Monthly Archives: November 2014

Sausage and White Bean Soup with Mixed Leafy Greens and Quinoa

Nov 17, 2014 Uncategorized 260 Comments

This soup is super healthy!
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Last week when I heard that the balmy weather we’ve been having in Annapolis was ending and chilling temperatures were on their way, I decided it would be a good time to bring out this comforting yet healthy soup. Perfect in a mug with a good book by a toasty fire. My whole family has been getting over colds, so we can use the antioxidants from the deep greens and tomatoes in this soup. Leafy green vegetables have not always been a favorite of mine. I find them bitter. The white beans create a balance and the sausage and other vegetables compliment the flavor producing a wonderful broth.

If you are unfamiliar with quinoa, try it. It is whole grain, high in protein, and easy to prepare. It will add a nutty flavor to the soup. If you don’t have quinoa, rice or pasta can be used. This soup is even tasty without the quinoa. I might double up on the white beans if skipping the starch. Feel free to mix up the leafy greens. Spinach, kale, or arugula can be used. I used smoked chicken sausage with apples. I also removed the casing which is just a personal choice, but easy to do if you want. Use any type of sausage you like. You can used raw sausage as well. Just brown it beforehand, crumbling the pieces as it cooks, and drain the fat.

Sausage and White Bean Soup with Leafy Greens and Quinoa

Makes 4 quarts soup or 10 servings

  • 2/3 cup Quinoa
  • 2 TBS. Olive Oil (or Canola)
  • 1 Onion – diced (approx. 2 cups)
  • 2 ribs Celery – diced (approx. 1 cups)
  • 12 baby or 2 full Carrots – diced (approx.1½ cup)
  • 1 small bunch Mustard Greens – finely chopped (approx. 3 cups)
  • 1 small bunch Swiss Chard – finely chopped (approx. 3 cups)
  • 2 cloves Garlic – crushed
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 1 tsp. Pepper
  • 1 14.5oz. can Diced Tomatoes
  • 12 oz. cooked Sausage – sliced (I used smoked chicken sausage w/ apples.)
  • 2 quarts homemade Vegetable or Chicken Stock (see recipes) (can substitute boxed)
  • 1 14.5oz. can Small White Beans – rinsed

Rinse the quinoa. Then bring to a boil in a pot with 1-1/3 cup water. Let simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Reserve the quinoa when done. • Add the olive oil to a soup pot or Dutch oven. Heat pot on stove burner set to medium-low heat. Start dicing the onion, celery, and carrots, putting them into the heated pot as each one is ready. Stir as you chop and add a shake of salt and pepper to start bringing out the flavors of the veggies. • Remove casing from sausage if you like. Slice the sausage lengthwise and then slice into 1/4″ pieces. Add the sausage to pot and sauté for 5 minutes. • Add the mustard greens and swiss chard and stir for several minutes until the greens break down. Add the garlic and stir for another minute until you can smell the garlic cooking. • Add the can of diced tomatoes with juice, the vegetable or chicken stock, and the white beans and simmer on low heat for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. • Add the quinoa. Check and adjust seasoning.

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Pumpkin Chili

Nov 9, 2014 Uncategorized 245 Comments

It’s finally here!
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This website has taken a little longer to set up than I planned so for the last several weeks many of my friends have been patiently waiting for this recipe. Hopefully, it will be worth the wait. I had to wait for it too sixteen years ago when my husband and I moved to Washington D.C. from Kansas City. We had just closed on our house and were unloading with the movers. A neighbor came by to welcome us. She said that she was a caterer and in the middle of preparing food for a client. One of her items was pumpkin chili and she had promised to drop some off for us before she left. Yum! I was so excited! As we struggled to get our oversized 90s couch into the house (that we eventually had to saw and collapse to fit through the door) I thought, “at least we have the pumpkin chili coming!” Time passed and no pumpkin chili. As the sun started to set, we realized it would never come. She probably got too busy and had to leave. Anyway, we never saw her again, but I kept thinking about the pumpkin chili. This is how I imagined it would taste.

Don’t skip the peppers because they really add to the flavor of the soup. I used banana peppers that we grew in our garden. You can use spicier ones, if you like, or even a can of green chills. Just make sure you get them in there. If any of you have never cooked with fresh pumpkin, I’ll give you some tips. Use the pie or sugar pumpkins that are usually available during Fall at the grocery store or market. They are smaller than the carving pumpkins so the average size is pretty small. They are easy to cut and soften nicely. I just use a knife and cut off the skin.  It’s easier and faster than a paring knife. Cut the pumpkin and squash into cubes an inch or less. If you can’t find pumpkin, acorn squash is a good substitute. In addition to the ground beef, chicken or turkey, chunks of beef or chicken work too. Either roast the meat with the veggies or use a crock pot. If roasting, place the whole pieces of beef or chicken in another dish with a little liquid, leaving it in the oven longer so it softens. Then break it apart with a fork. If using a crock pot, cut the meat into chunks and then put a ½ cup or so of water plus everything else, except the beans and cilantro, into the crock pot and set on low for 8 hours. Add the beans and cilantro when the chili is done. Feel free to add extra beans and cilantro. Sometimes I’ll add some small red beans in addition to the black. -Whatever you like.

Pumpkin Chili

Makes 4 quarts soup or 10 servings

  • 1 Onion – diced (approx. 2 cups)
  • 8 baby or 2 full Carrots – diced (approx. 1 cup)
  • 2 small or 1 extra-large Red Pepper – diced (approx. 1½ cups)
  • several Banana or Jalapeño Peppers (depending on heat preference) – diced (approx. 1½ cups)
  • 1 Butternut Squash – diced (approx. 4 cups)
  • 1 Fresh Pie Pumpkin or Sugar Pumpkin (2 small or 1 large Acorn Squash can be substituted) – diced (approx. 4 cups)
  • 3 cloves Garlic – crushed
  • ¼ cup Olive Oil (or Canola)
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 2 lbs. Ground Beef, Ground Chicken, or other Ground Meat
  • 3 TBS. Chili Powder
  • 2 TBS. Cumin
  • 2 tsp. Paprika
  • 2 tsp. Salt
  • 2 tsp. Pepper
  • 1 tsp. Dried Oregano
  • 1 14.5 oz. can Whole Peeled Tomatoes (with liquid) – chopped
  • 1 8 oz. can Tomato sauce
  • 1 14.5oz. can Black Beans – rinsed
  • 3 TBS. Fresh Cilantro – chopped
  • 1 tsp. Tabasco (optional – more or less to taste)
  • Juice of 1 Lime (optional)

Set oven to 350 degrees. Dice and chop the veggies and garlic, toss with olive oil and then lightly salt and pepper. Spread on a sheet or roasting pan, then roast approximately 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until they are fork tender, but not mushy. • While waiting for the veggies to cook, brown the ground meat in a soup pot or Dutch oven on the stove set to medium heat. When the meat is thoroughly cooked, drain any fat and leave the meat in the pot. • Add the spices, salt and pepper and stir for a few minutes. Then add the chopped tomatoes with liquid and tomato sauce. Turn heat down to medium-low. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Stirring occasionally to break down the tomatoes. • Add the black beans to the pot. Remove the veggies from the oven and add them to the pot as well. If they need a little more cooking time, they can be finished stove top. Either way, leave on the stove on medium-low heat until the flavors are melded. • Check and adjust seasoning. If the soup is too thick, add some water. Just remember to check seasoning and adjust if needed. Add the fresh cilantro, and, if you want, some Tabasco, hot sauce, or lime juice. Serve with fresh avocado.

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Mulligatawny Soup

Nov 7, 2014 Uncategorized 358 Comments

Great anytime!
DSCN0108There are so many reasons why I love this soup. It is fresh, exotic, and comforting all at once. Mulligatawny is an Indian soup that has many variations. I’ve had it so many different times and it always tastes delicious. I started making it myself last fall. I had injured a tendon in my hip and was walking (hobbling) around downtown Annapolis on a freezing, rainy October day. A friend and I stopped in the Market Place and got some soup to warm up. I chose Mulligatawny.  It was so tasty and I could feel the spices warming my body and relieving the tension in my hip. I ended up spending more time in the cold and felt bad again by the time I got home. The next day, my hip was still killing me and I was starting to feel sick. I had to have more of that soup! I tried to replicate it the best I could and it turned out pretty good. I shared a little with my family, but ate most of it myself and felt so much better the next day.

My version is healthier than what I had in Annapolis. (I’m pretty sure that soup had butter and maybe cream in it.) I do use coconut milk, but also a lot of vegetables, as I always do, which helps thicken the soup. My twist is lime juice and zest to give it a more tropical feel. If you can’t find red lentils, regular lentils are fine. Brown rice will make this healthier and add a little nuttiness to the taste. The chicken is optional; the soup is great either way and the lentils add some protein. A couple tablespoons of crushed cashews will add protein too!

Mulligatawny Soup

Makes 3 quarts soup or 8 servings

  • 2 -4 Bone-in Chicken Pieces (approx. 3 lbs. or 3 cups)
    (can substitute rotisserie)
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 cup Dried Red Lentils
  • 2 cups Cooked Rice
  • ¼ cup Olive Oil (or Canola)
  • 1 Onion – diced (approx. 2 cups)
  • 2 ribs Celery – diced (approx. 1 cups)
  • 12 baby or 2 full Carrots – diced (approx. 1-1/2 cups)
  • 1 large Red Pepper – diced (approx. 1-1/2 cups)
  • 1/3 to 1/2 Butternut Squash – diced (approx. 2 cups)
  • 2 Granny Smith Apples – cored, diced, and chopped
  • 3 cloves Garlic – crushed
  • 1 14.5 oz. can Diced Tomatoes
  • 2 tsp. Curry Powder
  • 1 tsp. Paprika
  • 1 tsp. Turmeric
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 1 tsp. Pepper
  • 1 tsp. Dried Thyme
  • 1 quart homemade Chicken Stock (see recipes) (can substitute boxed)
  • 1 can Coconut Milk
  • 8 Basil Leaves – julienned
  • 1 Lime – zest and juice

Set oven to 350 degrees. Salt and pepper the chicken, then roast it until cooked thru, approximately 45 to 60 minutes. Allow the chicken to cool a little when done so you can later remove it from the bone. • Cook the lentils by bringing 4 or more cups of water to a boil, then adding the lentils and simmering for 15 to 20 minutes. • Cook the rice in steamer or stovetop. For approximately 2 cups cooked use 1 cup dry with approximately 1-1/2 cups water. (Follow instructions for your type of rice or type of rice cooker.) • When the chicken is cool remove it from the bone and chop it into small pieces. • Add the olive oil to a soup pot or Dutch oven. Heat pot on stove burner set to medium-low heat. Start dicing and chopping the veggies/apples in order as they appear in the list, putting them into the heated pot as each one is ready. (So you start with onions and end with apples.) Stir as you chop and add a shake of salt and pepper to start bringing out the flavors of the veggies. Finally, when all the veggies and apples are in the pot, add the garlic and stir for another minute until you can smell the garlic cooking. • Add the can of tomatoes with juice as well as the spices. Stir for a minute to allow the spices to heat. Add the quart of chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer on low heat until squash is fork tender, approx. 10 minutes. • Emulsify to desired consistency with hand blender/emulsifier or food processor. Don’t puree too much, some small chunks are good, but it can be fairly smooth. • Add the chicken, rice, lentils, and any additional stock, if needed. Simmer for another 10 minutes. • Check and adjust seasoning. If soup is too thick, add a little more stock or water. Just remember, to check seasoning and adjust if needed. Serve with chopped spring onions, cashews, or other nuts.

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My Minestrone

Nov 7, 2014 Uncategorized 1,473 Comments

My version of this classic soup.
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The smell of basil always makes me happy. It’s fresh and fragrant, and reminds me of eating al fresco on a balmy summer evening. Even now as I go outside to pick basil in this cooler fall air I’m taken back to those soft summer evenings. This soup takes fresh basil and the last vegetables of the summer harvest and adds the new greens coming back as the days cool. I consider it a salute to the fun days of summer as we settle into the cozy days of fall.

My version has traditional minestrone vegetables as well as some seasonal additions.  I like to chop up the arugula and spinach finely so they meld into the broth. You can use any bean you like, but I prefer small white beans or navy beans because they aren’t as large and don’t overpower the spoonful.  Likewise, a tinier pasta also works best.  You can also substitute rice for the pasta or even skip it.  I have two layers of basil.  Half cooked into the soup and the the other half added fresh before serving.  For some extra flavor grate a little Parmigiano-Reggiano on top as well.  Enjoy!

My Minestrone

Makes 4 quarts soup or 10 servings

  • ¼ cup Olive Oil (or Canola)
  • 1 Onion – diced (approx. 2 cups)
  • 1 Leek – chopped (approx. 1/2 cup)
  • 2 ribs Celery – diced (approx. 1 cups)
  • 6 baby or 1 full Carrot – diced (approx. 3/4 cup)
  • 1 Red Pepper – diced (approx. 1 cups)
  • 1/3 to 1/2 Butternut Squash – diced (approx. 2 cups)
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 3 cloves Garlic – crushed
  • 1 14.5oz. can Diced Tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 1 tsp. Pepper
  • 1 tsp. Dried Thyme
  • 1 tsp. Dried Oregano
  • 1/3 lb. Green Beans – trimmed and cut into ¼” pieces
  • 1 Zucchini – diced (approx. 1 cup)
  • 2 quarts homemade Vegetable or Chicken Stock (see recipes)             (can substitute boxed)
  • 2 cups Arugula – finely chopped
  • 2 cups Baby Spinach Leaves – finely chopped
  • 20 Basil Leaves – julienned
  • 1 14.5oz. can Small White Beans – rinsed
  • ½ lb. Small Shell Pasta (Ditali,Tubette or other small shape pasta will work)

Boil the orzo in salted water. Drain and reserve the pasta when done. • Add the olive oil to a soup pot or Dutch oven. Heat pot on stove burner set to medium-low heat. Start dicing and chopping the veggies in order as they appear in the list up to the squash, putting them into the heated pot as each one is ready. (So you start with onions and end with squash.) Stir as you chop and add a shake of salt and pepper to start bringing out the flavors of the veggies. Finally, when all the veggies are in the pot, add the garlic and stir for another minute until you can smell the garlic cooking. Add the can of tomatoes with juice as well as the spices. Stir for a minute to allow the spices to heat. • At this point lightly emulsify (6-10 pulses) with hand blender/emulsifier or put several ladles full in food processor just to thicken the broth. Add the vegetable or chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add the green beans, zucchini, arugula, spinach, half of the basil, and the white beans and simmer on low heat for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, until the green beans are fork tender. • Add the pasta and simmer for another 5 minutes. Check and adjust seasoning. If soup is too thick, add a little more stock or water. Just remember to check seasoning and adjust if needed. Finally, add the rest of the julienned fresh basil before serving.

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