dash".
Good served over thick toasted slices of country bread.

hot day yummy, grilled peppers and beans with guacamole

Use "sandwich thins" or better yet, make your own, when you bake your whole wheat bread, take one loaf's worth and make 8 thins -- (or 6 gourmet hamburger buns, by the way)

I use beans I've already fixed for beans & rice or black bean soup,
simmer it down til thick and mushy. (You could do the same with Bush's "Black Bean Fiesta" if you prefer a shortcut.)
Grill or saute sliced red and green peppers and sliced onion till crisp-tender.
Spread bean stuff on the bottom of the sandwich thin, add a big spoonful of onion and peppers, spread a fairly thin layer of guac on the inside of the top and viola! Delicious and attractive dinner - pretty filling, but figure two per person. Great alongside a pile of fresh corn on the cob from the Farmers' Market :)

Black Bean Soup, Black Beans and Rice, or Black Bean Sandwich Filling
Beans - soak rinsed and sorted black beans in salty water overnight, rinse and drain. (yes of course you can use canned)
Saute chopped onion till starting to turn golden then add celery, grated carrot (optional) and cook a little longer, add beans and some vegetable broth and shredded cabbage if desired,  a can of diced tomatoes with green chilis if you like them, or petite diced tomatoes.
Simmer about an hour or until beans are tender, adding favorite Mexican seasonings every once in a while. (cilantro, cumin, ancho pepper, fajita seasoning, etc.)
If you have enough broth, its soup; if its thick, its just right to serve over rice. A little cheese or broken bits of tortilla chips on top never get complaints.
Black Bean Tortilla Soup
For a great "tortilla soup" add a couple of broken up corn tortillas to dissolve in and thicken it. For the ultimate experience serve with some tortilla chip bits or strips, dollop of sour cream, and bit of shredded cheese on top and a big crisp green salad on the side.