Navy Bean Soup

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Navy Bean Soup

For a good chunk of my life, I was completely turned off by bean soup. Come to think of it, I was pretty much disgusted by all beans. Silly little girl. I’m happy to report that in the past couple years, beans have become a staple in my kitchen. I like to keep bagged dried beans on hand for meals like this, but also canned beans for a quick meal or side dish.

This navy bean soup is the first instance in which I “saw the light” in regards to how awesome beans can be. We were on a cruise, enjoying lunch in the dining room, and navy bean soup was one of the starter courses for the day. I tried it, and loved it. The flavor and texture just won me over completely. Not to mention how hearty and filling it is. Isn’t it funny with all the fancier things on the menu that day, I remember the humble bean soup? It definitely left an impression.

Anyways, I finally “borrowed” the Carnival cookbook from my mom (she’ll probably never see it on her bookshelf again), which has their navy bean soup recipe. After Christmas we were all kind of burnt out on ham leftovers, so I threw the bone into the freezer and took it out last week to make this soup. But, if you don’t have a ham bone laying around, then a smoked ham hock would work just fine. It doesn’t get much more filling, heartier, or economical than a big bubbling pot of bean soup folks!

Navy Bean Soup

1 lb. dried navy beans
1/4 cup bacon, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrot, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. ham bone or ham hocks
8 cups water
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp paprika
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp parsley, chopped

Place beans in 5-quart Dutch oven; cover with cold water. Soak overnight; drain.

Heat the Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and cook the bacon until crisp. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.

Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the hot bacon grease and cook for a few minutes, until starting to soften. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.

Slowly pour in the water. Add the ham bone, oregano, paprika, bay leaves, bacon, and drained beans. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, and cook for 3 hours until beans are tender.Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Remove ham bone and bay leaves. If there’s any meat left on the bone, I’ll chop it up and throw it back in the soup. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Source: Carnival Creations, cruise cuisine from Carnival chefs

Tomato Soup w/ Grilled Cheese Croutons

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I’m don’t know that there is a more comforting meal in the world than tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. It’s quick and easy, filling, and cheap. I’ve never cared for tomato soup from a can, it’s always so thin and flavorless. So, when I saw Ina’s version in on the cover of a recent Food Network magazine, I couldn’t wait to give it a try. I loved the idea of grilled cheese croutons!

The soup was delicious and filling. I loved the addition of orzo and a little bit of cream. And the saffron, wow – it adds such a depth of flavor. It takes only a few minutes to throw together – in under 30 minutes you have a homemade meal on the table that isn’t condensed crap-ola.

I didn’t have a great selection of cheeses handy when I made these. So, I just kept in old school and used yellow american for the grilled cheese sandwiches, then cut them into cubes for the croutons. Couldn’t be easier, but how good does it look sitting on top of that delicious soup? I have a feeling this is going to be a new staple in our house!

Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

3 Tbsp olive oil
3 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)
1 Tbsp minced garlic (3 cloves)
4 cups chicken stock or vegetable broth
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
large pinch saffron threwads
kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup orzo
1/2 cup heavy cream
basil or parsley, minced (for garnish)

For the croutons:
4 slices country white bread
2 Tbsp butter, softened
4 slices yellow American cheese

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, saffron, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, fill a medium pot with water, add 2 teaspoons salt and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and cook for 7 minutes. Drain the orzo and add it to the soup. Stir in the cream, return the soup to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring frequently.

To make the grilled cheese croutons, heat a heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat. Spread butter over one side of the slices of bread, placing the 2 slices of cheese in between the unbuttered side. Cook in skillet for a few minutes on each side until bread is golden and cheese is melted. Remove to a cutting board and let sit 1 minute before cutting into 1-inch cubes.

Ladle soup into bowls, top with grilled cheese croutons, and garnish with chopped fresh basil or parsley.

Source: Barefoot Contessa Foolproof by Ina Garten

Hard Cider Gravy

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I love gravy. I mean, who doesn’t? Let me just go ahead and put this out there – this gravy is the gravy to end all gravies. I was always a fan of white wine in pan gravy, but the use of hard cider just takes it to a whole new level. I first turned to it out of desperation. We were out of wine, but had some bottles of hard cider that we’d bottled the year before. It’s nice and dry, and is very similar to a white wine in flavor to begin with – but much more complex.

It was so good that I’ve been making it ever since – all year long. It’s equally good on chicken, and I’m looking forward to trying it with pork sometime in the near future. We enjoyed leftovers on hot open-faced turkey sandwiches the next night after making the turkey, and it was all I could do not to lick the plate clean.

Don’t let all those delicious drippings in the bottom of your roasting pan go to waste this year – turn it into a delicious gravy.

Hard Cider Gravy

pan drippings from a roasted turkey or chicken
1 cup hard cider or dry white wine
2-3 cups chicken broth or water
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp cold water
kosher salt and black pepper

Strain the drippings into a large measuring cup or bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes, then skim off and discard the fat. (Alternatively, use a fat separator.)

Place the empty roasting pan over 2 burners over medium-high heat. Add the cider and cook for 1 minute, scraping up the bits stuck to the pan. Pour into the skimmed drippings and add enough broth to make a total of 4 cups.

Add the broth mixture to a large saucepan, and bring to a boil. Combine the cornstarch and cold water to form a slurry, then whisk into the broth. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Beef Stroganoff

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With being back from vacation, and in preparation for the Holidays, I’ve been trying to make an effort to put healthier meals on our menu. But, with the coldness really setting in here in the Mid-Atlantic, I can’t help but crave comfort foods. Last week I really wasn’t feeling what I had on the menu that night, so I rummaged through the freezer to see what I could come up with. There were 2 lonely filets that I’d bought on sale, not enough to make a meal out of on their own – but certainly plenty when mixed in with some veggies thrown over some rice or pasta.

I’ve always thought it was kind of wasteful to use a cut of beef like filet, to use for something that’s cut apart and simmered – like stroganoff. When I’ve made it in the past, I’ve used top sirloin. Much more economical, and just as good. It’s a great weeknight meal too – you’re eating in about 30 minutes. Which, is great with the time change. It gets dark so early, I feel like we should be eating at 4 PM!

Beef Stroganoff

8 Tbsp butter (1 stick)
1 pound beef tenderloin, cut into 1/2-inch strips
2 whole shallots, peeled and minced
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup beef broth
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 tsp dried dill (optional)
1 cup of sour cream at room temperature

Season beef strips with 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Heat 4 Tbsp butter in a large saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef strips in a single layer and brown well on one side before flipping and browning other. About 3 minutes on each side. Remove beef from pan, and set aside.

Add the remaining butter to the pan and let melt, then add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are starting to brown and release their liquid. Add the shallots to the pan, and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the flour, stirring constantly, until flour has cooked a bit – about 3 minutes. Slowly pour in the white wine or beef broth, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens. Reduce heat to low, and stir in the sour cream, nutmeg, and dill. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Return beef to the pan, along with any accumulated juices and stir to combine. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes. Serve over egg noodles.