This bean soup is a family favorite. It’s thick, hearty, and filling. Once you add a side of cornbread and a green salad, you’ve got a fabulous meal that’s good for you and satisfying.

Hearty Bean Soup
1 (16 oz) package of dried navy beans
1/4 cup baking soda
7 cups chicken broth
1 smoked turkey wing or ham bone
1/4 cup onion, diced or 1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Prepare the beans using the following method. Place beans in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a solid boil for 10 minutes. Remove pot from the heat (do not drain) and set in the sink. Add baking soda and stir until the foam completely disappears. (Do not worry if the foam is green.) Drain the beans and rinse well with cold water to remove the flavor of the baking soda.

Place beans back in the pot. Add chicken broth, turkey wing, onion, pepper, garlic powder, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until beans are soft.  If soup is becoming too thick, you may thin it by adding extra chicken broth. Be sure to remove the bay leaves before serving.

Photo: Courtesy of Roger Smith (Flickr)

While at the potluck, I tracked down the creator of the fabulous salad and asked if she would mind sharing the recipe. Andrea happily agreed to share the ingredients and I prepared the salad last night. It was just as good as I’d remembered and when I took it to my MOPS dinner meeting last night the ladies raved about it and ate all but a 1/4 cup! (I’ll be enjoying that little bit with my lunch today!)

Andrea suggests using a light olive oil as she finds the flavor of regular olive oil to be a bit too strong. If a light olive oil is not available, she recommends using 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.

When preparing the salad myself, I found a single preparation of the vinaigrette was plenty to dress the salad. When dressing the salad, I recommend adding the vinaigrette a little at a time and tossing the salad in stages so as not to overdress it. Keep in mind that many people have nut allergies, so you may wish to serve the walnuts on the side. Consider varying the salad by using spinach instead of mixed greens and adding a cup or so of dried cranberries.

If you’re really into salad and you want to take yours to a new level, visit the Dole Salad Guy. He will introduce you to the tastes and textures of various salad mixes and provide you with salad recipes and salad pairings for you and your family to enjoy.

Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup light olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon hot sauce
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley

In a container combine all ingredients. Cover and shake until blended. Set aside for at least 45 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Shake again before serving.

Mixed Greens with Mandarins and Walnuts
1 bag mixed greens (16 ounce)
2 (15 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 small red onion, chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, combine the ingredients. Toss well to coat with the vinaigrette and serve.

Photo: Courtesy of The Gifted Photographer (Flickr)

I’m hosting Christmas dinner this year, so over the weekend I finalized my menu. On Saturday as I was flipping through my recipe file, I pulled out the recipe for the Savory Cornbread Stuffing I’ll be serving this year.

I love to eat stuffing but I admit my experience with making stuffing had been limited to the convenient stovetop variety. However last year, I discovered a stuffing recipe, adapted it to suit our pantry’s contents and our family’s taste buds, and served it during Christmas dinner.

After tasting the stuffing that day, my eighty-four year grandmother said to me, “Andrea, this is some of the best stuffing I’ve ever had.” Now my grandmother has savored well over 150 Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, yet her granddaughter’s stuffing was “some of the best” she’d “ever had!” When a recipe receives a compliment from the family matriarch, an experienced cook, it’s a keeper to me!

If you’re a fan of stuffing, I highly recommend this recipe. It tastes a bit more work than the stuffing you’re probably used to, but I can assure you, it’s well worth the preparation time.

Savory Cornbread Stuffing
4 (8.5 ounce) packages Jiffy cornbread mix
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups celery, chopped
2 cups onion, chopped
1(14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
2 (10.5 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup, undiluted
3 large eggs, beaten
3 teaspoons poultry seasoning
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon pepper

Prepare cornbread according to directions on package. Cool and crumble.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat butter over medium heat. Add celery and onions and sauté until tender (about 5 minutes).

Combine celery, onion, cornbread crumbs, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Spoon lightly into a greased 13×9 inch baking dish. Bake for 1 hour  or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Photo: Courtesy of rainbreaw (Flickr)

Valerie and I usually ordered the same thing each time we visited the diner. No matter what the time of day, Valerie often opted for a short stack of pancakes while I preferred Chicken Souvlaki, a popular Greek dish consisting of grilled and sliced meat placed inside a pita along with vegetables and a yogurt cucumber sauce.

These days, I can’t slip away to the diner as often as I’d like to, so I’ve learned how to create Chicken Souvlaki at home. It is a fresh and healthy dish that almost always satisfies my diner craving.

When preparing the sauce, be sure to use Greek yogurt as it’s thick consistency will ensure a creamy sauce. To save calories use low fat Greek yogurt (it’s still thick) and low fat sour cream. Neither JT nor I find the sauce’s taste to be compromised by the low fat substitutions.  The traditional way to serve Chicken Souvlaki is on pita bread, but I’ve found that it tastes just as great when served inside a flour tortilla.

Chicken Marinade
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic

Tszatziki Sauce (yields about 1 1/4 cups)
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
8 ounces plain Greek yogurt
2 ounces sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon dried dill

Assembly
4 large pita bread rounds
1 heart of romaine lettuce, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tomato, halved and sliced
1/2 cup kalamata olives
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Prepare the chicken marinade by combining the lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl. Place chicken in a large Ziploc bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken, seal, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Remove chicken from marinade and place in grill pan. Discard remaining marinade. Cook chicken until juices run clear, about 8 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from heat, and allow it to rest about 10 minutes before slicing into thin strips.

Prepare the Tzaztiki sauce. Toss the cucumber with kosher salt, and allow to sit at least 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix the yogurt, sour cream, olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, and dill. Place the cucumber in a clean towel and squeeze the cucumber to remove any excess water. Stir cucumber into sauce. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Place pita rounds on the grill pan, and cook for about 2 minutes, until warm, turning frequently to avoid burning. Arrange warmed pita, sliced chicken, lettuce, onion, tomato, and olives on a serving platter. Serve tzatziki sauce and feta cheese in separate bowls on the side. Stuff pita pockets with chicken and toppings to serve.

Photo: Courtesy of zorbs (Flickr)

Over the weekend, I had a strong craving for spinach artichoke dip so I had to make some. This dip is a creamy classic, but is often packed with tons of fat and calories. Though ingredients such as cream cheese and sour cream make the dip delectable, over consumption of these same ingredients can clog arteries and add inches to the waistline.

After finding several calorie laden recipes for spinach artichoke dip, I decided to rework a few of the recipes to see if I could create a more healthful version. My version is still creamy, but uses lower fat ingredients. JT could not tell lesser fat ingredients had been substituted for full fat ingredients.

The holiday season is here and you’ll probably find yourself hosting a few guests between now and the new year. Consider serving a new great dip this season. Save the onion dip for the kids and offer the adults a more mature dip for their crudite.

Spinach Artichoke Dip
1 (8 ounce) package Neufchatel cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup lowfat sour cream
1-2 dashes hot sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
14-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, and chopped
7 ounce jar roasted red peppers
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Monterrey Jack cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 and lightly coat a baking dish with nonstick spray.

In the blender, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce and lemon juice. Pour mixture into a medium size bowl. Stir in Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper. Gently stir in the artichoke hearts, roasted peppers, spinach, mozzarella cheese, and Monterrey Jack cheese.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Such a packed family calendar has left little time for me to blog and unfortunately, I missed yesterday’s Taste Tested Tuesday. However, there’s no need to fear as I’ve got another tried and true recipe I think you’ll enjoy.

Over the past week, I’ve had “breakfast on the brain”. Earlier this week, my morning meal addiction caused me to purchase a Cuisinart classic waffle maker and the large Presto 7034 Electric Griddle, two must haves for those who are serious about big breakfasts. (I just adore those 20% off Bed Bath and Beyond Coupons and I live for Macy’s One Day sale!)

It’s a good thing I purchased that waffle maker, as I read an interesting story online today. Apparently, things are not well over at Kellogg’s. There’s a waffle shortage and the term “Leggo of my Eggo!” may take on new meaning. The bakeries that prepare Eggo waffles have had to shut down temporarily due to flooding and equipment repairs. This means waffle purchases may be rationed!

If you’re a waffle lover, there’s no cause for alarm. You can easily make excellent waffles from scratch and I promise you, they’ll taste much better than the frozen ones. The waffle recipe I use is the same recipe I use to make pancakes. Sweet Pea has a milk allergy, so I use soy milk. No one who has ever eaten these pancakes misses the dairy. To ensure super ease of preparation, I toss all the ingredients into my blender and combine them there.

These waffles are crisp and light and their golden nooks are perfect for cradling ample amounts of butter and syrup. Though waffles are great for breakfast, the girls and I have enjoyed ice cream sandwiches using these waffles.

Waffle and Pancakes
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup soy milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg

Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine milk, oil, and egg. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

To make pancakes: Pour about 1/4 cup batter on a preheated 325 degree griddle or skillet. Flip the pancakes when lots of bubbles appear. Brown lightly on the other side and remove from the griddle.

To make waffles: Add 1/2 cup batter to a preheated and well oiled waffle maker.

Photo: Courtesy of Qfamily (Flickr)

A few days later, I used them to prepare Mexican style zucchini. It proved to be a delicious, vegetable rich side dish that complimented our enchiladas quite nicely. I love the texture and color of the vegetables in this recipe. I have definitely added Mexican Style Zucchini to my permanent recipe file.

Mexican Style Zucchini
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon minced garlic
4 zucchini, sliced thick
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 can corn (12 ounce), drained
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the zucchini slices, diced tomatoes, and corn. Stir gently. Cover and cook until the zucchini is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and add the Cheddar cheese; allow to sit until the cheese has melted.

Photo: Courtesy of ILoveButter (Flickr)

Instead, I made my first batch of Baked Potato Soup and it was absolutely delicious! I will definitely be making this soup all winter long.

Many potato soup recipes instruct cooks to fry bacon and use those drippings in the soup. I wanted a more healthful recipe, so I omitted the frying of bacon and sauteed the minced garlic and onion in olive oil. The soup was very flavorful even without the additional fat. You can still satisfy your bacon craving by garnishing the soup with canned bacon bits or crumbled turkey bacon. However, if you’re a purist, feel free to fry up that bacon!

My potato cubes were large, so I smoothed them out and thickened the soup using my immersion blender (a handy kitchen gadget!). This made the soup more creamy, but still allowed a few potatoes to remain intact for texture.

JT felt the soup was a bit too peppery but I thought the proportion of pepper was the perfect. To make sure the soup isn’t too spicy consider starting with a 1/4 teaspoon pepper and add more to taste if necessary.

Baked Potato Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken broth
2 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup half-and-half (can use low fat or fat free)
bacon bits (for garnish)
shredded Cheddar cheese (for garnish)
2 green onions, diced (for garnish)

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until tender. Whisk in flour, salt, basil and pepper; mix well. Gradually add broth.

Bring to boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and half and half. Heat through but do not boil. Serve hot and garnish with bacon, cheese, and green onions.

If you’d like to see more fabulous recipes, visit Tuesdays at the Table and stop by Tempt My Tummy over at Blessed With Grace.

Photo: Courtesy of greg.turner (Flickr)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (minis work well)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper liners.

Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Photo: Courtesy of alumroot (Flickr)

There seem to be a gazillion recipes for pulled pork, so I spent quite a bit of time sifting through them to find the one that looked most promising. Eventually I realized that I wanted a recipe that called for a meat rub and a great barbecue based sauce. I ended up combining a zesty rub recipe with my basic doctored up barbecue sauce recipe. The result was a pulled pork paradise for us!

There are a two wonderful things about this recipe. First, pork shoulder is not expensive. I used a four and a half pound pork shoulder that only cost $5.12. We had hearty sandwiches for dinner and enjoyed the tasty leftovers at lunch over the next few days. The next best thing about this recipe is the rub. Don’t skip it as it is what gives the pork such great flavor. However, in order to achieve maximum flavor, you’ll definitely want to let the rub rest on the pork overnight.

Here are a few suggestions. Trim off excess fat before placing the pork shoulder into the Crock Pot. Mine had a thick layer of fat I did not want to find simmering in the Crock Pot.  Also, be sure to place only the pork shoulder into the Crock Pot. Do not add the rub drippings that accumulate in the bag because they will make the pulled pork too salty. Finally, feel free to omit the bourbon in the barbecue sauce. You can substitute cola in its place. I’ve used both bourbon and cola in the barbecue sauce and have never been disappointed.

If you’re looking for more delicious recipes, visit Cole over at Tuesdays at the Table. There’s always something wonderful cooking over there and you’ll find lots of links to other awesome recipes.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

The Rub:
4 pound pork shoulder
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder

The Sauce:
1 (16 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce
1 cup apple juice
1/2 cup bourbon
2 teaspoons liquid smoke

Create a rub by combining the brown sugar, Cajun seasoning, salt, cumin, paprika, pepper, and chili powder. Coat the pork with the rub, place the shoulder in a bag, and store overnight in the refrigerator.

Combine the barbecue sauce, apple juice, bourbon, and liquid smoke in the slow cooker. Add the pork shoulder and cover the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or until pork is very tender.

With tongs, transfer the pork to a large bowl. Using 2 forks, pull the pork into shreds. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and toss with sauce to combine. Serve on round rolls with cole slaw.

Photo: Courtesy of su-lin (Flickr)