Black Bean Soup with Lime and Cumin

My introduction to black bean soup was served with a slice of lemon floating on its rich brown-black surface. Following my host's lead, I sank the lemon with my spoon and smashed it against the bottom of my bowl, releasing a snappy hit of lemon juice. My version of this smooth and elegant soup uses a combination of lime (instead of lemon), cumin, and chipotle chile for a piquant Mexican savor. It's a delight either hot or cold. RECIPE INGREDIENTS 2 cups dried black beans (4 cups cooked) 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon whole cumin 1 cup chopped onions 4-5 cups reserved bean stock or bean stock and water 1/2 canned chipotle chile 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons lime juice Salt, to taste Lime slices, garnish Finely chopped cilantro, garnish

DIRECTIONS Sort through, rinse, soak, and cook the beans by your preferred method. While the beans are cooking, heat the oil in a nonstick or heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the cumin and brown it, taking care not to burn it. Add the onions and cook slowly until browned. Drain the beans, reserving 5 cups of the stock. Puree the beans with 4 cups of the reserved stock in a blender or food processor. Add the onion mixture chile, lime juice, and salt and process until velvety smooth. If the soup is too thick, thin it with the remaining 1 cup of stock. Reheat the soup to serve it hot. To serve it cold, cool the soup to room temperature and chill it in the refrigerator 4-5 hours, or in the freezer, stirring occasionally, 1 1/2 hours. Either hot or cold, garnish each serving of soup with a slice of lime floating in the middle and a sprinkling of the cilantro.

Chick Pea Stew

Chick Pea Stew

Active Time: 20 Minutes Total Time: 35 Minutes Yield: 4 servings, about 1 cup each When time is of the essence, this hearty stew makes a quick meal. It has a complex, almost beefy flavor that develops when the onion and garlic are cooked until dark brown. Accompany with steamed rice or whole-wheat flatbreads (chapatis). Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. RECIPE INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 medium red onion, chopped (1 cup) 5 medium cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, ground (see Ingredient Note) 1 cup water 1 red potato, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch cubes 1 19-ounce or 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, divided 1 medium tomato, cut into 1-inch cubes Ingredient Note: Coriander seeds are tiny and yellowish brown; they are produced when cilantro is allowed to seed. They smell slightly citric. Their flavor does not resemble, in any way, that of cilantro.

DIRECTIONS Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; cook cumin seeds for 10 seconds. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until dark brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Add coriander; cook, stirring, for 20 seconds. Stir in water, potato, chickpeas, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon cilantro. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the potato is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add tomato, increase heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro and serve.

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

Bake, peel scoop out flesh, and cube:
3 butternut squash (or 3, 12 oz pkg)

Saute:
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 T butter

Add, and simmer:
3 cans chicken broth

Add squash and:
curry, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
3 strips fried bacon (optional)

Chunky Garden Vegetable Soup

Chunky Garden Vegetable Soup

by Lindsay

Saute in 2 T olive oil:
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed

Add:
1 carrot, cut in 1/4" slices
1/4 lb fresh peas
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 c water
2 c chicken, vegetable or beef broth
1/2 c acini di pepe pasta, uncooked
1 t salt
1/2 t black pepper

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 30-45 minutes until vegetables and pasta are tender.

Yields: 8 cups

Corn Bread

Got this recipe from Kip who got it from his friend from Kathy.

This side dish was born of desperation because I got home from a dentist appointment with one of the kids too late to make yeast bread. Corn bread is something that can be made quickly. It proved a wonderful change of pace. And, since this is a Marie Callendar-style corn bread (meaning it's quite sweet, almost more of a corn cake than a corn bread), it put smiles on faces all around the table. It's also heavy enough to fill everyone up on soup night.

Corn Bread
2 cups flour
2 cups corn meal
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 Tablespoons baking powder
2 eggs
2 cups milk
2/3 cup oil

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the wet ingredients and stir until they are thoroughly combined. Pour in a greased 9 x 13 inch pan and bake for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees

Chicken and Barley Soup

Ingredients

Serves 6.

• 10 cups water
• 3 chicken drumsticks and 1 whole bone-in chicken breast, split, skin removed
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled (4 left whole and 4 very thinly sliced)
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 12 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus 2 teaspoons coarsely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 2 medium carrots, cut into 4-inch pieces
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 4-inch pieces
• 1 cup pearl barley
• 1 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 teaspoon olive oil

Directions

1. Bring water, chicken, onion, whole garlic cloves, bay leaves, thyme and parsley sprigs, peppercorns, carrots, and celery to a boil in a pot, skimming foam from surface as necessary. Reduce heat, and gently simmer until broth turns deep gold, about 1 1/2 hours. Let cool, then skim fat from surface.
2. Meanwhile, cook barley according to package instructions.
3. Strain stock, reserving chicken breasts and discarding all other solids. Remove meat from bone, and shred into 2-inch pieces. Reheat stock and chicken in a saucepan, and stir in salt.
4. Just before serving, finely chop remaining parsley with the lemon zest until combined. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds.
5. Divide barley, stock, and chicken among 6 bowls. Garnish with sliced garlic and parsley-lemon mixture.

Chicken and Rice Soup

Chicken and Rice Soup from Martha Stewart Ingredients Serves 8. 1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds), skin removed 1 1/2 pounds (9 to 10 medium) carrots, peeled and halved crosswise 1 pound (5 to 6 medium) parsnips, peeled and halved crosswise 4 celery stalks, thinly sliced crosswise 2 large onions (about 1 pound), , halved and sliced 2 bay leaves 2 garlic cloves, smashed 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns Coarse salt 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice 6 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly slice Directions In a large soup pot, combine chicken, carrots, parsnips, celery, onions, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, and 1 teaspoon coarse salt. Add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium. Simmer partly covered, occasionally skimming and discarding fat from surface, about 1 hour. With a slotted spoon or tongs, remove chicken, carrots, and parsnips from pot; set aside. Pour remaining contents of pot through a fine-mesh sieve into another large pot; discard solids, and bring broth to a boil. Add rice and white part of scallions. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer, uncovered, until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, remove chicken from bones, and shred into bite-size pieces (discard any fatty or discolored parts). Cut carrots and parsnips into bite-size pieces. When rice is cooked, return chicken, carrots, and parsnips to broth in pot; add green part of scallions. Season generously with 5 to 6 teaspoons coarse salt. (To freeze, see note.)

Mexican Chicken Chile

Mexican Chicken Chile

3 cans Kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
2 cans Italian Flavored Tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
2 cans of corn
1 onion diced
5-7 diced garlic cloves
2 raw chicken breasts
3 Tablespoons salt
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Add everything to a large crockpot, undrained or uncooked. Cook on medium/ low for 6 to 8 hours. Between hours 5 and 6, pull out the two chicken breasts, cut them into tiny, tiny pieces, and put the chicken back in crockpot.

Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream with crackers on the side.

Santa Fe Stew

Santa Fe Stew/ Chile/ Soup

Santa Fe Soup

2 lb ground turkey breast
1 onion chopped
2 (.5 oz) Ranch Dressing mix
1 pkg taco mix
1 (16 oz) can blk beans undrained
2 (16 oz) cans white corn undrained
2 cups water
1 (16 oz) can kidney beans undrained
1 (16 oz) can pinto beans undrained
1 (16 oz) can diced tomato w/ chilies undrained
1 (16 oz) can crushed tomatoes undrained

Garnish: sour cream, cheese, green onions, tortilla chips, avocado

Cook turkey and onion together until turkey is thoroughly cooked.
Stir in Ranch dressing and taco seasoning packages into turkey
Add remaining ingredients with juices
Add water
Simmer for 2 hours
if soup is too thick add more water

Garnish and serve with tortilla chips


Notes: This recipe reminds me of my mom. She makes it and loves it, and she got stitches making it when she was in Utah helping me when McKenna was born. In March 2010, my mom and I baked bread all day, and we ate my mom's perfect rustic rolls with this dish.



Try serving this with: An artisan corn bread