Black bean soup has been in the dinner rotation lately. This version is a little more time consuming than my cheater version, but since that one is faster than making a box of mac & cheese, most cooking is. 
When I remember, I like to soak the beans overnight first. This makes them cook faster, allows for certain antinutrients to be destroyed, and means that you can start the whole pot of soup in the crockpot first thing in the morning. Needless to say, I frequently forget.
Black Bean Soup
1 lb dry black beans
3 ripe tomatoes or about 1 14-oz can of diced tomatoes
1 onion
1-2 cloves of garlic
1-2 chipotles en adobo (keep the rest of the can in the fridge for future soups)
Salt & pepper to taste
Depending on how much soup you want, you can use the whole bag of beans, or like I did today, cook them all and then reserve about a quart for other uses (Drew loves black beans in his lunch quesadilla).
Sauté the onion and garlic in the fat of your choice. Combine them with drained beans, tomatoes, and the chipotle peppers. Heat the whole thing up and then purée.
Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, or tortilla chips.
High Speed Black Bean Soup
2 cans black beans (14 oz each)
1 16 oz jar salsa
Drain beans, combine with salsa in a sauce pan. When heated through, purée and serve.
Serves 3.