Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Soup

Wow, what an incredibly easy meal this is! I have seen similar soups to this one while out at restaurants and honestly, I never really paid much attention to them. They seem perfectly fine, but nothing too exciting. Well, I should have paid more attention to them! This soup is very versatile - just use whatever stock, green, sausage, and bean you have on hand. For the sausage use whatever kind you like best - next time I will try making this with hot Italian sausage for a little kick. You could use kale or any other green in this such as spinach, escarole, or beet greens, and for the beans use whatever you have in your pantry! The meaty sausage pairs so well with the creamy canellini beans and fresh kale to make a hearty soup that comes together in minutes, so give this soup a try! Enjoy :o)

Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 lb. sausage (casings removed)

1/2 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 quart low sodium chicken or beef stock

3 cups (packed) chopped kale

1 can of canellini beans, drained and rinsed

pinch of cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the sausage and use a wooden spoon to crumble it as it browns. Once the sausage is brown, add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the kale, beans, and stock and bring to a boil. Add the cayenne and season to taste with salt and pepper. Allow the soup to simmer for about 5-10 minutes to blend the flavors, then serve. Yum!

Corn and Crab Chowder

I love crab, especially when I can get lump or jumbo lump at a great price, and I stock up. I also love corn chowder. Put the two together and... wow! So yummy! I made this chowder before my parents arrived for their weekend getaway, and when they taste-tested it for me it got rave reviews. Like most of my recipes, this is a blend of several ideas, but it started with a corn chowder recipe that I came up with a year ago or so. This is has just been modified to blend well with the flavor of crab so it doesn't get lost among the other flavors. You can also add shrimp, scallops, fish, or lobster meat if you have that available. Also, I would suggest making the full batch and reheating for later meals... the flavors really blend much more after a day or two. Corn and crab chowder is very warming, filling, and satisfying! Enjoy :o)

Corn and Crab Chowder

makes about 10 servings 

Ingredients
5 slices bacon
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon dry sherry or brandy
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more if you like it spicier)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3 cups corn kernels
4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
6 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups milk
1 small can tiny shrimp (optional)
1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed

 

Place the bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven and cook over medium, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon, allow it to cool, crumble, and set aside.

In the same pot, heat 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Stir in the onion, green pepper, celery, carrot and garlic. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 10 minutes. Pour in the white wine and brandy/sherry, and bring to a simmer. Season with the basil, pepper, cayenne pepper, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce. Add the corn and potatoes, then pour in the chicken stock. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, melt 1/2 cup of butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour has turned the color of peanut butter to make a roux, about 10 minutes.

Stir the roux into the soup, and pour in the heavy cream, milk, and reserved bacon. Return to a simmer over medium-high heat, and cook until the potatoes are tender, and the soup has thickened, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with Cajun seasoning. Stir in the shrimp and crab meat shortly before serving just to heat through. Yum! :o)

Beef, Pork, and Bean Chili

Chili with homemade tortilla chips

I have been experimenting with making chili for years now. All of my versions have been close, but something is off. Too spicy, too bland, too many veggies, not enough veggies... the list goes on. I think I have finally found success! After many attempts, I have combined my favorite parts of each batch  and the end result is a well-rounded, spicy but not too spicy, flavorful bowl of chili. If you can handle more heat than me, feel free to add another chipotle pepper. If you are a little nervous about the heat, leave out the chipotle and perhaps add a little adobo sauce at the end to taste. A little goes a long way. The perfect scoopers for this chili are some homemade, crispy tortilla chips. Enjoy! :o)

Beef, Pork and Bean Chili – serves 4-6

Ingredients

3 tbsp. oil

1 ½ lbs. ground beef and pork (we had 1 lb. pork and ½ lb. beef on hand, but any ratio would work fine)

1 green bell pepper, cut into ½ inch dice

2 yellow onions, cut into ½ inch dice

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 chipotle pepper in adobo, chopped (spicy!)

¼ cup chili powder

1 tbsp. ground cumin

½ tbsp. dried oregano

½ tbsp. smoked sweet paprika

1 12 oz. beer, lager style

1 ½ cups beef stock

1 can (14.5 oz.) crushed tomatoes

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes

1 can (15.5 oz.) light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15.5 oz.) white or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 oz.) hominy*, drained

2 tbsp. masa harina **

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large Dutch oven or pot. Add the ground meat, bell pepper, and onion and sauté until meat is browned and veggies are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the chipotle, chili powder, cumin, oregano and paprika – coat meat with spices and cook for one minute until fragrant. Add the beer and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring to get the brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the beef stock and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to prevent from sticking to the bottom. After 45 minutes, add the beans and hominy and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in the masa harina and simmer until desired consistency is reached, 5-10 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve hot with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions, or tortilla chips (you can make some homemade ones with the leftover masa harina… yum!).

Notes

* hominy is basically a corn kernal without the hull (skin) or germ. Canned hominy resembles a plump corn kernel that holds up well in soups and stews (the consistency reminds me of a garbanzo bean). They are mild, yet tasty. I recommend trying them!

** masa harina is a very finely ground corn flour mixed with a hint of “limewater” popular in Mexico and South America. It is usually used for making corn tortillas, tamales, and arepas. “Maseca” is a brand that can be found in some chain grocery stores. Adding masa harina to the chili at the end of cooking imparts a subtle corn flavor, and it helps slightly thicken the soup as well. It’s a small ingredient that makes a big difference.

Leek and Potato Chowder

This brisk Autumn weather has inspired me to make a delicious and soul-warming soup. I picked up some yummy leeks the other day at the store, and this soup seemed like a perfect use for them. I call it a chowder instead of a soup because I leave it chunky and add some cream at the end for richness. You could certainly puree the end product and it will get silky smooth, but I like the texture of leaving it as-is. I really like leeks because of their mild yet distinct onion flavor. They are very versatile! If you have not worked with leeks before, check out my note at the end of the recipe about how to clean them. There is nothing worse than a gritty soup! This soup tends to be even better the next day, so make a big batch and devour the leftovers. I hope this recipe warms your belly :o)

Ingredients

4 tbsp. butter

3-4 large leeks, sliced into 1/2 inch half circles (*see note)

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 medium russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch dice

4 cups stock (chicken, veggie, beef, any combo is fine)

1 cup cream or milk

1 tbsp. cornstarch

salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, melt the butter. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt and sautee over low heat until softened, approximately 15 minutes. Be careful not to brown the leeks. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the potatoes and stock and bring to a boil. Boil until the potatoes are soft, approximately 10-15 minutes. Whisk the cornstarch into the cream and stir the cream mixture into the pot. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the soup has thickened slightly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

*Note on cleaning leeks: Leeks are mostly grown in sandy soil that can get stuck between the layers (some are now hydroponically grown to prevent this grit). Thorough cleaning is essential to removing the grit. The method I like best is to remove the dark green and root ends of the leek. Slice in half down the middle lengthwise, then cut half-rings to desired thickness. Fill a large bowl with cold water, and add the sliced leeks. Swish around with your hand, breaking up the rings to allow the water to remove sand from between the layers. Drain off the water, and pat the leeks dry. Works like a charm!