Tomato Basil White Bean Soup- with Couscous

Tomato Basil White Bean Soup- with Couscous
(file photo)

The word is out! Here in New England snow is in our future for this weekend!  Looks like snowblowers, snow plows and snow shovels will be put to very good use on Sunday.  Any time the word snow is mentioned I think of a bowl of hearty hot soup.  One that is easy to prep is always a bonus.  Tomato Basil White Bean Soup fits that description.  

You probably have the ingredients in your kitchen ready to use.  Chicken Broth, tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, dried basil and kidney beans are quite often staples for many of us.  There are a few more ingredients, too.  I also add Couscous to the soup, but it is not necessary.  If I do not have white kidney beans, I use red kidney beans instead.  It takes little time to prepare and it is so delicious!

Click here for my Tomato Basil White Bean Soup recipe.  If you do not prepare a batch this weekend, save the recipe for next weekend!  Our chilly weather is here.

Enjoy!
Yummy!

         

Chili

Chili

Sometimes, you need to work with the ingredients at hand!  Like these days when a quick trip to the grocery store is just not in the cards... whenever.  Planning ahead and purchasing needed groceries for 8- 10 days is a new norm for us.  It is working, though.  Sometimes, an ingredient is not in the fridge, so it is just skipped or substituted.  That was the case with Friday night's dinner. 

Chili "did its thing" in my Slow Cooker.  It cooked itself!  The ingredients were in the cooking pot simmering.  Usually, I use Ground Turkey when making Chili, but we enjoyed it with Ground Beef.  There was no Green Pepper to be found in my fridge, so half of the Diced Tomatoes were placed in the Slow Cooker's pot, first.  Then, the browned Ground Beef was added in.

Chili is so delicious any time of year with Ground Turkey or Ground Beef.  After dinner the extra portions were placed in a freezer container ready to be defrosted/ enjoyed at a later date.  It is so easy to prepare in a Slow Cooker! 

My complete Directions for Chili are here!    

There were a couple of changes when preparing it, but two things did not change.  We had the rye bread. We also added a dollop of Sour Cream on top of our serving of Chili.  It was so good!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

           

Tomato Basil White Bean Soup

Tomato Basil White Bean Soup
(File Photo)

There is nothing better than a bowl of warm, hearty, yummy soup on a chilly evening.  Especially when and if one is sneezing.  Sometimes, soup is prepared before dinner and sometimes after taking a quick look in our freezer I can find a container of one!  One of our faves is Tomato Basil White Bean Soup!  It is easy to prepare and the ingredients are in my pantry.  If you do not have them, then definitely add them to your grocery list. 

When preparing this soup, the white kidney beans are rinsed in cold water and drained.  Repeat again.  Then, everything is placed in a large pot and the ingredients simmer on the stove for 30 minutes.  It is that easy!  I know, it's hard to believe!

If we have leftover Rice in our fridge, I add it to the pot.  If not, Couscous is prepared just before serving and added to the bowls before ladling in the soup.  My linked recipe has the Couscous.

There are always leftover portions, so I freeze 2 portion servings in freezer containers.  It's always a great find after a busy day!  This is a simple soup and it tastes simply delicious!  Click here for recipe!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

            

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

Super Bowl Sunday is approaching fast!  The day when viewing the commercials on t.v. is as much FuN as watching the game.  It's become a tradition here- enjoying a bowl of hot hearty Slow Cooker Chili on that day!  Slow Cookers/ Crock Pots are so handy here.  All the ingredients go into the pot & the small kitchen appliance does the cooking.  A meal in a pot!

If there are any portions remaining, Chili freezes very well.  Cool before placing in containers, label/ date & freeze.        

This year there's a little change up in my recipe.  Lean Ground Turkey replaces Ground Beef!

2 Helpful Hints: 

• My Slow Cooker has a non-stick coating, so the Green Pepper chunks are added on the bottom of the pot first to prevent any too crispy Ground Turkey.  (Yes, once I had crispy meat on the bottom & this is how I prevent it from occurring again.)
  
• I brown the Ground Turkey before placing in the Slow Cooker's pot to remove the fat. 

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

 Ingredients:
1 lb. lean Ground Turkey
1 small Green Pepper, cut into small chunks
(1) 14.5 oz. can Diced Tomatoes, drained
(2) cans Red Kidney Beans (about 19 oz. each)
Chopped Onions (I use 1 Tablespoon dehydrated Onions.)
Chopped Parsley (I use 1 Tablespoon dehydrated Parsley.) 
2- 3 teaspoons Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
(2) cans Tomato Sauce (15 oz. each)

Method:

1. Spray nonstick cooking pot of Slow Cooker with PAM. 
2.  Brown Ground Turkey in a frying pan.
3.  Cut Green Pepper into chunks & place in cooking pot.
4.  Add browned Ground Turkey.
5.  Add drained Diced Tomatoes.
6.  Drain Kidney Beans.  Rinse in cold water.  Drain again.
7.  Place on top of Diced Tomatoes.
8.  Sprinkle on desired amount of chopped Onions & chopped Parsley.
9.  Then, sprinkle Chili Powder, Garlic Powder & Oregano on top.
10.  Pour Tomato Sauce on top & spread evenly.
11.  Place lid on top of Slow Cooker/ Crock Pot.
12.  Set temperature to High for 2 and 1/2 hours.  Then, reduce to Medium for 1/2 hour. 
13.  Stir before serving into bowls.

While you're adding the Turkey Chili ingredients to your grocery list for this weekend, add Fat Free Sour Cream & Rye Bread.  A dollop of Sour Cream on top of Chili is so good!  The Rye Bread is great for dunking!

Go Falcons!!!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

~Super Bowl Chili~

Slow Cooker will be cooking away!

It's that time of year!  Tomorrow is Super Bowl Sunday!  The day when watching the commercials on t.v. & watching the football game are both FuN!  And, you just do not wanna' miss the half time show.  You get the picture- spending time in the kitchen, cooking? Ah, no!

Hey, it's fine to get the dishes & utensils, but just not the day to cook.  But you gotta' eat!  The choice is not ordering salty "take out"  foods, either.  Super Bowl Chili is a great choice!  In the early afternoon brown the Ground Beef & place it along with the other ingredients in the slow cooker/ crock pot.  That small appliance will take care of the cooking detail.  When it's ready, remove the lid, stir the cooked ingredients & take out the serving ladle!  The great aroma will invite everyone to take a bowl & fill it.

If, there are any remaining portions later, cool & pack in freezer containers.  Super Bowl Chili freezes very well, too!      

Super Bowl Chili

Ingredients:
1- 1¼  lbs. Ground Beef
1 small Green Pepper, cut into small chunks
(1) 14.5 oz. can Diced Tomatoes, drained
(2) cans Red Kidney Beans (about 19 oz. each)
Chopped Onions (I use 1 Tablespoon dehydrated Onions.)
Chopped Parsley (I use 1 Tablespoon dehydrated Parsley.)
2- 3 teaspoons Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
(2) cans Tomato Sauce (15 oz. each)

***and do not forget the:

Fat Free Sour Cream - Add a dollop on top of Chili in bowl before eating!
Rye Bread - for dunking

Method:

1. Spray nonstick cooking pot of Slow Cooker with PAM.
2. Brown Ground Beef in a frying pan.
3. Place Green Pepper chunks in cooking pot.
4. Add browned Ground Beef.
5. Add drained Diced Tomatoes.
6. Drain Kidney Beans.  Rinse in cold water.  Drain again.
7. Place on top of Tomatoes.
8. Sprinkle on desired amount of chopped Onions & chopped Parsley.
9. Then, sprinkle Chili Powder, Garlic Powder & Oregano on top.
10. Pour Tomato Sauce over top & spread.
11. Place lid on top.
12. Set temperature to High for 2 and 1/2 hours.  Then, reduce to Medium for 1/2 hour.
13. Stir before serving into bowls. 

**I brown the Ground Beef before placing in the Slow Cooker's pot to remove the fat.
**The Green Pepper cut into chunks is added on the bottom of the pot first to prevent any too crispy Ground Beef. 

This Chili is incredible!  It's so good & it's so easy!  A great family style dinner that only needs to be ladled from the cooking pot. 

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

Chicken Chili

During the frigid winter, mentioning the food Chili always brings visions of hot steaming bowls of a thick red comfort food served in a bowl.  Two days ago in my pantry I located red kidney beans.  I had plum tomatoes. Chicken was in the fridge.  It was the great opportunity to take out my Chicken Chili recipe!

This is a great meal to prepare in a Slow Cooker or in a Crock Pot.  I remember finding a variation of it originally in "some" magazine a few years ago when I was writing (typing) a cookbook with easy recipes for my son.  It was the summer after he graduated from college.  That summer a crash course in food & food safety took place in our kitchen.  After coming home from his summer job in the evening, he & I whipped up dinners.  As a mom I needed to know that he had some kitchen experience - before he started the next phase of his education that September.  After all, he could not eat out all the time.  It worked well!  Now, I smile when he & his family are visiting "back home" and he asks if he can help in the kitchen.  :) The answer is always "Yes"!

My younger son learned his basic cooking skills using the same method.  I had compiled 2 cookbooks 3 years earlier.  Whenever he is "back home" he is our "Garlic Mashed Potatoes" guy.  :)  Nice!

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili 

Ingredients:
1 Green Pepper, cut into strips
1- 1 and 1/2 lbs. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Cup sliced Okra - Optional (I use frozen & defrosted.)
1 Tablespoon Dehydrated Onion
1 Tablespoon Dehydrated Parsley
2 cans 14 oz. Red Kidney Beans, drained, rinsed & drained again
1 can Plum Tomatoes - 15- 22 oz. - drained & cut into chunks
2- 3 teaspoons Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Oregano
1 can 14.5 oz. Chicken Broth (Low Sodium, Low Fat)
3 Tablespoons Flour

Sometimes 8 oz. Tomato Sauce is added to the pot before placing the lid on top.

Method:

1. Place Pepper Strips in Slow Cooker Pot.
2. Add Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts on top.
3. Top with sliced Okra.
4. Sprinkle on Onion & Parsley.
5. Add Red Kidney Beans.
6. Top with Tomato Chunks.
7. Sprinkle on Chili Powder, Garlic Powder, Cumin & Oregano.
8. In small bowl blend 3 Tablespoons Flour with about 1 Cup Chicken Broth until smooth.
9. Add remaining Broth to bowl & blend together.
10. Pour liquid over ingredients in Slow Cooker.
11. Add Cover.
12. Cook on High for 3 and 1/2 hours.  Reduce to Medium for 1/2 hour.
13. Before serving, stir Chili.  The tender Chicken breaks into smaller pieces.
14. Ladle into soup bowls. 
15. Enjoy with a dollop of low fat sour cream & rye bread.

After enjoying a delicious dinner containing Okra at the Okra Grill in Mount Pleasant, SC a few years ago, I use Okra in some recipes.  It's a great addition to my Slow Cooker Chicken Chili, so a package of sliced Okra is always on hand in my freezer.

A steaming bowl of Chicken Chili at dinner tastes great during our long lasting "cold snap"!  The remaining portions are in our fridge.  The seasonings in the Chili are absorbed by the other ingredients.  Yes, sometimes Ziploc Freezer Containers of this yummy "comfort food" is placed in the freezer.   
  
We will Enjoy again!
Yummy!

        

Super Bowl Chili

Super Bowl Chili

Super Bowl Sunday!  The time to get comfy and watch the commercials on t.v.!  Oh, definitely, also focus on the game!  We all have our fave team.  Even years before attending my first Boston College Football game, watching football was a weekend fave activity.  My sons were SuperFans watching their BC Eagles in Alumni Stadium during home games.  Parent Weekends were great!  The tradition lives on, attending games and also following the careers of former BC football players in the Pros!

This Sunday we'll be enjoying the big game.  My West Bend Slow Cooker will be put to work... Chili is on the menu.  Yummy!  Placing the ingredients in the Slow Cooker's pot, adding the cover, setting the temperature to High later reducing to Medium...dinner will be so tasty & it will cook itself!   

(Usually, I place one veggie in the Slow Cooker's pot and then add the meat/chicken.  The pot has a nonstick surface, but I use this precaution, so the browned Ground Beef, in this case, will not become crispy on the bottom.  Green Pepper chunks that have been defrosted from my freezer stash are placed on the bottom.)

Cut into chunks before adding to the pot.

Super Bowl Chili is bursting with flavor.  We enjoy it topped with a dollop of Fat Free Sour Cream.  The creamy mild sour cream is a great contrast to the spicy tomato sauce in the Chili ...Yummy!  There will be extra portions...these will be placed in the fridge...reheated & enjoyed on Tuesday.  :) 

Super Bowl Chili  see:  recipe posted 1/17/12

Ingredients:
1 to 1¼  lbs. Ground Beef
1 small Green Pepper, cut into small chunks
(1) 14.5 oz. can Diced Tomatoes, drained
(2) cans Red Kidney Beans (about 19 oz. each)
Chopped Onions (I use 1 Tablespoon dehydrated Onions.)
Chopped Parsley (I use 1 Tablespoon dehydrated Parsley.)
2- 3 teaspoons Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
(2) cans Tomato Sauce (15 oz. each)
≈  ≈  ≈  ≈  ≈  ≈
Fat Free Sour Cream - add when serving
Rye Bread - for dunking

Method:

1. Spray nonstick cooking pot of Slow Cooker with PAM.
2. Brown Ground Beef in a frying pan.
3. Place Green Pepper chunks in cooking pot.
4. Add browned Ground Beef.
5. Add drained Diced Tomatoes.
6. Drain Kidney Beans.  Rinse in cold water.  Drain again.
7. Place on top of Tomatoes.
8. Sprinkle on desired amount of chopped Onions & chopped Parsley.
9. Then, sprinkle Chili Powder, Garlic Powder & Oregano on top.
10. Pour Tomato Sauce over top & spread.
11. Place lid on top.
12. Set temperature to High for 2 and 1/2 hours.  Then, reduce to Medium for 1/2 hour.
13. Stir before serving into bowls. 

A bowl of Chili served with a dollop of Fat Free Sour Cream on top...add in a slice of Rye Bread for dunking...Yummy!

Are you getting ready for Super Bowl Sunday???

Go 49ers!!!

   

Red-Hot Chili

Do you have a Slow Cooker or a Crock Pot? Have you used it in the past few weeks? My answer to both questions is YES! Quite often I use my West Bend Slow Cooker when I am at home working on other projects. The meals prepared in this small appliance have few instructions, take little prep work/time, and taste absolutely delicious! Chili can be prepared on top of the stove, but if the ingredients are placed in the cooking pot of a Slow Cooker or Crock Pot and simmer for a few hours, the resulting dinner is very tender and full of flavor.

The instructions for Red-Hot Chili are simple. Brown about 1 lb. Ground Beef in a frying pan and then place the browned meat in the bottom of the cooking pot of the Slow Cooker/Crock Pot. Place the contents of one 14.5 oz. can of Diced Tomatoes on top of the browned beef. Drain, rinse in cold water and drain again the contents of two cans of Red Kidney Beans. Place the Kidney Beans on top of tomatoes. Sprinkle desired amount of dehydrated chopped onions and chopped parsley on top. Then, sprinkle on 2 tsp. Chili Powder (or desired amount) ½ tsp. Garlic Powder and ½ tsp. Oregano. Pour Tomato Sauce (two 15 oz. cans) evenly over top. Place lid on. Set the temperature on High for 2 and ½ hours. Then, reduce to Medium for ½ hour.

When it is ready to be served stir the scrumptious appetizing Red-Hot Chili before placing into bowls. Your family will know dinner is ready.

We enjoy a bowl of Red-Hot Chili served with a spoonful of Fat Free Sour Cream on top. Add a slice of Oatmeal Bread – Yummy!

Any extra portions can be cooled, refrigerated and reheated to enjoy again. However, there might not be any left after dinner! ;-)

Enjoy!
Yummy!