Tuscan Bean Soup

I think we can just go ahead and agree that Italians really know how to cook. At least Italian food ranks really high around my house. And this spinoff of a minestrone is so hearty and comforting that you will not be disappointed if you decide to give it a try. I found the recipe on Pinterest as Easy Tuscan Bean Soup. It was very similar to a minestrone that I made, so I decided to try it. I altered it just a little bit by leaving out the celery, swapping out the diced tomatoes for a can of tomato sauce, adding kidney beans,  using more spices and garlic, and using a flavored chicken stock. However you decide to prepare it, you won't be disappointed!

2 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 yellow summer squash, diced
8 cloves garlic, pressed
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1/2-1 tsp dried or fresh thyme
½-1 tsp dried or fresh rosemary
1 quart vegetable (or chicken) broth (I used Tuscan flavored chicken broth)
2 (14 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14 ounce) can Italian flat green beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
3 cups chopped kale, ribs removed and rinsed, or spinach
2 tsps salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp white sugar
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

Prepare your ingredients - once you get going you won't have time to stop and chop. Cut and rinse kale. Peel and chop squash, carrots, zucchini and onion. Chop or measure out spices, garlic, and salt and pepper. Open cans of beans and rinse.

Heat 2 Tbsps of olive oil in a 6-quart or larger Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, zucchini, and squash.

Saute for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme and rosemary. Cook 30 seconds. Stir in the broth, beans, and tomato sauce.

Bring the contents to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and add the chopped kale.

Cover the pot and simmer for 15-30 minutes. Use an immersion blender, or you can use the poor man's version - a masher lol - to partially puree the soup, leaving some chunks of beans and vegetables for texture.

Add the salt, pepper, sugar, and vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve topped with your favorite cheese. I used some samples I picked up at Publix, and they worked wonderfully. We also had some Rosemary flatbread with ours, and it was delicious! Feed your body and warm your soul with this wonderful, fulfilling meal.

Vegetable Beef Soup

Imagine it's cold outside, and maybe even raining. What can you prepare for dinner? While chili or beans are good options for a cold winter's day meal, maybe you should give this recipe a try also. This is a soup my dad used to make, and I've taken it and made it my own. I hope you try it, and I hope you enjoy it as much as me and my family do.

2 lbs stew meat
1 large can tomato juice
2 15-ounce cans tomato sauce
1-2 12-ounce cans tomato paste
4-5 lbs potatoes, diced
2 cans lima beans
2 cans sweetened corn
2 cans garbanzo beans
salt, season all salt, pepper

First, cut the stew meat into bite size pieces. Some will be in half, others in thirds, and still others may be in fourths. There's no science to it, just cut it up.

Place in a very large stew pot. Add 3-4 Tbsps of season all salt and 2-3 Tbsps of pepper. This seems like a lot, but you will be filling up this entire pot before you're done. Just cover the stew meat with water.

Put on large stove eye on high heat. Once it begins to boil turn down between medium and medium-high. Allow to cook until water reduces and stew meat is cooked through.

Next add the tomato juice, tomato sauce, and one of the tomato paste cans. This will thicken the sauce of the soup, but if you need the second can of paste to thicken more then add it.

Allow to cook for 30 minutes. While it cooks, peel and dice the potatoes. Add carefully to the tomato and meat mixture.

Cook on medium-high heat stirring frequently to prevent the potatoes sticking until the potatoes are fork tender. If stew is boiling too much, then turn heat down to medium. This should take 1-2 hours to get the potatoes cooked. Remember, stir often and be sure to reach the bottom of the pot. Once the potatoes seem to be getting close to done, open and drain the lima beans, corn, and garbanzo beans.

Once the potatoes are tender, add the corn, garbanzo beans, and lima beans. Cook for 30 minutes to an hour until beans are cooked and tender.

Salt and pepper to taste. Serve in your favorite bowl with a heaping pile of saltine crackers.

Savor and enjoy!

Taco Soup

While perusing Pinterest one day a few weekends ago, I saw a picture for a Slow Cooker Taco Chili, and it looked goooood! So, I finally got the ingredients, and gave it a try today, with a few minor adjustments. Well, one big one... I just used a pot on the stove and not the crockpot. And not only was it quite easy, but it was very tasty!

1 lb. ground beef
1 can (15.25oz) sweet corn (don't drain)
1 can (15oz) black beans (don't drain)
1 can (15oz) red kidney beans (don't drain)
1 can (15oz) tomato sauce
1 cup salsa (I used a thick and chunky style)
3 Tbsp taco seasoning
1 tsp salt

In a large soup pot, cook the ground beef until brown. Drain if needed - I use a 90 percent or 97 percent beef, so I usually keep what little grease is left to add flavor. Add corn, beans, salsa, tomato sauce, salt and taco seasoning. Make sure to add the liquid from all your cans of corn and beans. Give a quick stir to combine the ingredients. 

Simmer on low/med-low for an hour or two to allow the flavors to meld, stirring occasionally.

Top as desired. I used cheddar cheese and Fritos. You can add avocado, sour cream, cornbread, or anything else you like.

Tomato Basil Soup

There's nothing quite like the warm yumminess that is creamy tomato basil soup. I haven't always felt that way though. I didn't start liking tomato soup until I was 18 years old. Now, it's pretty much a staple soup in my house. I particularly like the V8 tomato soup, but I've been searching for one I can make myself, and I think I finally found it... on Pinterest, of course: Fire Roasted Tomato Basil Soup. I've tried this soup several times, and I kept making it too spicy. So, this round, I left the crushed red pepper out completely. Otherwise, this is a really simple, quite tasty soup. It doesn't make too much, but definitely enough for several bowls. If you decide to make this, please, please, please, make sure you have an immersion blender. I've burnt my hands, and made quite a mess in my kitchen because I've had to use my regular blender. Next time, I will be prepared!

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, chopped
3 (14 ounce) cans of hunt's fire roasted tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock for vegetarian)
1/2 cup half and half
1 Tbsp crushed red pepper (if using)
20 fresh basil leaves, chopped (I used two tsps)
salt and pepper, to taste

In a heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat, pour in the olive oil and saute onion until translucent. Add the chopped garlic (except for 1 clove) and sauté with the onion for 2 minutes.

Next, add the cans of fire roasted tomatoes (including the juice) to the pan and cover for about 15 minutes, stirring as needed.

Add the chicken stock and half and half and bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered, for 10 minutes or until it has thickened.

Add the remaining chopped garlic clove, crushed red pepper if using it, basil and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Lower your heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes more.

Using an immersion blender (or carefully transfer soup to a blender in two batches to avoid splattering), puree soup until there are no large chunks of tomato left. 

Soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days or in the freezer for up to three months.

Cauliflower Soup

I love cream soups - cream of leek, cauliflower soup, cream of asparagus. It's a great way to get some vegetables in your diet, and they make for an enjoyable light dinner. This recipe was passed to me from my mom. I think she got it from our German friends who used to own a cafe, but I'm not positive. Here it is.

Cut off the base and greenery from your head of cauliflower. If it's too big for your pot, you can cut it in half. Cover with water and boil until the cauliflower is fork tender. Remove from heat and remove cauliflower to cool, but keep the water stock. Once the cauliflower is cool, cut it up to your desired size. My mom always kept the florets rather large. I mangle mine into bite-size pieces.

Then we make the base of the soup next. Mom's recipe only calls for about 2-3 Tbsp of butter and flour, but I used a whole lot more - probably 1/2 to 1 cup of butter. Melt it in the soup pot. Add enough flour to create a roux. Add some of the water stock, about a cup or two, and whisk until smooth, and then add enough of the stock to fill about half the pot.

Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat. If it's not thick enough, and it probably won't be, pull a cup or so of the liquid and put in a bowl or cup. Add flour until thick and then slowly add the mixture back to the soup pot. Whisk well to ensure a smooth consistency. Do this however many times you need until the soup begins to thicken to the consistency you want. Once complete, add the cauliflower, and be sure not to boil the soup again.

Right before serving the soup, mix one small container of heavy whipping cream and one egg yolk, and add to the soup and mix well. 

You will probably want to add some salt and pepper to the soup while it's still in the pot. It's only cauliflower, water, flour and butter, so it can be pretty bland by itself. I use Maggi seasoning in my bowl of soup and I love it. This soup really hits the spot, and it's pretty inexpensive to make.