Okay...here's how I made my easy version of black bean soup:
2 cans black beans (drained, but not rinsed)
1 can chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped or minced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
Fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste
1 bay leaf
few shakes Italian seasonings
In a large pot, saute onion, green pepper and garlic in the olive oil until slightly brown and tender. Add broth and scrape up all bits of stuff off bottom of the pan from sauteing. Then add everything else. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. After about a half hour, use a potato masher (that's that funny looking flat thing with the holes that we used to make mashed taters in before Sugar Busters...

) and mash the soup till its a consistency you like.