Friends Food Family

Cranberry Bean Pasta Fagioli Soup

After spending an afternoon cleaning out my pantry, I came across a bag of dried cranberry beans. Figuring I should do something with them, I looked for a few recipes using cranberry beans. Cranberry beans are small red beans which sometimes go by Borlotti Beans, Roman Beans or small kidney beans. I came across a Food Network recipe from Giada and thought I would try it. I have made Giada's Pasta e Fagioli soup and decided I would use the basics to the recipe and then add a few tricks of my own. 

I started with a pound of dried cranberry beans and soaked them according to directions. I ended up with about 6 cups of beans when they were thoroughly soaked. I knew I had more beans than I needed but I was going to blend some of them to put in the broth. Adding chicken broth, more tomatoes and pancetta, the blended beans and additional kale, I had a delicious soup that is definitely worth trying. I also liked that I was able to make the soup fairly quickly after soaking and draining the cranberry beans the night before.

Follow along with these instructions and you will have a hearty soup in less than an hour. If you are a fan of the original recipe, I'd love to hear whether you like this version or the old version better.

Cranberry Bean Pasta Fagioli

adapted from Giada

Ingredients

• 1 pound of dried cranberry beans, soaked according to directions to yield 6 cups, drained (or 4 cans of cranberry beans)
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil, plus more to drizzle on soup as an option
• 4 cloves of garlic chopped
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon of finely chopped (fresh) rosemary 
• 1 - 4 ounce package of pancetta
• 8-10 cups of chicken broth
• 1 - 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano tomatoes, roughly chopped with juice
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 piece of Parmesan rind
• 2 cups of small pasta, shells or ditalini
• 8 ounces of chopped kale, no stems
• 1/2 cup of chopped parsley 
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. In a large dutch oven, over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
2. Once the pan is hot, add the pancetta. As it begins to render down, about 4-5 minutes, add the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes and rosemary.
3. Saute until onions become translucent, about 3-4 minutes. The mixture will be very fragrant. 
4. Add the tomatoes along with 8 cups of chicken broth, Parmesan rind, 2 bay leaves and 4 cups of beans (or 3 cans), saving 2 cups (1 can). Bring to a boil.
5. Add the 2 cups of shells and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. If the mixture starts getting thick, add more chicken broth.
6. Take remaining 2 cups of beans (or 1 can) and 1 cup of chicken broth and blend until creamy. Use a blender or food processor for best results.
7. Add this mixture to the pan along with the kale. Once the kale is cooked, about 3-5 minutes, remove from stove. 
8. Add salt and pepper to taste along with the 1/2 cup of chopped parsley.
9. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

This dish comfortably feeds 6-8 people. 

 

White Bean Soup Recipe with Swiss Chard and Quinoa

As we enter fall in New England, days are cooler, daylight is shorter and our desire for comfort food is growing. When we get home from our long crazy work days, I am looking for something that is easy, hearty and healthy.

Most Sundays before we head to the grocery store, we pull out a few cookbooks and look for our meals for the week. We like to plan out our week of...

• What time will you be home?
• What nights are you out?
• Do we have anyone for dinner?

This works well because it allows us to get the ingredients we need and it gives us new recipes to try. The last thing I want to do, at 6 PM, is look at a package of chicken and think, what am I going to do with this?

This white bean soup recipe actually came from Pinterest and I pinned it to my "I want to make this board". I use this board as a resource when I want to try something new without looking through cookbooks. I save everything from simple appetizers to delicious desserts. When I saw the soup, I knew I could make it up ahead of time and use it for dinner or lunches all week. Anytime I can mix beans with tomatoes and quinoa, I know I have a delicious recipe. Add some good olive oil and crusty bread and that's my idea of comfort food.

When I was getting ready to make this soup, I didn't have some of the ingredients, but the great thing about soup is you can improvise. Instead of diced tomatoes, I used whole plum tomatoes. I didn't have kale so Swiss chard worked and I'm sure I could have added spinach as a substitute, too. I may not have had all the herbs and spices but as long as I have dried or fresh thyme, basil or parsley, I know I'll end up with a tasty dish. After years of cooking, these are the little things I can feel confident about when I have a recipe and maybe not all the ingredients. My best advice...try something new, what's the worst thing that could happen? Sometimes the biggest culinary disasters can end up being the best meals or create a few laughs and a quick trip for take-out!

This soup came together easily with a base of carrots, celery, onions and garlic. Add the beans, tomatoes, broth and quinoa and within 30 minutes the dish is ready to serve. This soup is flavorful and I love the quinoa as a substitute for rice or pasta. I have to remember to use different grains in soup, sometimes a small substitution to a traditional soup recipe can give it new life. So, start Sunday off with the ingredients to this recipe. Try making this soup ahead of time, it's just as delicious when it's warmed up a few days later.

If you have any soup recipes that you would like to share, send them over - we love trying something new!

White Bean Soup with Swiss Chard and Quinoa

Adapted from The Simple Veganista

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 small medium onion, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces

2 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces

2 celery stalks, chopped into 1 inch pieces

2 large cloves of garlic, chopped finely

2 (14-15 ounce) cans of cannellini beans, rinsed

1 (28 ounce can) of whole peeled tomatoes, remove tomatoes and roughly chop

6-8 cups of chicken or vegetable broth

6 sprigs of fresh thyme

1/2 cup of red or white quinoa

7-10 Swiss chard leaves, stalks removed and roughly chopped 

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large dutch oven, over medium heat. Heat oil and add onions. Saute for 3-5 minutes or until translucent. 
2. Add the carrots, celery and garlic and cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add 6 cups of vegetable or chicken stock, beans, chopped tomatoes, quinoa and the 6 sprigs of thyme. 
4. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked.
5. If the mixture looks thick, add additional broth.
6. Add chopped Swiss chard and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste
8. Serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil.

Serves 4-6 people.

Chicken Tenders with Chickpeas, Tomatoes and Smoked Paprika

Last week, both Jeff and I had late night commitments. It seemed like if we were home for dinner, it was so late we just wanted something easy...like soup. I got home first on Thursday and knew I had to do something with some chicken tenders I had bought earlier in the week. With a big can of chick peas sitting on the counter, I ran "chicken and chick pea recipes" on Google. I was looking for something interesting. I checked a few recipes and then found this one on Epicurious. I was supposed to use bone in chicken breasts but figured I could doctor this recipe a bit and still have a delicious meal. 

The recipe was called Roast Chicken Breasts with Garbanzo Beans, Tomatoes and Paprika. I think the thing that sold me was the smoked paprika and cumin. I knew it would have a bit of heat with a real smoky flavor. I also liked that there were only a few ingredients: chicken, tomatoes, chick peas, cumin, paprika, olive oil and cilantro. Pretty easy. But, I will admit, I wasn't paying attention to the order of putting everything together so I had a bit of a mess on my hands, but it still came out perfect.

I finally got everything into a 12 inch iron skillet and in 30 minutes, I had one of the best meals I have had in a while. It was hearty, yet not heavy and extremely flavorful. The chicken was so tender you could cut it with a fork and the chick peas and tomatoes were the perfect complement. Just a little bit of heat and a lot of depth in flavor.

If you are looking for a quick dish was amazing flavor, give this one dish wonder a try. You won't be disappointed.

Chicken Tenders with Chick Peas, Tomatoes and Smoked Paprika

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 pounds of chicken tenders
• 2-15 ounce cans of chick peas (garbanzo beans), drained
• 2-15 ounce cans of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons of cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
• salt and pepper for taste

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. In large bowl mix the olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper and garlic with a pinch of salt. 

3. Add the chicken and mix.

4. Add the tomatoes, chick peas and 1/2 cup of cilantro and mix thoroughly.

5. Place mixture into an oven proof skillet.

6. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. The mixture will be thick and bubbly, make sure the chicken is cooked through.

7. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of cilantro.

Enjoy!

Beans with Kale and Portuguese Sausage Soup

This year has probably been one of the coldest that we, New Englanders, have had in quite a few years. We have also been making more soup recipes than ever before because for us it is true comfort food at our house. Making a big pot of soup on a Sunday and using it for dinners and lunches makes for an easy week when you work long days.

As we became accustomed to new variations of chicken soups and lentil soups, conversation around a hearty kale soup began. Jeff was looking for some new soup and stew recipes when he found this recipe for Beans with Kale and Portuguese Sausage on Epicurious.com. It looked easy to make and there is nothing better than white beans, Portuguese sausage and kale, with a spicy kick from some crushed red pepper flakes...COMFORT FOOD!

This was an easy recipe to put together especially since we decided not to use dried beans. We chose to use canned beans and it cut the cooking time down by 1 hour. For me, it means we can put this dish together in about an hour, not bad on a busy work night. Some of our soup recipes call for 2-3 hours of cooking time so those become Sunday projects as the soup can cook while we do other things (like clean the house - LOL).

The soup was delicious and very hearty. I loved the heat from the crushed red pepper flakes which get calmed with the beans and kale. On a cold night it warms you all over. It was funny, we made the soup a few nights before my son, Brian, left to study abroad in Prague for his spring college semester. He had been home for a month, enjoying some serious home cooking. "This is the best soup I've ever had", probably the 8 best words most cooks like to hear. But then again, at our house, many recipes get made once and then on to a new recipe.

Maybe we'll make this soup again in May when he returns home or find another recipe to hear those 8 great words..."This is the best ______ I've ever had!"

Beans with Kale and Portuguese Sausage Soup (adapted from Epicurious):

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 8 ounces of Portuguese sausage or kielbasa, sliced 1/2" thick
• 1/2 of a medium onion, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 1 cup of white wine
• 1 small piece of Parmesan rind (about 2 inches)
• 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 sprig of thyme 
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 cups of chicken stock
• 1 (15 ounce) can of diced tomatoes
• 2 (15 ounce) cans of white cannelini or navy beans, rinsed
• 4 cup of kale, loosely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
• kosher salt and black pepper for seasoning and taste

Preparation:

1.  In a large dutch oven over medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute the sausage until slightly golden, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the onion and garlic cooking until the onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes. 

3. Add the wine and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Once the wine is reduced by half, add the Parmesan rind, red pepper flakes, thyme, bay leaf, chicken stock and tomatoes.

4. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Add the beans and continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes.

5. Return to medium heat and add the kale, cook for 10 minutes and then add the lemon juice.

6. Season with salt and pepper. 

7. Enjoy!

Chunky Beef and Bean Chili

Friends were coming over to watch the football game (Pats VS Colts) and we needed a hearty one bowl dish for a crowd. A voice in my head kept yelling Chili! Chili! Chili! So, I followed the voices in my head and found a way to adapt a chili recipe for a hearty one dish meal! Made with pork, beef and 4 different types of beans, this is a mild chili and if you want, you can kick it up a notch.

We have quite a few chili recipes on our Friends Food Family site. Everyone's favorite is Al Roker's Spectacular Chili Recipe. It's loaded with beef, sausage and beans. It's an easy recipe that has some heat but we would put it on the milder side of chili. As I was searching for a chili recipe, I googled "the best chili recipes." A number of them rose to the top of the search but the funny thing was the recipe reviews. You may call your recipe "the best" but it better be "the BEST" or people will call you out. I was amazed at how often people will comment on a recipe and make suggestions of how they made it better. Suddenly, I came across Halftime Chili on Bon Appetit's website. As I read through the reviews it was half and half. Half the people liked the recipe, the other half thought it was bland. OK, what if I decide to change it up a bit, maybe add some spicy pork sausage, cut back on the chili pepper, increase the tomato base and add a mixture of beans. What if I did a combination of Al Roker's Chili and this Halftime Chili?

We stopped at the supermarket and picked up a few ingredients. The original chili recipe called for 3 pounds of ground chuck. What if we did 1 pound of ground chuck, 1 pound of hot and spicy sausage and 1-1/2 pounds of stew beef? OK, we took care of the meat portion. What if we chose a number of different beans? Dark red kidney beans, pinto beans, cannellini beads and pink beans could work. We grabbed a bunch of different beans. Increase the tomato base, decrease a few of the spices...I think we are ready to go.

Many times when we are making big soups and stews, we use our 13-1/4 Quart Le Creuset Dutch Oven. We love this pan because it goes into the oven so easily and gives food that slow cooked flavor in half the time. It seals the recipe and gives it an even heat, around the pan versus from the bottom up on the stove. We are making a chili so get out the pan, it's going in the oven.

So, a few tips for this recipe:

1. We cut back on the chili powder by 1 tablespoon. We felt the hot sausage had some spice to it. We weren't sure how "hot" it would be. Feel free to add more heat.
2. We eliminated the jalapeno peppers, too.

If you are someone who likes a mild chili with a little bit of heat, but lots of flavor, this recipe is perfect. If you like a spicier chili, kick it up with some chili powder and consider adding (back) a jalapeno or two.

It took us about 3 hours total time to put together and cook the chili. It was perfect for our gathering, our friends loved the chili. We served it with corn bread as well as sour cream and shredded cheese. I love watching people break up cornbread and add it to the chili. When it comes to chili, people love it many different ways : spicy hot, with beans, without beans, topped with sour cream, mixed with corn bread : bottom line, chili is a great crowdpleaser. Make a batch of chili, you'll have friends for life.

Ingredients for Chunky Beef and Bean Chili

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 pound of hot sausage, in bulk
• 1 pound of ground chuck beef
• 1-1/2 pounds of stew beef, cut into 2 inch chunks
• 2 medium onions, chopped into 1 inch cubes
• 8 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
• 2 (28 ounce) cans of crushed tomatoes
• 1-1/2 cups of chicken broth
• 1 - 12 ounce bottle of lager (or can of beer)
• 4 tablespoons of chili powder
• 2 teaspoons of cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon of dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 4 - 15 ounce cans of beans, drained - we used white cannellini, pinto, large dark kidney and small red beans. You can use any combination.
• sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese as optional toppings

Preparation:

1. In a large dutch oven, over medium high heat, add the olive oil and then cook the sausage until on longer pink, remove from pan. Add the ground chuck and cook until no longer pink, remove from pan. Add the stew meat and cook on all sides until no longer pink (5-8 minutes.), remove from pan. (I put them into one big dish once they were all cooked.)

2. Reduce heat to medium and add the onions and smashed garlic. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the onions are translucent and soft.

3. Add all the meat (and juices) back into the pan and stir together for 1-2 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.

4. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, lager and all the spices. Return the heat to medium high and bring the mixture to a boil. 

5. Cover the pot with a lid and you can place the dutch oven into a 350 degree oven and let cook for 1 hour. Or reduce heat to low and allow to simmer, stirring ocassionally for 1 hour.

6. At the end of 1 hour, add all the beans, stir and return to the oven or to the stove for another hour. Remove from heat.

7. Add additional seasonings for taste - salt/pepper.

8. Allow to rest for 15 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with sour cream and cheese. 

We served ours with corn bread! Makes enough for 10-12 people.

Happy New Year! Have a bowl of Neighborhood Ham and Bean Soup

Happy New Year! With a chill in the air and the first nor'easter for the New England area being only 24 hours away, nothing warms you up like a bowl of hearty ham and bean soup. Since we served a large ham to our family and friends at Christmas, we had one large ham bone that still had some meaty value. We aren't big split pea soup fans so we decided to look for a ham soup that served like a stew. With the white beans and vegetables, I knew this was going to be perfect.

As we were putting the soup together, many things came to mind as I was reflecting on where Friends Food Family has been and where it is going. I am a baking "nut" and I love dessert, so many of my recipes focus on the sugary end of the food chain. I also know that healthy eating and healthy choices are still very popular. I feel like our eating is healthy but it could stand to lose a few sticks of butter. As I look at recipes in 2014, we'd love to hear from you...

What types of recipes would you like to see us try in 2014? American? Italian? French? Lebanese? Greek? Chinese? Vegetarian? More desserts? Or maybe it's Quick and Easy? 5 Steps? Crock Pot Ready? Think of some ideas and pass them our way. We love a challenge!

So, back to the recipe...

During the first few months of the year, we like to find hearty soup recipes. We do this for two reasons:

1. It's a meal in a bowl. We don't have to worry about making side dishes for the main course.

2. They make great lunches for the following days. I'm bad about bringing lunch to work, but with leftover soup, we package it in small bowls and you can grab them from the refrigerator as you head out the door.

We had the ham bone so now we just needed the recipe. Jeff searched on-line for a ham soup recipe and ended up finding this recipe on Food.com. The recipe was posted back in 2005 and had 31 reviews, all of them were 4 and 5 stars. If it was a good recipe, we need to try it. This Neighborhood Ham and Bean Soup makes a batch that can feed 10+ people. We completely understand why they call it neighborhood soup...it could feed the neighborhood. If you are planing to make this soup, give yourself some time. This is a day long process. We made ours on Sunday, we started the soup around 11 AM, soak the beans (an hour), let it cook for two hours, added a few more ingredients and then it cooked for another hour. By the time we were done, it was a 5-6 hour process before we sat down to enjoy a bowl, but it was worth it. We changed the recipe a bit and added some additional beans to "chunk up" the soup and we also added a few parsnips. They were in the refrigerator, why let them go to waste. 

The soup was AMAZING. It had a nice smokey flavor from the ham bone along with the creaminess of the beans. A few chunky pieces of potato and parsnip brought a nice flavor to the soup. Though it takes a while to put together, the results are worth every minute. Football season isn't over yet and if you have time on a Sunday to start the process around 10 AM, you will have an unbelievable meal for dinner. One that the whole neighborhood will enjoy.

Ingredients for Neighborhood Ham and Bean Soup -

• 2 cups of dried great northern beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can of northern beans, drained and rinsed 
• 3 cups of water
• 1 large meaty ham bone (if you don't have one, you can use 2-3 smoked ham hocks)
• 2-3 tablespoons of chicken bouillon granules
• 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon of dry rubbed sage
• 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 inch thickness)
• 3 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 parsnips (don't worry if you don't have them, we added them because we did), chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 large potato, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
• 2 cups of chicken broth (on hand in case you need to add more liquid)

Preparation - 

1. Place dried beans in a large dutch oven and cover with water, 2 inches above the beans. Bring to a boil, boil for two minutes, remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain beans. 

2. Place beans back in the pan and add the water, ham bone, chicken bouillon, thyme, marjoram, pepper, and sage. Bring mixture to a boil.

3. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 2-3 hours. If you are in a hurry, you can simmer for 2 hours, but it can be extended out to 3 hours. If you find the liquid is getting low, you can add a bit of chicken stock.

4. In a separate sauce pan, over medium heat, add the vegetable oil and saute the onions, carrots and celery. If you are using the parsnip, add it now. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. 

5. At the end of the 2+ hours, add the onion mixture, along with the chopped potato to the ham mixture, cover and simmer for another hour. Add more chicken stock if you feel the mixture is getting low.

6. Take the ham bone out of the pot and debone. Cut any large pieces into chunks. Return the ham to the soup.

7. Put the 1/2 the can of rinsed beans into a food processor with a 1/4 cup of chicken stock. Pulsate until the beans are smooth with a few chunks. Pour the beans into the soup. If you would like the soup thicker, finish the other half of the beans.

8. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with your favorite cornbread.

Makes enough for 10 people. Enjoy!

 

Pasta with Lentils and Kale

Do you ever get home and wish there was something easy to cook? And everyone would like it? How about some Pasta with Lentils and Kale?

Back a few weeks ago, Jeff and I saw Gourmet's Pasta 103 Best Loved Recipes at the grocery store. As much as we tell ourselves we aren't going to buy any more magazine (or cookbooks), we always come home with something. I think what caught us was the simplicity of most of the meals. It had great soups, and pastas with cheese, vegetables, sauces, seafood and more. The Pasta with Lentils and Kale was the first dish we flipped to and with two of our (new) favorite ingredients, lentils and kale, we knew this book would be a hit. We always believe that if we buy a magazine or cookbook and make a few of the recipes, it is well worth the purchase. So far, we have made three dishes with another one coming this week. 

After both of us having long days at the office, it was nice to come home and have almost everything completed in less than an hour. This recipe can be made vegetarian style. The original recipe called for the lentils to be cooked in water. We like a bit of flavor with our lentils and cooked them in chicken broth.

The dish was delicious. The onions were caramelized and the lentils and kale were a perfect match for the pasta. Jeff and I were enjoying the dish and both agreed that a few pepper flakes would give this dish a nice kick. My middle son, Brian, was home from University of Missouri and proceeded to eat two bowls of the pasta, even though he was going out to dinner. Hopefully, he'll follow these directions and make this dish for his house mates.

This summer we will be planting kale and onions in our back garden. We can't wait to try this dish again with freshly picked ingredients. It should create an amazing summer favorite.

If you are in search of any easy meal or a side dish try this recipe, you won't be disappointed!

Ingredients for Pasta with Lentils and Kale: (Adapted from Gourmet)

1/2 cup of dried green lentils

2 cups of chicken stock

5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 medium onions, finely chopped

12 ounces of kale, cut and discard center stems, coarsely chop

1 pound of penni, ziti or tubular pasta

1/4 teaspoon of pepper flakes (optional)

salt and pepper

Preparation:

1. Place lentils and chicken broth in a medium pan and over medium heat, uncovered, bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until the lentils are tender but not falling apart. Remove from heat.

2. In a heavy skillet, over medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, heating until it shimmers. Add onions and saute for 1 minute, adding 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.

3. Reduce heat to low and cover, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft and slightly golden, about 20 minutes. Remove lid and increase heat to medium until onions are golden brown about 5-10 minutes. 

4. In an 8 quart pot, bring water to boil with 1 teaspoon of salt and cook pasta according to directions. Seven minutes before the pasta is done, add the kale, boiling uncovered until pasta is al dente. 

5. Stir lentils, including the liquid, into the onions. If there isn't much liquid, add additional chicken stock (we added about 1/3 cup). Mix together for about 2-3 minutes, scrapping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. 

6. Before draining the pasta, save 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain pasta and kale, add to lentil and onions.

7. Stir the pasta and kale into the lentil mixture while cooking over medium heat. Toss to mix, adding 1/3 cup of pasta water (or more if needed). After 1 minute, remove pan from heat.

8. Add salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Serves 4-6 people.

New York Strip Steak served with Braised Swiss Chard and Cannellini Beans

Back a few weeks ago, Jeff and I had an amazing dinner at a little place called Caffe Bella in Randolph, MA. It is a cute little Italian restaurant with a warm atmosphere, great bartenders and amazing food. We decided to sit at the bar where Jeff ordered lamb medallions and I ordered the swordfish steak (one of my favorites!). Jeff's lamb was served on a bed of sauteed swiss chard and butter beans in a tomato broth. It was so flavorful, I kept eating from the bottom of his dish.  It was a perfect complement for the lamb. Over the next few nights, Jeff mentioned how much he liked the swiss chard and butter beans and I most certainly agreed.

We are getting ready to go grocery shopping when Jeff came across a recipe in Lidia Matticchio Bastianich's Cookbook - Lidia's Favorite Recipes. It was a side dish recipe for braised swiss chard and cannellini beans. It seemed similar to what we had eaten at Caffe Bella, so we picked up the ingredients to enjoy with a strip steak.

I'm going to explain quickly how we cooked our steak in the stove top to oven fashion. Our steak was about one inch thick. We have a Le Creuset Square Skillet Grill which we use to cook our steak, chicken, pork chops and hamburger. You can also cook your steak on the grill.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat the skillet over medium heat, grease the pan with a thin coat of vegetable oil.

2. Salt and pepper both sides of the steak.

3. When the skillet is hot, cook the steak for 5 minutes on one side (for medium-rare) 6 minutes for (medium). Turn the steak and then place the skillet into the oven for 5 -7 minutes, depending on how you like your steak.

4. Remove from oven and remove the steak from the pan. Cover the steak with aluminum foil for 5-7 minutes to allow it to rest before cutting.

OK, back to the story - This past summer we had the opportunity to grow swiss chard. It tasted so good, freshly cut from the garden and lightly sauteed. Now, whenever we come across recipes using swiss chard, we love to try them and then post the recipe...hoping we will remember to try it  again this summer.

The swiss chard and cannellini bean dish cooked up quickly and had amazing flavor. The dish has a bit of a kick to it with the 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. If you like more heat, adjust the levels for your taste. The swiss chard and the beans, combined with the tomatoes is a hearty combination to serve with any meat dish. 

NOTE: Since we made this dish, we cooked the recipe again, but we this time substituted kale for the swiss chard...it was equally delicious.

Try this side dish the next time you are making grilled steak, pork chops or chicken. It's an easy dish with a wonderful flavor. We can't wait for summer as we will be growing many of these ingredients and look forward to enjoying them fresh from the garden.

Ingredients for Braised Swiss Chard and Cannellini Beans (adapted from Lidia's Italy)

1/2 pound of dried cannellini beans, or 3 cups of canned cannellini, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
2 pounds (or more) of Swiss chard leaves
6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
4 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 cup of canned Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand

Preparation:

1. If using dried beans: Rinse the beans, put in a bowl with cold water and cover by 4 inches. Let soak in cool place for 8 hours or overnight. Drain the beans, and transfer to a large saucepan with fresh cold water to cover by two fingers. Bring to boil, partially covered, and cook the beans about 40 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Turn off heat and stir in ½ teaspoon salt, then let the beans cool to absorb the cooking liquid. Taste, and adjust the salt if needed.

2. If using canned beans, drain and rinse, place in a medium sized bowl and put to side.

3. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in the stockpot. Meanwhile, rinse and drain the Swiss-chard leaves. Cut off the stems at the base of the leafy part. Slice the leaves crosswise every 2 inches, into long strips.

4. When the water is boiling, drop in the swiss chard at once, stir, and cover the pot. Bring the water back to the boil, and cook the swiss chard for 15 minutes, until thoroughly tender—check a piece with a thick middle vein to be sure. Drain in a colander.

5. Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil and the sliced garlic in the skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the garlic is sizzling, about 2 minutes. Drop the tomato paste into a clear spot in the pan, stir, and toast it for a minute. Toast the red pepper flakes in a clear spot too, then pour in the crushed tomatoes. Stir together.

6. Bring the tomato mixture to a boil, and pour in the beans. Stir, season with salt, and heat the beans, stirring constantly. When they’re simmering, stir in the swiss chard and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook rapidly to reduce the liquid, tossing the beans and greens over and over. This will take a few minutes. As the juices thicken, drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil all over, toss the vegetables, and simmer for another 2 or 3 minutes, until most of the liquid is gone.

Serve immediately, or set aside covered, and reheat later.

Written by Tricia White

Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup with Rustic Croutons

What's better than making desserts through the holidays? Starting the New Year with some amazing soup recipes. So, let's start off the New Year with Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup.

My food adventure began on Friday when Dan, one of my co-workers, took me over to one of my favorite places in New Bedford, Sid Wainer and Son. Before we go in, there is a small fruit and vegetable store called Friendly Fruit in the same parking lot. They sell fruits and vegetable which have a short shelf life. I love it because we use the produce within a day or two and it is perfect. As I was getting some garlic, pears, and mushrooms, I came across a big bag of kale. My first thought was Portuguese Kale Soup. It would be a great dish to finish off the weekend.

Before we went grocery shopping, we looked for some Kale Soup recipes. Jeff grabbed one of his new cookbooks from Christmas, The Fresh and Green Table by Susie Middleton. Her recipe for Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup sounded delicious. We had all the ingredients...PERFECT!

This recipe was very easy, the ingredients were simple and the best part was the homemade chicken broth. I was cooking a roaster chicken to make chicken soup for later this week. When it called for 3 cups of low-sodium chicken broth, we used the homemade broth and what a difference that makes. I try to make my own broth when I am making chicken soup, but it never dawns on me to use the homemade broth in other things. We are so sporadic about using our broths, I need to remember to freeze it to use at another time. (I keep telling Jeff that if I could be a full-time blogger, we'd have homemade broth all the time. And I could freeze what we didn't use.)

One hour later, we were ready to serve the Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup. It smelled amazing and I couldn't wait to try my first bite. OK, it was AMAZING. The chicken broth, the kale, white beans...and the croutons with garlic and Parmesan cheese...had wonderful flavor. It ate more like a meal than a bowl of soup. And, you won't normally hear me say this, but it was light. After all the heavy meals through the holidays, it was nice to have something that was light yet filling. I might even use the word, "healthy".

January will be filled with a few more soup recipes, along with a hearty beef stew. We made it last week end and just need to get the ingredients down. We cook so often, we are putting together our own recipes but we aren't good about recording the specific amounts. 

Have a great week and enjoy a bowl of Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup!

Ingredients for Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium carrot, diced

2 ounces of pancetta, diced

1 tablespoon of finely chopped garlic

2 bunches of kale, stemmed and cut into 1-2 inch pieces (about 6-7 cups)

4 cups of chicken broth (we used homemade...definitely worth it!)

2 cups of water

1 - 15 ounce can of small white beans, drained

2-3 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Rustic Croutons (recipe after preparation)

Preparation:

1. In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

2. Add the onion, carrot and pancetta along with 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

3. Cover the pot and cook until the onion has softened between 6-8 minutes, be sure to stir occasionally.

4. Uncover and continue to cook until the vegetables have shrunk and they are slightly browned, another 6-8 minutes.

5. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds or until fragrant.

6. Add the kale and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper.

7. Stir kale with thongs as it begins to wilt, mixing well with the contents in the pan. Stir in the broth and water and bring to a boil.

8. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, until the kale is tender, about 8-10 minutes.

9. Add the beans and cook uncovered.

10. Stir in the lemon juice, 1-2 teaspoons and remove from heat.

11. taste the soup and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Ladle soup into bowls, top with the Rustic Croutons and Parmesan cheese.

 

Ingredients for Rustic Croutons:

4 ounces of crusty bread, including crust, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 tablespoons of butter

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 large garlic clove, smashed and peeled

1 teaspoon of fresh thyme or rosemary, chopped

2-3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place bread in a medium mixing bowl.

3. In a small skillet, heat oil and butter over low heat. When the butter has melted, add the garlic and break it up further by mashing it with the back of a spoon. 

4. Raise the heat to medium and cook until the garlic has just begun to brown. (2 minutes)

5. Remove the pan from the heat and remove the pieces of garlic.

6. Drizzle the garlic oil over the bread cubes, stirring to mix, add the rosemary or thyme and toss again.

7. Place the bread on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 12-15 minutes.

8. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for another minute.

9. Remove from oven, let cool and add to the Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup.

Written by Tricia White

Chicken and Rice Soup with Red Beans

Last year, I kept thinking about chicken and rice soup, but not your average chicken and rice soup, Auntie Agnes' chicken and rice soup. Auntie Agnes was our next door neighbor, she was like a second mother to us (me and my siblings) and was an amazing Italian cook. She taught my mother how to make tomato sauce and it was where I first tried homemade gnocchi. When we were invited to Auntie Agnes' for dinner, you ate what she put in front of us, which my mother found hilarious. If my mother made sauce for dinner, we wanted our pasta plain and if she made chicken and rice soup, we would have picked out the beans. My mother was a really good cook, we were just very picky and we could be picky at home, but not as a guest at Agnes'. 

(Note: As I write this, there are so many scenarios and memories of being around and with Auntie Agnes rushing through my head; from the hair salon she owned, to her Christmas dinners and helping her put her earrings on. I wish I could share them all, but I think they would be scattered and probably only entertaining for me. I believe that everyone has a person from their past, that makes them smile when you think about life with them or without them. Even if it has been 20+ years since Agnes passed...)

So,

I was going to make, what I remember of, Agnes' chicken and rice soup. I decided to begin with a homemade chicken broth and that starts with a  whole chicken (3-4 pounds). I placed the chicken in a large pot with

2 medium yellow onions, chopped into quarters

2 carrots

2 stalks of celery

1 bay leaf

3 large cloves of garlic, sliced

Enough water to cover half the chicken

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat until the chicken is thoroughly cooked, about 2 hours. (I used a chicken with an auto pop-up). Once the mixture has cooled slightly, remove the chicken from the pot. Remove the meat from the chicken and place in a separate bowl. I hand shred while I am removing the meat. Take out the carrots and pour the broth through a fine sieve. I try to push as much of the onion, garlic and celery through the sieve. Discard whatever is left (or won't go through the sieve.) You are looking for 8-10 cups of chicken broth. I was short by 2 cups and added boxed chicken broth.

Over medium heat, return the broth to the pot. Cut one carrot into 1 inch pieces and add to the broth. Then add:

2 (14-15 ounce) cans of small red beans, rinsed

4 cups of cooked rice

Shredded, cooked chicken

Allow the broth to come to a boil and and season salt and pepper. Serve hot with a bit of parmesan cheese. A crusty bread would be good, too!

This chicken and rice soup with red beans is absolutely delicious. For me, it has been a wonderful comfort dish that has reminded me of my days of growing up in Quincy, next door to a woman who was passionate about what she cooked. I think Auntie Agnes would be proud that something she made still lingers in my memory.

Is there someone in your life who taught you about food? I'd love to hear your story.

Southwestern Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

 

Turkey, Turkey, Turkey. How many dishes of turkey did you eat over the past week?

We enjoyed a non-traditional Thanksgiving and ate at Latitude 41 in Mystic, CT. Jeff's daughter is a nurse and was scheduled to work on Thanksgiving. We drove down to CT to enjoy a quick lunch with her and didn't cook our turkey until last Sunday. We went with a small 14 pound turkey, compared to our normal 26 pound bird, and enjoyed a mini Thanksgiving. It was missing some of our favorites but it had the good old-fashioned staples - garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, corn bread stuffing, cranberry sauce and an awesome turkey gravy.

Once we had all the turkey removed, we put the remainder into a large dutch oven, cooked down the bones and made a delicious broth, that yield about 6 cups of turkey, too. I knew I would make a turkey soup as a second meal along with turkey tetrazzini with the leftover turkey from our Sunday dinner. As I said...turkey, turkey, turkey.

I was getting ready to make the soup and turkey with wild rice was my first thought. But, we had just finished a homemade chicken and rice soup last week and I thought any type of soup with rice might be repetitious.

SIDE TRACKED THOUGHT- I promise to showcase the chicken and rice soup the next time I make it. It was made and consumed so quickly, I never got to take pictures or blog about it.

I started looking up some southwestern versions of turkey soup. Progresso makes a southwestern soup with corn, beans, tomatoes and spices. I found this Southwestern Turkey Soup through Taste of Home and began grabbing ingredients from my pantry. Some black beans, diced tomatoes, chilies and corn...I was ready to go.

The best part of any soup is a homemade broth. I cooked the turkey bones with garlic, onions, carrots and celery. I strain my broth with a fine sieve so the broth is clear then I use some of the cooked carrots and celery to add color and flavor to the soup. 

Having the turkey and broth ready to go made this soup easy to put together. Within 10 minutes I had almost everything in the pan. With some increased heat and the cooking of the wild rice, start to finish was about 45 minutes. 

Results: DELICIOUS! First, I loved that we were able to use the turkey (for a third night) in a way that you didn't feel like you were eating another turkey meal. The soup had lots of flavor, some heat and a heartiness that made the soup a meal. I love any combination of tomatoes, corn, beans, cumin and chili pepper - part chili, part soup. Our family devoured half of the soup and I was able to take leftovers to friends and co-workers. So far, everyone enjoyed it as much as we did. (And all the containers have been returned empty.)

Tomorrow is game day, the cold weather is finally setting in (at least in New England), this is a great "end of the weekend" soup that will clean-up the last of those turkey leftovers.

Ingredients:

2 medium onion, chopped

3 tablespoons of olive oil

8 cups of turkey broth (we used the broth from cooking down the turkey, use can use chicken broth, also)

4 teaspoons of ground cumin

1-1/2 teaspoons of chili powder

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

6 cups of cubed cooked turkey

2 can (15 ounces) of black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14.5 ounces) of fire roasted diced tomatoes with juice

1 can (4.25 ounces) of diced green chilies

1 (16 ounce) bag of frozen corn (we used a yellow and white corn combination)

1 cup of wild rice

tortilla chips and sour cream, optional

Preparation:

1. Over medium heat, place oil and onions in a large dutch oven and saute until tender and translucent. (about 5-7 minutes)

2. Add the broth along with the cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper and salt.

3. Once blended add the turkey, black beans, tomatoes, green chilies and corn.

4. Bring to a boil, and add the rice. Allow to simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes.

5. Serve with sour cream and tortilla chips.

Serves 10-12 people.

Adapted from Taste of Home - Southwestern Turkey Soup

Bon Appetit's Chicken and White Bean Chili

Finally, we are back up and running. I can upload photos and make the blogs look beautiful again!

Last Sunday, we decided to make chili for the big New England Patriots game against the Buffalo Bills. As I was looking for a recipe, I definitely wanted something with chicken and lots of beans, and a little different from our White Bean Chili.

I took out my iPad and used my Epicurious App and found a Bon Appetit Chicken and White Bean Chili recipe with a tomato base from 2005. That's what I love about some of these applications. They don't necessarily give you the most up to date recipe but it does give you lots of recipe opportunities. I read the recipe and figured it was easy, it could simmer during the game and then dinner would be served.

I adapted a few of the ingredients from the original recipe by using chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs. I also cut back on the chili powder. For those who like a hot chili, go with the original recipe that calls for 3-1/2 tablespoons (or more) of chili powder. Lastly, I used fire roasted diced tomatoes instead of regular diced tomatoes. I like the heartier flavor of the fire roasted, which worked perfectly.

This chili was delicious, and perfect when the Patriots lost and we had a table full of grumpy people. We had homemade rustic bread and butter which finished the meal. It had the perfect amount of heat and flavor which pleased the chili lovers as well as the picky eaters.

Tomorrow starts another round of college and professional football games for the weekend. Mix up a batch and have it ready for your fans. Oh, and it tastes even better the second day. Enjoy!

GO TEAM!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of olive oil
1-1/3 cups of chopped onion
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
2-1/4 pounds of skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
2-1/2 tablespoons of chili powder
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 tablespoon of ground cumin
1 tablespoon of dried oregano
2- 15 to 16-ounce cans of white beans with juices
2- 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes, fire roasted in juice
1/2 cup of chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation:

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add chicken; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until chicken is no longer pink outside, about 5 minutes. Mix in chili powder, tomato paste, cumin, and oregano.

Add beans, 1 cup reserved bean juices, and canned tomatoes. Simmer until chicken is cooked through and chili is thickened, about 25 minutes.

Season chili to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in cilantro and serve.

White Bean, Shrimp and Tomato Salad

 

As I had mentioned a few blogs back, we are going to be highlighting some great cold salads which can be used as an appetizer or side dish for your next function or event. As the weather gets warmer, we look for dishes that are easy and use as many fresh ingredients, from the garden, as possible.

This salad is a family and party favorite. We use it most times as an appetizer and whatever remains is usually used in a salad for lunch or a light snack the next day, but only if it is doubled. The recipe is part of our "recipe box" series, those recipes we started cutting out and saving 6-8 years ago. This box holds many of our favorite dishes.

We love this recipe for a number of reasons (but here are two):

1. Everybody raves about the dish, it's basic but very different tasting. If you think about it, have you ever had anything like this at a party?

2. It's easy and delicious...beans, shrimp, fresh tomatoes and fresh basil...on toasted french bread...to die for!

A few more weekends before the 4th of July cookouts begin. Try this recipe on your family and friends, we can guarantee that you will be making it for your next gathering. Be the hit with this appetizer, the white bean, shrimp and tomato salad.

Ingredients:

2 (14.5 ounce) cans of small white beans or cannellini beans, we use a can of each

2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 fresh sage leaf, finely chopped

1 pound of fresh small (or medium) shrimp, peeled

2 medium ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded and finely chopped

8 large basil leaves, cut into fine strips

1/3 cup of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Stone ground crackers, pita chips or french baguette slices, lightly toasted  

Preparation:

Rinse the two cans of beans in a colander and place into a bowl with the chopped tomatoes, and garlic.  

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook for one minute or just until the shrimp turns bright pink. Add the shrimp to the bean mixture with the sage, basil and olive oil.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve slightly warm or cold with crackers, pita chips or toasted slices of french bread.

NOTE: If the mixture seems a little bland, add a little more olive oil.  

Cook's Illustrated Modern Succotash Salad

 

Last weekend was dubbed "Cook Off Weekend". Jeff and I found a few of our favorite magazine cookbooks and decided to try a new set of recipes. Many of the next recipes that will be showcased are cold salads which can be used as side dishes for your family or the next cook-out or gathering you have to attend. One of our favorite magazines is Cook's Illustrated. Not only do we subscribe to the monthly magazine, we purchase the seasonal compilations. This recipe called Modern Succotash Salad sounded light and refreshing calling for fresh corn, green beans and basil. 

Having finished planting our garden during Memorial Day Weekend, we love trying recipes that can ultimately use many of the vegetables and herbs we have planted. We're going to need quite a few recipes for the 31 tomato plants, 16 peppers plants, 11 eggplants, rows of green beans, summer squash, zucchini, cucumbers, pumpkins and acorn squash we planted. We also have blackberry and raspberry bushes along with a few straggly strawberry plants. We actually picked the first strawberry today!

Other than having to cut the green beans, this recipe for succotash salad makes up very quickly. We doubled the recipe and fed 10 comfortably with leftovers. This salad was incredibly delicious with the dressing bringing all the flavors of the fresh vegetables together. It complements any meal as a side dish, especially if you are grilling. The following day, Jeff added it to salad and said it was better the second day.

Think hot day, cold salad...refreshing! Try this as a summer side, it's different, easy and will have your family (and friends) looking for more.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of olive oil
1  1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1 teaspoon of honey
1/2 of a small red onion, minced
Salt and black pepper, to taste
3/4 pound of fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half
2 ears of corn, kernels removed from the cob
1/2 pound of frozen lima beans
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil leaves

Preparation:

1. Stir together oil, lemon juice, honey, red onion and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl.

2. Bring 2 1/2 quarts of water to a boil in a large pan. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and green beans, cook for 1 minute. Add corn and lima beans and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain vegetables in a colander and rinse under cold running water until cool.

3. Toss vegetables with dressing and coat evenly. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Southern Living's Five Bean Bake - Minnesota Baked Beans

 
(Sorry about the blurry picture, didn't have my glasses on!)

On May 7th, Jeff's mom and dad celebrated their 82th and 97th birthdays, respectively. As part of their birthday celebration, we invited some friends from the "old neighborhood" for a cook-out. For a few, it was the first time they had seen my in-laws since they moved in with us in August 2010.

One of their neighbor's, Sharon, brought over her famous Minnesota Baked Beans and they were DELICIOUS. They were sweet with chunks of bacon and a variety of beans, including lima beans. I thought they were not only tasty but interesting.

Over Memorial Day weekend, we had a few neighbors and friends for a Sunday evening cook-out. I mentioned to Jeff that Sharon's beans were delicious and wondered if the Minnesota baked beans were her recipe, as she grew up in Minnesota, or if there was really a recipe called Minnesota baked beans. To the internet I went and googled "Minnesota Baked Beans" and to my surprise...the recipe. Jeff was also looking through some of our Southern Living Cookbooks and came across this Five-Bean Bake. It had many of the same ingredients as the Minnesota baked bean recipes on-line. The recipe was easy to put together, 1-1/2 hours in the oven and we were set to go.

As I chopped and sauteed the bacon, got the onion diced and rinsed all the beans, I started laughing. We had doubled the recipe for 16 people and I had 20 cups of beans. The single recipe feeds up to 12 as a side dish. I kept thinking that there was going to be lots of leftovers.

With our menu of Wilson Farm's Red Skinned Potato Salad, a tossed green salad, Jeff's Sizzling Sirlion Steaks, grilled chicken and 20 cups of beans, we were ready for dinner. The beans were absolutely delicious. They were sweet but also had a sour edge from the cider vinegar. The mixture of five different beans made for a great taste as well as interesting texture. After everyone finished we had a small portion of beans for leftovers. Either people felt bad that we had so many beans or they truly liked the dish. I'm going to go with..."they truly liked the dish" and add this to my list of cook-out favorites.

Summer is almost here and weekend cook-outs are just around the corner. Be the hit of the party with this Five Bean Bake...a great side dish that's easy and delicious!

Ingredients:

8 slices of bacon, chopped
1 large onion, diced
1 (28 ounce) can of baked beans (we used B&M Baked Bean - Country Style)
1 (19 3/4 ounce) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (16 ounce) can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 (15 1/2 ounce) can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 1/4 ounce) can of lima beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup of ketchup
1/2 cup of brown sugar, firmly packed (we used dark brown sugar)
1/2 cup of water
1/4 cup of cider vinegar

Preparation:

Cook chopped bacon slices in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp; remove bacon, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet.
Add diced onion, and sauté in hot drippings 5 minutes or until tender.

Combine bacon, onion, pork and beans, black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, lima beans, ketchup, brown sugar, 1/2 cup water, and cider vinegar in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. 

Bake, covered, at 350° for 1 hour; uncover and bake 30 more minutes.

Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and Bean Soup)

 

After coming home from a week of being away and eating at some great restaurants, in both Richmond, VA and Washington, DC, it was time for a big bowl of comfort food...pasta e fagioli.

As we were making it on Monday afternoon, I was laughing with Jeff about this dish being one we make quite often yet we hadn't blogged about it. Sometimes we cook so much we lose track of which dishes we have highlighted and which have been put aside.

We found this recipe 3 to 4 years ago in Giada DeLaurentiis cookbook, Giada's Family Dinners. This Pasta e Fagioli instantly became a family favorite. It's one of those meals that takes 15-20 minutes to put together and within 30 minutes you have a delicious (and nutritious) meal. We love eating it with a crusty sourdough bread. Nothing better than sopping up the last of the soup with a great piece of bread.

We have made a few adjustments to the recipe, adding more pancetta, mixing up the beans, and changing the pasta. Here are a few hints when making this pasta e fagioli soup...

1. Keep a package of pancetta in your refrigerator. It's easy to make some great recipes when it's readily available.

2. When blending the two cups of bean mixture, make sure you have mostly beans. Once you add the mixture back into the soup, taste to see if it is flavorful. If it tastes watery, blend another 1/2 cup of beans and add to the soup.

3. We used ditalini pasta but you can use elbow macaroni which is what the recipe originally called for.

4. Use fresh herbs and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, it truly does make a difference.

Now, create a favorite for you family! 

Ingredients:

4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 large sprig of fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
1 cup of chopped onion
4 ounces of pancetta, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
6 cups of low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 (15.5-ounce) can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can of small red beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup of ditalini pasta
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup of freshly grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation:

Wrap the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf in a piece of cheesecloth and secure closed with kitchen twine. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, pancetta, and garlic and saute until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, beans, and sachet of herbs. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes. Discard the herbs. Puree 2 cups of the bean mixture in a blender until smooth*. Before putting the puree back into the soup, add the pasta and boil with the lid on until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8-10 minutes. Return the puree to the soup in the saucepan and stir well. Season the soup with ground black pepper.

Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with some Parmesan and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil just before serving.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

 

Al Roker's Spectacular Beef Chili Recipe

 

 

Chili. It's a hot dish with a cool name.

And it's always great to serve during that afternoon football game when you're entertaining a few guests. Chili is easy to make because most of the cooking time is spent in a crock pot or dutch oven. I call it a throw and go meal...throw everything in one pot and then go away for a few hours, when you come back it is done.

Jeff found Al Roker's Chili recipe a few years ago and we have served it for dinner as well as for larger parties. It's that delicious comfort food that warms as well as fills you up. We love this chili because it is flavorful with pieces of beef and sausage and the spices are just right...heat but not fire. The three different types of beans bring additional color and flavor.

The next time you have to entertain a group of people, whether friends and family or maybe even a tailgate party, consider making this chili recipe. It feeds 14 people (or 6 hungry men) and we can guarantee, they won't walk away hungry! And toss in some cornbread, it finishes off a great meal.

Ingredients:

2 pounds of chuck steak, cubed into bite-size pieces
1 pound of hot Italian sausage, removed from casings, or purchase the ground sausage
2 large onions, diced
12 cloves of garlic, diced
1 tablespoon of ground cumin
1 tablespoon of paprika
1 tablespoon of pure chili powder
1 can of (32 ounce size) crushed tomatoes (usually means a 24 ounce plus a 12 or 14 ounce)
1 can of (15.5 or 16 ounce size) pinto beans, rinsed
1 can of (15.5 or 16 ounce size) Northern beans, rinsed
1 can of (15.5 or 16 ounce size) dark red kidney beans, rinsed

Finish with:

chopped scallions, sour cream and/or shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

Preparation:

Brown the beef and sausages in a large Dutch oven. Remove the meat and reserve. Drain off the fat, reserving about two tablespoons.

Saute the onions and garlic until translucent, about 7 to 7 minutes.

Add the cumin, paprika and chili powder. Add the tomatoes and the beef into the Dutch oven. Stir the whole pot, and simmer on the stove for about 1 1/2 hours.

Note: We placed ours in a crock pot on low for about 6 hours. We have also used our Le Creuset Dutch oven and placed it in the oven at 325 degrees for 1-1/2 hours.

Add the three cans of beans, and simmer for another 30 minutes.

Serve topped with your choice of chopped scallions, sour cream and/or shredded cheese.

Southern Living's White Bean Chili (with Chicken)

 

It's official, football season is upon us. We love this time of year as the days get shorter and the nights get colder because it means we start making some of our seasonal football favorites. The first being Southern Living's White Bean Chili. We found this recipe in our Southern Living Favorites Cook Book from 2007 after we had a request for chili that didn't have a "red" meat base.

What an incredible find!

The chili is thick and chunky with bite-sized pieces of chicken. The base is a combination of seasonings and blended white beans and the white shoepeg corn gives the taste of kernels fresh off the ears. The best part are the green chile peppers. They give the chili a spicy taste without much heat.

It's a great dish for those who don't care for spicy chili. With some of the picky eaters at our house, this is a meal that everyone enjoys.

With Fall upon us and football games to attend, this is a great time to make a hearty chili for your next indoor or outdoor sports crowd.

Ingredients

• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 8  skinned and boned chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size pieces
• 3  cups  water
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 2  teaspoons  ground cumin
• 1  teaspoon  chili powder
• 1  teaspoon  pepper
• 1  teaspoon  dried oregano
• 4  (15-ounce) cans cannellini or great Northern beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
• 1  (14 1/2-ounce) can chicken broth
• 1  (16-ounce) package frozen shoepeg white corn
• 2  (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles
• 3  tablespoons  lime juice
• Garnish: fresh cilantro sprigs


Preparation

Sauté chopped onion in hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat 7 minutes; add garlic, and sauté 2 to 3 minutes.

 

Stir in chicken pieces, and cook, stirring constantly, until chicken is lightly browned. Stir in 3 cups water and next 5 ingredients; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often, 10 minutes or until chicken is done.

Place 2 cans of beans in a blender; add broth, and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides.

Stir bean pureé, remaining 2 cans of beans, corn, and chiles into chicken mixture in Dutch oven; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often, 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in lime juice just before serving. Garnish, if desired.

 

Giada's Pasta e Ceci Soup (Chick Pea Soup)

 

Earlier this year, when the weather was a bit cooler, I came across a recipe for Pasta e Ceci Soup. In August, on probably one of the hottest days of the year, I decided to make the chick pea soup again. My family is still trying to figure out why I made the soup that night as we sweat through dinner. I guess I was craving chick peas! But, for the life of me, I could not find that recipe. I searched in all the cookbooks but came up empty.

I finally came across the recipe on Serious Eats, posted by Kristen Swenson of Cheap, Healthy, Good. I was so excited. It was such a great soup and I wanted to keep the recipe in a place where I could find it. As she had mentioned it was in Giada DeLaurentiis' Everyday Pasta Cookbook.

The ingredients are common staples and the recipe is very similar to another soup Giada makes called Pasta e Fagioli. Like Kristen, I enjoy a pasta-style soup with pancetta. It gives the soup a wonderful flavor. I also like the way you thicken the soup by pureeing the chickpeas. It makes a hearty soup that can be complemented with a loaf of crusty bread.

Cooking is so easy when the ingredients are staples, the time and preparation is about 30 minutes and there are hungry people waiting to try something new.

Ingredients - serves 4 to 6

4 fresh thyme sprigs

1 large fresh rosemary spring

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup chopped onion (1 medium onion)

3 ounces pancetta, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 (14.5 ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice

3/4 cup ditalini or other small, tubular pasta

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Preparation

Wrap the thyme, rosemary and bay leaf in a piece of cheesecloth and secure with kitchen twine to make a sachet.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, pancetta and garlic and sauté until the onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Add the broth, beans, tomatoes and herb sachet. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes.

Discard the sachet. Transfer 1 cup of the bean mixture to a blender and reserve.

Add the ditalini to the soup pot, cover, and bring the liquid back to a boil. Boil gently until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Puree the reserved bean mixture until smooth, then stir the puree into the boiling soup. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls.

Sprinkle each serving with some Parmesan and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.

Quinoa, Mango and Black Bean Salad - Eating Well

 
Since my daughter, Danielle, graduated from Keene State in May, she has been trying to get me to eat healthier. Most of you know me for having a chocolate chip cookie for breakfast. She was a health and wellness major studying food and nutrition so more healthy cooking will probably be in our future.

Since she gets home earlier than us, she has been cooking some of our meals. She had been craving quinoa but didn't have a recipe. She went on-line and found this dish at Eating Well called Quinoa, Mango and Black Bean Salad. We had most of the ingredients and just needed the quinoa and mango. We doubled the recipe and it fed 5 people as a side dish with enough left for lunch the following day. The salad was easy to put together and tasted delicious with grilled chicken. The quinoa has a nutty taste and when it was mixed with the sweet red pepper and mango, not only was it colorful, but bursting with flavor. The fresh ginger, rice vinegar and sesame oil with the orange juice and scallions, dressed the salad nicely giving it an Asian flavor.

This is one of those side dishes that can be added to a quick dinner or great as a salad for a cook-out. It tastes great warm as well as cold.

1/2 cup quinoa, (see Note)

1 cup water

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1/8 teaspoon salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 small mango, diced

1 small red bell pepper, diced

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1. Toast quinoa in a small dry saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it crackles and becomes aromatic, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a fine sieve and rinse thoroughly. Return the quinoa to the pot and add water. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook until the quinoa is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk orange juice, cilantro, vinegar, oil, ginger, salt and cayenne in a medium bowl. Add mango, bell pepper, beans and scallions; toss to coat.
3. When the quinoa is finished cooking, add to the mango mixture and toss to combine.

Note:Quinoa, a delicately flavored grain, was a staple in the ancient Incas' diet. Toasting it before cooking enhances its flavor, and rinsing removes any residue of saponin, quinoa's natural, bitter protective covering.

Paula Deen's Apple Baked Bean Casserole

 
I know this isn't the greatest picture. Hunger over came my family and no one wanted to wait for me to take pictures. The picture doesn't do the recipe justice. Baked beans don't always look appetizing but they were delicious. 

I was home the other day after some minor eye surgery, relaxing on the couch. Whenever I am given the opportunity to watch TV during the day, I usually end up on the Food TV network. I was listening to Paula Deen talk about all the great things she was going to make with beans. She grabbed two small cans of beans and began to "doctor" them up. She added brown sugar, mustard, and apples and then covered the dish with bacon and placed it in the oven. There you have it Paula Deen's Apple Baked Bean Casserole.

I liked the combination of ingredients and I have a few baked bean recipes myself which are basic canned baked bean with a little bit of this and a little bit of that. When we decided to have hamburgers for dinner, I checked the pantry and there it was...two small cans of beans. I looked up Paula's recipe and it was so easy I thought I would definitely add this as another staple for our cookouts. The beans were tender and had that smokey taste of bacon. The apples were tart and blended well with the overall sweetness. We broke apart the crispy pieces of bacon and added them to each serving.

Paula Deen really does know how to "doctor" a few cans of baked beans!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 (15-ounce) cans Boston-style baked beans
• 1 cup diced Granny Smith apple
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 5 strips bacon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the bacon and mix well. Pour into the baking dish and lay the raw strips of bacon on top. Cover and bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until thick and bubbly. Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes.