White Bean and Ham Soup

White Bean and Ham Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb of white beans, Cannellini or Great Northern, about 2 1/2 cups
2 quarts water
3 to 4 lbs of smoked ham hocks or shanks
2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence, or Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup of diced onions (about 1 small onion)
1 cup chopped celery (about 2 to 3 ribs)
2/3 cup chopped carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
Tabasco sauce
Fresh parsley

Directions:

Soak the dry beans in hot water.  Fill a pot large enough to hold the beans with water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the beans and soak the beans for about 2 hours. Drain the water.

Make the ham broth.  While the beans are soaking, put the ham shanks or ham hocks in a separate large pot and cover them with 2 quarts of water.  Add the herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning.  Heat on high heat until the water comes to a simmer, then lower the heat, partially cover and maintain the simmer for about 1 hour or 1 1/2 hours. Add water if needed.

Saute the onions.  Heat olive oil in a small saute pan on medium high heat.  Add the chopped onions and cook until translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes.  Add the minced garlic and cook a minute more.

Add vegetables and beans to the ham broth.  Once the ham hocks or shanks have been simmering for an hour, add the drained soaked beans, the onions, garlic, and the chopped celery and carrots.  Cook for another 40  minutes or so, uncovered, until the vegetables are soft and the ham meat easily pulls away from the bone.  Remove the ham bones from the soup and pull off any meat and return it to the soup.  Discard the bones.

Season to taste.  Add several drops of Tabasco to taste.

Serve with a pinch of chopped fresh parsley.

Serves 8

Sausage and Kale Soup

Sausage and Kale Soup
Recipe by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
5 waxy potatoes (1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
3 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 bunch kale (12 ounces), stemmed and shredded
12 ounces smoked chicken sausage, cut into 1/2-inch half moons.

Directions:

In a large pot (6 to 8 quarts), heat oil over medium.  Add onion and cook until soft, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and red-pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, 1 minute.  Add potatoes and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

In a blender, puree half the soup.  Return to pot; add kale and sausage.  Simmer until kale is wilted, 10 to 15 minutes.

Spicy Slow-Cooker Chili

Spicy Slow-Cooker Chili

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup chopped celery
2 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans
1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons chipotle powder

Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Chopped cilantro
Sliced green onions


Directions:

In a large skillet, saute the chopped onions, minced garlic and chopped celery.  Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink.

While the ground beef is browning, add the remaining ingredients into the slow-cooker.

Add the ground beef, sauteed onions, celery and garlic to slow-cooker and stir well.

Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

If needed, add additional liquid.

Serve chili with shredded cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, chopped cilantro and sliced green onions.

6  to 8 servings.

Look for a dried Chile chipotle, if you have problems finding chipotle powder.  Chop the Chile.

New Orleans Red Beans and Rice

New Orleans Red Beans and Rice

This is one of those meals that you should make the day before, because it tastes even better the next day. Reheat the red beans in the stock pot while the rice is cooking. Don't forget the hot sauce!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon shortening
2 white onions, chopped
3 to 4 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 green bell peppers, chopped
4 to 5 celery stalks, chopped

8 cups water
1 pound dried red beans
1 smoked ham hock
1 pound smoked sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
Hot pepper sauce to taste

6 cups cooked white rice

Directions:

Rinse the red beans.

Melt the shortening in a large stock pot over medium heat.

Once the shortening has melted, add the chopped onion, minced garlic, chopped bell pepper and chopped celery.  Saute for 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the water, dried red beans, ham hock, and sausage.  Bring to a boil.

Stir in the bay leaves, Cajun seasoning, thyme, sage, and hot sauce.

Reduce heat to low, and place cover on pot. Simmer for 5 hours.

Remove ham hock bones and bay leaves. Serve over rice.

Serves 6

Have you ever tried red bean and rice soup?  If not, here's the recipe. It's delicious!
http://crowdedkitchen509.blogspot.com/2014/01/red-bean-and-rice-soup.html

Red Beans and Rice Soup