NOT your Grandma's bean soup!

Just about everyone has tasted one version or
another of the classic white bean soup with ham.
Others may prefer more of a spicy Creole version
that uses tomatoes and closely resembles a gumbo.
Still others may have enjoyed a south-of-the-border
version using lots of onions and peppers, and served
with fresh warm tortillas. Well, THIS version is none
of those. Or maybe it's a part of each of those combined.
Either way, it is a unique grouping of flavors and textures
that I think many will enjoy as a break from traditional bean soups or stews. One side note is that this soup begins with a broth made fresh from a previously discarded ham bone...
hopefully with a little meat and fat still clinging. Here we go!

Ingredients:


1 ham bone
3 T. finely chopped fat from the boiled ham bone
1 cup diced sweet yellow onion
4 stalks celery, chopped
3 large carrots, diced
1 pound dried white northern beans, soaked and cooked
1/4 pound dried black beans, soaked and cooked
4 medium sized red potatoes, diced
1 large can diced tomatoes, or use whole tomatoes and cut them up yourself.
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1 T. dried basil
2 T. minced garlic
1 t. dried dill weed

Instructions:


Boil the ham bone in 2 quarts of water for two hours. Meanwhile...

Speedsoak the dried beans by covering them with 2 quarts of water, bring to a boil, and simmer for one hour. Drain and rinse the beans, then cover them with 2 fresh quarts of water and boil until they are tender...should be about 30 minutes. **You may be wondering why it is worth it to begin with dried beans rather than using a canned variety. Mainly, the issue is one of nutrition. While one cup of canned navy beans and one cup of cooked dried navy beans are almost identical nutritionally as far as protein, carbohydrates, and fiber count, that cup of canned beans also contains 1,174mg of sodium. The average adult only requires between 180 and 500mg of sodium per day TOTAL.  Meanwhile...

Dice the onion, celery, carrots, and ham fat/meat scrap. Saute' with the garlic until vegetables are just barely soft. Set aside.

No need to remove the bone from the broth…leaving it in will just enhance the flavor of the soup. Add the sautee'd vegetables, cooked beans, tomatoes, and potatoes. Add seasonings and cover with a lid. Simmer for thirty minutes before adjusting seasonings and checking potatoes for doneness.

The soup will thicken as the potatoes cook, so don't worry about it seeming "brothy"...the potatoes will thicken the broth and the beans will absorb broth, evening out the soup nicely.

Serve with fresh crusty bread. This soup freezes very well, so extras can be saved for another day.

Enjoy!

Chicken and Dumplings

This is a classic "comfort food" dish, perhaps better known as "one of those hot meals that warms you when you're cold and makes you just feel generally happier with life". It is simple, filling, and healthy. I am partial to the breast meat of a chicken, but you could use ANY chicken meat for this tick, gravy-like dish. Use whatever meat you prefer, and above all...Enjoy!

*The simplest method involves roasting the chicken ahead of time. If using a whole chicken, this will take about two hours, while chicken pieces can be cooked quickly in a skillet with a little oil to prevent sticking. I recommend using bone-in, full skin chicken so that the bones and skin can be used to make your own broth for the gravy. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, garlic, and perhaps an herb mix such as Mrs. Dash.

Ingredients:


1-2 pounds chicken meat, make this dish as meaty as you like
1 cup carrots, sliced thick
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1/2 cup saute'ed sweet yellow onions
1/2 cup white flour
1 cup milk or cold water
salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of dried rosemary

1 cup white flour
2t. baking powder
2T melted butter
1/2 cup milk


Instructions:


Place your pre-cooked chicken into 2 quarts of water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about ten minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the carrots and saut'e the onions.

Add the carrots, peas and onions to simmering chicken in broth.

Remove chicken from the broth. Remove all the skin and bones, placing both back into the broth to simmer for another fifteen minutes or so.

Add rosemary to the simmering broth. Scoop out the chicken bones and skin...discard.

Mix last four ingredients to make dumpling dough. Bring broth to a hard boil, then drop dough in by rounded teaspoonfuls. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for fifteen minutes.

Scoop dumplings out with a slotted spoon into a bowl. Mix flour and milk or water together, then stir into broth to make a thick gravy. Replace dumplings, maintain heat at a low simmer, and cook for just a few minutes to allow flavors to blend. Serve hot.

Roasted Vegetable chowder

Chowders are a great way to use up extra vegetables, and many can be served either hot or chilled. This makes them a convenient warm weather dish as well as a comforting meal on a cold winter day. Roasting the vegetables beforehand gives this chowder a distinctive flavor that is sure to please. Serve with a crusty French bread or folded flat bread and enjoy! This chowder also freezes very well, so go ahead and split it into containers to pull out of the freezer on a busy day when you don't have time to cook.

Ingredients:

3 small zucchini, chopped small
1 sweet red bell pepper, chopped small
1 large yam, chopped small
2 stalks celery, chopped small
3 carrots, shredded
3 roma tomatoes, chopped small
3 white potatoes, chopped small
1 cup frozen yellow corn
1 cup frozen green beans, finely chopped
1 medium-sized sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves freshly pressed garlic
1  4 ounce Italian sausage link
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon parsley
1/4 teaspoon dill weed
1 quart chicken broth
1 cup milk
1/3 cup white flour

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

Combine all of the vegetables, olive oil, and seasonings, tossing to coat the vegetables thoroughly.

Place in 9x13 baking pan and roast uncovered in pre-heated oven for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove casing from the sausage and brown the meat in a skillet until thoroughly cooked. Set aside until vegetables are finished roasting.

Add roasted vegetables, sausage, and chicken broth to a large pot and simmer together for 45 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

Mix flour thoroughly into the milk and stir into soup mixture. Bring to a gentle boil, then turn down to lowest simmer and allow to cook for another 15 minutes before serving.

Roasted Vegetable Chowder