Tag Archives: beans

Redbor Kale and Great Northern Bean Soup

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Redbor Kale and Great Northern Bean Soup

On my days off, I love spending my free time in my little garden.  Gardening diverts my attention from my hectic day job into something completely relaxing and calm.  Tending to my plants whether it be watering, weeding or picking bugs off the leaves of my lettuce makes me happy.  I’ve enjoyed gardening for many years and every year and season my garden changes.

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My garden is small but very productive.  Two raised beds, a small patch of dirt and several large pots.  That’s it.  I utilize every bit of precious gardening space that I can.  During the spring months, I grow my cool weather crops.  Cool weather crops include kale, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, cauliflower, spinach, kohlrabi and radicchio.  In a few weeks, what you see here will be replaced by tomatoes, squash, beans, cucumbers and corn.  I rotate the variety of plants every year and I make sure that I never put the same plants in the same spot every year.

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A bucket of fresh picked Redbor Kale.  I made the decision to harvest all my kale this morning.  I did that because I needed to make room for the tomatoes that I will be planting next weekend. I gave a few bunches of kale away to friends and family and the rest went into the freezer.  I saved one bunch for my Redbor Kale and Great Northern Bean Soup.

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Redbor Kale.  If you are not familiar with kale, you need to know that kale does not form a head like lettuce and that it has a cabbage like texture.  I chose the Redbor variety of kale for my garden this year because I liked the purple color on the leaves and stems.  I was not disappointed.  It has a wonderful flavor too.

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About four feet away from the kale, I planted a small patch of spinach.  2 packets of seed, warm days, plenty of water and a month later I have almost too much spinach.  I need to start sharing the spinach with friends and family too.  What’s worse is that I am starting to think that Bruce is getting tired of having spinach frequently as a side dish for the past couple of weeks. Fresh spinach is delicious and good for you.  Organically grown spinach like mine, is even better.  In a month or so I will be growing zucchini and yellow squash in its place.  Unfortunately, Bruce despises squash.  In the meantime, I hope that he enjoys his spinach.

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My Redbor Kale and Great Northern Bean Soup is a simple recipe that I pulled together for a quick and healthy lunch during the work week.  It’s made with fresh picked kale from my garden, great northern beans, carrots, onion and thyme.  It’s easy to make and tastes delicious.  Enjoy!  Tessa

Ingredients:

  • 1 small bunch of kale (I used Redbor)
  • 1 can great northern beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 1/2 onion (chopped)
  • 1 carrot (diced)
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp garlic paste
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme (use more if you like)
  • 1 quart chicken stock. (use vegetable if you like)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Wash and trim the kale.  Be sure remove the stems.  In a medium sized pan over medium high heat saute the onion and carrots in the olive oil until onions are translucent.  Add the great northern beans, garlic, thyme and chicken stock.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Cook until kale and carrots are tender.  Taste and correct your seasonings and serve.  Makes about 4 servings.

Cranberry Bean Chili Con Carne

Cranberry Bean Chili Con Carne

Can you believe that I started my new year without any resolutions?  Nope, none, nothing, nada…  I have a tough time keeping resolutions.  Every year I say I have one, I am good for a few short months and then my bad habits creep right back up on me.  This year is different.  I decided that this year I am having “New Year’s Expectations”.  Expectations, I know I can do.  Expectations are attainable and having expectations is how I operate.

One of my expectations for 2012 is to be less wasteful in the kitchen.  Instead of buying expensive store bought vegetable and meat stocks, I will make my own.  It saves money and helps keep spoiled vegetables in the vegetable drawer of my refrigerator to a minimum.  I also expect to be more creative with the use of leftovers.  That also saves money and valuable refrigerator space too.

Last night I made a gorgeous prime rib roast for New Year’s Day dinner.  I had a couple of pounds of the roast leftover in the refrigerator this morning.  Living up to my “new” expectations, I decided to make a Cranberry Bean Chili Con Carne.  My Cranberry Bean Chili Con Carne is made with leftover prime rib roast, cranberry beans, homemade beef stock (from the prime rib), onions, garlic, carrots (leftover too!), extra dark cocoa powder  and fragrant spices.  Top your bowl of Cranberry Bean Chili Con Carne with fresh grated cheddar cheese, green onions and red bell pepper.  Makes about 2 quarts of chili or 8 servings.  Enjoy!  Tessa

 Ingredients:

  • 2 cups dried cranberry beans (soaked overnight)
  • 1 pound leftover prime rib or roast beef cubed (fat removed)
  • 1 cup white onion chopped
  • 2 shallots chopped
  • 1 cup carrots chopped
  • 1 – 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 2 cups beef stock (0r more if needed)
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 2 Tbls. extra dark cocoa powder
  • 1/4 c. dark chili powder
  • 1 Tbls. ground cumin
  • 1 Tbls. ground coriander
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 2 tsp. onion powder
  • 2 tsp. minced garlic
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp. seasoning salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onion and chopped red pepper.

Begin by washing, picking over and soaking the cranberry beans in a bowl of water overnight.  Grab a large pot with a tight fitting lid.  On medium heat saute your onion, shallots and carrots in the olive oil.  Cook until onion is opaque.  Add soaked cranberry beans and the remaining ingredients with the exception of the garnishes. Cook for about 4 hours on very low or until beans are cooked to your liking.  Be sure to keep an eye on it and stir occasionally.  Taste the chili, correct your salt level, add additional stock if needed and ladle into bowls.  Garnish with shredded cheese, sliced green onions red pepper.  Note:  Go ahead and make this in your slow cooker.  About 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.

Anasazi Bean and Bacon Soup

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Those who know me know that I am a hot lunch person.  If I had a choice between a cold sandwich or a hot bowl of soup, I almost always choose the soup.  The only soup that I would turn down is borscht or the nasty stuff that comes out of a can.  Yick…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I perused the organic section of my favorite supermarket today, I came across these gorgeous Anasazi Beans.  They reminded me of a cross between a great northern bean and a tobiano colored pinto bean.  According to the package, Anasazi Beans were cultivated by the early Anasazi Indians in the cliff dwellings of Colorado.  How cool is that?  What’s even more surprising about the Anasazi Beans is that there is no presoaking required and that they cook faster than regular beans.  We’ll see about that…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soup is done!  It took about a half hour longer  and about 2 cups more liquid than the package said.  Not to mention they did not retain that gorgeous tobiano color as you see on the uncooked beans. No biggie.  The Anasazi Bean and Bacon Soup tastes awesome and is without a doubt definitely worth the wait.  Enjoy! – Tessa

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 pound Anasazi Beans (picked and washed)
  • 1/2 onion chopped
  • 2 carrots peeled and chopped
  • 1 stick of celery chopped
  • 1 tsp canola oil
  • 5 1/2 cups organic free range chicken stock
  • 4 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tsp. oregano
  • 1 tsp. coriander
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. garlic paste
  • 1 tsp. dark chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper
  • salt and additional water if needed
  • garnish with parsley, shredded carrot and cojita cheese

Begin by washing and picking over your beans.  Grab your favorite large pot.  Heat canola oil in the pot and add the onion, celery and carrots.  Cook on medium heat until onion is cooked through.  Add the Anasazi beans and remaining ingredients with the exception of salt, water and garnish.  Cook on low for about 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are tender. Taste your soup and add water or salt if necessary.  Ladle up, garnish and serve.  Makes about 4 servings.

 

Indonesian Pickled Beans (Acar Buncis)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of my favorite things to do on the weekend is to hop into my little red car and visit some of the local farms and produce stands.  Often times one of my stops is at Beebe Farms.  I stop by Beebe Farms to buy their fresh locally grown peaches and corn.  This morning, they had a small basket of fresh picked green beans on the counter and I knew exactly what I was going to make with them when I go home.  I was without a doubt going to make some Indonesian Pickled Beans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was one of the first customers at Beebe Farms this morning.  Normally, the parking lot is full.  I think I may have been a few minutes early because they did not have all their produce out on the shelves for sale yet.  I did see that the corn was harvested just hours before and the peaches were fresh picked.  I look at it this way. If I was not one of their first customers today, somebody else would be in possession of these beautiful beans.  What a score!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Indonesian Pickled Beans are similar to the green bean salads that you would may find at a backyard barbecue or potluck but with a distinctive Asian flavor.  They are super easy to make and makes a perfect summertime side dish.  Makes about 6 cups or 12- 1/2 cup servings.  Enjoy!  Tessa

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 pounds green beans
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 c. brown sugar
  • 1/4 c. rice vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic paste
  • 1/2 tsp. sambal oelek (or to taste)
  • garnish with crispy fried onions

Let’s begin by washing and snapping the beans into 1 inch pieces.  In a medium sized pan with a lid bring the water and 1 tsp salt to a boil.  Cook beans covered about 8 minutes or until tender crisp.  Remove from heat, using a slotted spoon add the beans to a bowl of water with some ice to stop the cooking.  Let it cool, drain and remove the ice.  Add your beans to a bowl or plastic container.  Meanwhile whisk together the brown sugar, rice vinegar, salt, garlic paste, and sambal oelek.  Pour over the beans tossing to coat.  Cover the beans and put in the refrigerator for two hours or overnight.  Before serving, toss again, place in a dish and garnish with crispy fried onions.