Thrift Finds and Cuban Soup

You're in for a treat today!   You get to see my new thrift finds and get a great phenomenal recipe for Cuban bean soup.  First, the thrift goodies.  With full intentions, not like my last trip, I went looking for something interesting.   I found a Christmas angel, not shown, with a porcelain face and hands.  She'd lost her wings, which I hadn't noticed, so the Chicks' dubbed her a fallen angel.

My favorite-st finds were this platter and plate stand.   The plate stand was cream with gold glaze, which promptly got a dose of ORB.   The rooster napkin ring from the set (above) also got a shot of ORB, but it didn't get dry enough for the photo shoot.

The platter reads that it's made in Ireland, which might explain its perfect shade of yellowy-green and the interesting design around the edge.

I think the plate holder resembles a claddagh, too.  (I passed up two ironstone platters in favor of these items!)

Since the platter reads "Today's Special Cuban soup," I'd better share the recipe with you.

I know lots and lots of you will already be familiar with this recipe, but being from the Midwest (MI), I had never had it till we moved to FL.  My local grocery store recently stopped carrying fresh Chorizo, so I purchased smoked.  I prefer the fresh, but this batch still came out beautifully.

I usually include the recipes in my posts, but this one is a little lengthy, so I'll link you to Garbanzo Bean Soup - Cuban Style.  Notes:  I do not add Ac'cent flavor enhancer.  I also want to remind you when you are pureeing the beans use a butter knife while putting hot beans in your blender to diffuse the heat (I cracked my blender the 1st time I made this because I thought it was Pyrex-type glass).  Remove knife before blending, of course!  I generally make this with dried garbanzo beans, but have made it with canned.  I serve it with Cuban bread.

Buen apetito!

I'm showing off here: