Sausage, Kale, and Bean Soup

I know.  How many soups can I post with kale and beans?  Well, they are all a bit different and yummy, so why not?  And this one is super easy and basic.  I don't have my own picture so here's one from the website:

Photography: Randy Mayor; Styling: Katie Stoddard

Ingredients

• 4 ounces Cajun smoked sausage, chopped (such as Conecuh)
• 3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

• 6 cups coarsely chopped kale (about 8 ounces)
• 1 (16-ounce) can navy beans, drained and rinsed 

Preparation

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add smoked sausage to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken broth and diced tomatoes; bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the kale. Reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes or until the kale is tender. Stir in beans, and cook 1 minute or until soup is thoroughly heated.

- Sarah

Recipe from: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/sausage-kale-bean-soup-10000000554709/

Vegetarian Kale Soup

So...this weekend I needed to fix a nourishing meal that me and the hubs could enjoy.  Sweet boy would enjoy it too, I'm sure, but he's still nursing, so breast milk is as good as it gets these days!  Anyhow, me and Jay needed something warm and comforting and filling but not too heavy.  I searched around and found this - Vegetarian Kale Soup!  Yummers!!!  I whipped up a batch and it was delish!  In fact, I just finished it off for lunch today.  This is a tasty soup, so get your taste buds ready!  All the credit goes to allrecipes.com!  I don't have a picture of the food to accompany this post so I'll just post a pic of my little sweet boy instead. :-)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves

chopped

8 cups water

6 cubes vegetable bouillon (such as

Knorr)

1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes

6 white potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans

(drained if desired)

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

2 tablespoons dried parsley (I only used 1 tablespoon though)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot; cook the onion and garlic until soft. Stir in the kale and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the water, vegetable bouillon, tomatoes, potatoes, beans, Italian seasoning, and parsley. Simmer soup on medium heat for 25 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy with a piece of cheese toast and a tall glass of milk!
~Priscilla

Baked Potato Soup

...with a side of Jeffrey!

Ingredients

• 3 bacon strips, diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup half-and-half cream
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• Shredded Cheddar cheese
• Minced fresh parsley

Directions

In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Set bacon aside. Saute onion and garlic in the drippings until tender. Stir in flour, salt, basil and pepper; mix well. Gradually add broth. Bring to boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, cream and hot pepper sauce; heat through but do not boil. Garnish with bacon, cheese and parsley.

*Recipe from www.allrecipes.com          

-Sarah

Not really fancy, but really good.

Comfort foods were calling my name this weekend.

For starters...corn on the cob.  Just steamed in water, drizzled with butter and sprinkled with parmesean cheese.

Homemade split-pea soup - compliments of Jay's mom.

Grilled cracked pepper mill turkey with Vermont cheddar cheese sandwich.

And for you sandwich dippers out there...this is the best.

Split pea soup recipe to come later.

Love ya ladies,

Priscilla

White Bean and Kale Soup

Ingredients:

1 onion diced

2 carrot, diced

2 ribs of celery diced

1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic minced

½ teaspoon dried ground rosemary

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

½ teaspoon white pepper

1 cup white beans, soaked (or canned)*

5 cups water

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ pound kale stems and center ribs discarded and leaves chopped into bite size pieces

¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions

1. Dice onion, carrot and celery into even ½ inch pieces.
2. In a medium pot, heat oil than the onion, carrot and celery and sauté vegetables for 4- -6 min till onions are translucent.
3. Add fresh garlic and dried herbs and sauté 1 min more
4. Add beans, salt, pepper, bay leaf and 5 cups of water
5. Cover the pot and bring up to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 50-60 min till beans are tender. *If using canned beans reduce cooking time to 20 min.
6. Add ½-1 cup more water till desired consistency.
7. Add kale and simmer stirring occasionally till kale is tender 10-12 min
8. Serve soup garnished with freshly grated parmesan cheese. (optional)

*Recipe from: http://www.examiner.com/healthy-food-in-boston/hearty-white-bean-and-kale-soup-recipe

- Sarah

Veggie Chili

Full of fiber, full of flavor.

Ingredients

3 cups water

1/2 cup Bulgur wheat

2 t. olive oil

1/2 cup red pepper, chopped

1 T. chili powder

1 t. minced garlic

1 t. ground cumin

2 cups water

1 cup crushed tomatoes

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 medium zucchini, diced

1/2 cup frozen corn

1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

cheddar cheese for garnish

sour cream for garnish

Preparation

1. Put 3 cups water and bulgur in a medium microwave-save bowl. Cover and microwave on high until bulgur is tender, about 13 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pot. Add onion and pepper; saute 5 minutes.

3. Add chili powder, garlic and cumin; saute until fragrant.

4. Add remaining 2 cups water, the tomatoes, pumpkin, zucchini and corn; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

5. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.

6. Stir in beans and bulgur; heat through.

7. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

For me, chili is always better with cheese, so I always add a healthy portion of cheddar to my bowl. Some people also like a little sour cream. And you can have crackers or fresh bread with it as well. It's really delicious and healthy.

*Recipe from www.egglesscooking.com

-Sarah

Cannellini Bean Soup

My mom has been making this soup for years and it has got to be one of my all time favorites. It might just look like a bunch of beans, but it has so much flavor!

Ingredients

6 oz pancetta, one 1-inch-thick slice, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 T olive oil, plus extra for serving

1 small onion, diced medium

3 medium garlic cloves, minced

salt and ground pepper

4 cans (15.5 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 sprig fresh rosemary

balsamic vinegar, for serving

fresh sliced bread (see below for specifics)

Preparation

1. In large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, cook pancetta over medium heat until just golden, 8-10 minutes; discard pancetta and add oil to pot with pancetta fat.

2. Add onion and cook , stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5-6 minutes; stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Add beans, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 3 1/2 cups water. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer.

4. Submerge rosemary in liquid; cover and let stand off heat 15-20 minutes.

5. Discard rosemary and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

6. To serve, lay a piece of bread in the bottom of the bowl and ladle soup on top of bread. Drizzle soup with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (how much is up to you).

About the bread: this is an Italian soup, so I like to get a sliced Italian bread. The bread I got was called Tuscan boule. See picture below for an idea of the type of bread. And don't leave it out, it makes the soup too good!

*This recipe comes from Cooks Illustrated

-Sarah

Corn Butternut Squash Soup

I realized that my last two posts are about soups, so I figured I shouldn’t stop at 2! Fall is one of my favorite times of the year because of soups…it truly can’t be beat on a chilly Fall day. Especially delicious are pumpkin and butternut squash soups fit for the season. I tried a new combination this week: butternut squash and corn and I was surprisingly very pleased. The batch made plenty for Michael and I at dinner, as well as soup for me throughout the week and two servings in the freezer!

Priscilla gave me a brilliant idea to store soups: Freeze them in individual sandwich bags so when it is time for just one serving, defrost the sandwich-bag size and voila!

I hope you like it!


Corn and Butternut Squash Soup

2 tbsp oil
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks (the squash can be tough, so be careful with the knife!)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 box (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 ½ tsp curry (I didn’t have curry, so did combo of tamarind, ginger and chili powder)
salt & pepper
2 cans vegetable broth
¼ - ½ cream OR milk

In a large heavy stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat; add squash and onion. Cook until onion is soft, about 5-6 minutes. Add spices and cook another 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add broth and simmer until squash is tender, about 25-30 minutes. In a blender with the small top off and a towel over the lid, blend the soup in batches until smooth. Return to pot and stir in cream/milk; heat through over medium-low heat.

Enjoy!
Lynn

Chicken Noodle Soup

As you guys know, I had a little stomach bug on Sunday. When I finally got home from Asheville on Monday, I decided I wanted a hearty homeade Chicken Noodle soup to get my system back on track. I was very pleased with the results! Great for this cool, fall weather or whenever you are sick!




Chicken Noodle Soup

1/2 c chopped onions
1/2 c sliced carrots
1/2 c chopped celery
1-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp butter or olive oil
4.5 cups of vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup of cooked rotisserie chicken
handful chopped basil (fresh is best, but can use 1 tsp dried basil)
handful chopped oregano (fresh is best, but can use 1 tsp dried oregano)
1 1/2 cups egg noodles or farfalle pasta


In a large pot on medium heat, cook onions, carrots, celery and garlic with the butter or olive oil. Stir in the chicken, broth, basil, oregano and salt & pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to package. Drain and add noodles to chicken and veggie mix. Simmer for another 10 minutes.

Classic Sausage Gumbo

When I lived in Charlotte with my friend Katie Jo Smith, she would make soups or stews every Sunday afternoon for the upcoming week's worth of lunches (and even freeze some, too!). This gumbo was a recipe she used, and it is very hearty!

I forgot to take a picture, but it makes about 6-8 servings.


Classic Sausage Gumbo

1/3 c flour
1/4 c oil
1 med onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
8-10 oz smoked turkey sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 14 oz cans reduced sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 cup frozen okra
1 tsp file powder (I used some Tumeric and Paprika)
3 cup hot cooked rice


In a saucepan or 4-qt dutch oven, combine flour and oil until smooth. Cook over medium high heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to med. low, cook 15 minutes or until roux is dark reddish brown.

Stir in onion, celery, green pepper and garlic. Cook over med. heat for 3-5 minutes or just until veggies are crisp tender.

Stir in broth, sausage, okra and bay leaves. Bring to a rolling boil and reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Discard bay leaves and stir in file powder. Serve in bowls with rice.

Love,
Lynn

White Bean Chili

White Chicken Chili

1/2 pound dried navy beans, picked over (I like to make sure I wash these real good also)
1 large onion, chopped
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half (Heavy cream is also really delicious!)
1 teaspoon Tabasco, or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
Two 4-ounce cans whole mild green chilies, drained and chopped (I like to roast my own peppers better, such as chilies or jalapenios, pealed and chopped)
5 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds), cooked and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I like my chicken shredded better than chopped -- I boil the chicken and then shred it with my hands, plus that way you can reserve the chicken broth)
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack (about 6 ounces)
1/2 cup sour cream (or more!)

In a large kettle soak beans in cold water to cover by 2 inches overnight. Drain beans in a colander and return to kettle with cold water to cover by 2 inches. Cook beans at a bare simmer until tender, about 1 hour, and drain in colander.

In a skillet cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter over moderate heat until softened.In a 6- to 8-quart heavy kettle melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter over moderately low heat and whisk in flour. Cook roux, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Stir in onion and gradually add broth and half-and-half, whisking constantly. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in Tabasco, chili powder, cumin, salt, and white pepper. Add beans, chilies, chicken, and Monterey Jack and cook mixture over moderately low heat, stirring, 20 minutes. Stir sour cream into chili. Garnish chili with coriander and serve with salsa.


So yummy -- especially if you serve it with some cheddar cornbread! Recipe coureousy of epicurious.com. This was a big hit at the party I threw a few weeks ago. Love, Rach

Lentil Soup {A Fall Favorite}

Fall is in the air.

I can smell it, see it, feel it.

I love it.

Doesn't it just make you wanna curl up on the sofa with a snuggie and chow down on a big bowl of SOUP? It makes watching a football game with Husband so much more tolerable fun.

My mother is obsessive compulsive an expert in finding hearty and healthy soup recipes. I mean, if she looks THIS good, then she MUST be eating well, right?!

Here is the recipe for the Hearty AND Healthy Lentil Soup she makes...I happen to love it. I just made it for me and Husband so we can enjoy this week. (I froze a bunch so we can enjoy throughout the Fall - so easy!)

Here are the ingredients you'll need: 

3 cups chopped onions2 carrots, grated1 teaspoon marjoram1 teaspoon thyme1/2 cup olive oil In large kettle, saute vegetables and spices, stirring often, until lightly browned.  about 5 min. 2 1 lb. cans tomatoes with liquid, lightly chopped10 cups water6 bouillon cubes (vegetable or beef)2 cups dried lentils, rinsed1 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon pepper Add.  Bring to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer 1 hour or until lentils are tender.1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley or 3 tablespoons dried parsley.

Pour in bowl (a bread bowl would be delightful) and eat up! 

And, for you cheese-aholics lovers, sprinkle some grated sharp cheddar cheese on top of a steaming hot bowl of soup (don't burn yourself though!).

Do you have a soup recipe that reminds you of Fall? Please...do tell...

Sausage Potato Soup

This is a very hearty soup.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound ground Italian sausage
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 (48 ounce) can chicken broth
• 6 ounces chicken tenderloins, cooked and cut into pieces
• 6-8 white potatoes, washed and chopped
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• 1 bunch fresh kale, washed, chopped into pieces

DIRECTIONS

1. In soup pot, crumble and brown sausage with olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute for 3-4 minutes longer. Add salt, peppers, broth, chicken pieces, potatoes and parsley. Bring to boil and immediately turn down to simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes add kale. Cover and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers.

*recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

-Sarah