Kale & White Bean Soup

This soup is like a summer garden in a bowl! Fresh Kale brings the taste of sunny days. At the same time, aromatic veggies like turnips, garlic, onions, and bell peppers join forces with cannellini beans and lean chicken sausage meatballs to create a flavor-packed, vitamin-rich delight. It's a fantastic way to enjoy your veggies without overloading on fat.

Servings: 4   Prep  Time: 15  Cook Time: 15 Let's dive into the delicious world of Kale & White Bean Soup. 🍲  Ingredients ·        6 links Chicken Sausage (casing removed and made into meatballs) ·        ½ each Bell Peppers – Red, Yellow, Orange (diced) ·        4 Garlic Cloves, minced ·        1 large Turnip, diced ·        1 32 oz. Chicken Broth – low sodium and fat-free ·        1 14.5 oz. Cannellini Beans (rinsed and drained) ·        1 bunch of Kale ( about 1 pound – stems removed and chopped) ·        1 medium Onion – diced ·        Olive oil for sautéing ·        Salt and pepper ·        chopped scallions for garnish ·        Shredded parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

 

Steps     

1.  Make the sausage meatballs – take one sausage link and twist to squeeze the sausage meat out of the casing and mold 1” meatballs with your hands.  Each link should yield about 5 – 6 meatballs.  Place on a plate until ready to cook.   

2.  In a medium skillet over medium heat, add one teaspoon of olive oil and add the meatballs.  Sear on all sides (this should take about 3 minutes). Then remove and set aside.   

3.  In a large soup pot, over medium heat, add a little olive oil, then add onions and garlic. Sauté until onions and garlic are tender.  

4.  Add chicken broth and 1 cup of water to sauté onions and garlic. Then bell peppers, diced turnips, cannellini beans, and Kale.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, reduce heat, and let simmer for about 5 - 8 minutes.   

5.  Add sausage meatballs and let simmer another 2 – 3 minutes.  Serve soup – garnish with fresh chopped scallions and shredded cheese if desired.    

Enjoy your culinary adventure with this vibrant, healthy soup! 🌿🍲   

Café Pantry Tip

Vegetarian Substitutions for the Kale & White Bean Soup 🍲   

Instead of chicken sausage meatballs, you can use:

• Vegetarian sausage: There are many delicious vegetarian sausage options available that can be used to make meatballs.

• Tofu: Firm tofu can be diced and sautéed to add a protein-rich element to the soup.   

• Tempeh: Crumbled tempeh can be used as a hearty and nutritious substitute.

For the chicken broth, you can use:

• Vegetable broth: A flavorful vegetable broth will keep the soup light and tasty.

These substitutions will keep the soup just as delightful and nutritious while making it vegetarian-friendly. 🌿🍲

Festival of Flavor – Corn & Black-bean Salad

Fragrant, fresh, and full of flavor – here’s a salad that’s high on health and great taste! Served in a wonderful baked tortilla shell bowl, the result not only looks good but has such an array of fresh ingredients, and it’s sure to please everyone.   This salad is also a powerhouse of vitamins and fiber, which play important roles in keeping your heart strong. Enjoy

Ingredients

2 cups fresh corn kernels or frozen (thawed and drained)
1 can 14.5 oz. black beans – low sodium (rinsed and drained)
½ large red onion, chopped
3 cloves minced garlic
½ red pepper (diced)
2 jalapeño peppers (seeded & diced)
1 medium tomato (seeded & pulp removed, diced)
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon lime zest
¼  cup fresh lime juice ( about 1 lime)
2 teaspoons rice vinegar (seasoned)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon Fajita seasonings
2 cups of shredded iceberg lettuce
4 baked tortilla shells for serving

Steps

In a large bowl, add corn, black beans, onions, garlic, peppers, tomato, cilantro, lime juice, and vinegar. Combine well, and then add cumin, fajita seasoning, lime zest, salt, and pepper to taste. Chill for about 10 minutes before serving. Bake tortilla shells according to the directions on the mini tortilla shell molds. You may also serve in regular bowls.

Layer the salad as follows: Put a serving of shredded lettuce in your tortilla bowl and then a serving of corn and black bean salad. Serve with your favorite grilled chicken, steak, or fish.

Corned Beef My Way

About This recipe

I love cooking Corned Beef Brisket the traditional way; it is really simple. All you need to do is cook your brisket in a crock pot on medium for about 4 - 5 hours, depending on its size. Put the corned beef brisket in a large crock pot and cover it with water. Add garlic and onions, cook on high for about an hour, then reduce the setting to medium and let simmer for 3 hours or until nice and tender.

This time, I purchased a brisket that was about 6 lbs, and it could not fit in my crockpot, so I decided to roast it in the oven, and I tell you, it was a great success. It was nice and juicy with lots of flavor.   

 

Ingredients

• 1 Corned Beef Brisket - about 5 - 6 lbs with Seasoning Packet
• 1 medium onion diced
• 5 large cloves of garlic minced

 

 Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and prepare a large roasting pan with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.

2.   Place corned beef brisket fat side up in roasting pan. Add diced onions and minced garlic, and add water to cover the brisket.

3.   Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 4 - 5 1/2  hours (depending on the size). Check the package for cooking time. I estimated about 1 hour per pound. In addition, your oven temperatures may determine how long it will take. In a few hours, your kitchen will smell so wonderful.

4.   When the brisket is done, remove it from the pan, cover it with aluminum foil, and let it rest for about 20 minutes before cutting.

 

5.   After the brisket has rested, trim visible fat from the top and slice it across the grain into nice thin slices. Serve with fresh Steam Cabbage, potatoes, or carrots. The leftovers are great. Enjoy!

Serve this with a great side dish of Confetti Cabbage.

Click link below

Confetti Cabbage Recipe

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Cooking With Aunt Carol - Krissy's Roasted Carrots

Enjoy a taste of the Sweet and Spicy Roasted Carrots.

4 Servings

 Recipe Essentials 

·        Sharp Knife

·        Vegetable Peeler

·        Medium size Baking Pan (9” x13”)

·        Aluminum Foil to line baking pan

·        Large Ziploc bag

·        Garbage bowl for scraps

·        Bowl for cut carrots

  

Ingredients 

·        6 large carrots – cut in roasting size

·        2 tbsp Olive Oil

·        2 tbsp Thai Chili Pepper Sauce

·        ½ tsp cinnamon

·        ½ tsp Nutmeg

·        1 tsp dry thyme

·        1 tsp dry basil

·        ½ tsp salt & Pepper

Directions 

Preheat the oven (Convection Oven) to 400° and roast for 35 minutes, or set the oven (Conventional Oven, gas, or electric) at 425° and roast for 40 – 45 minutes.

1.     Place a Ziploc bag in a medium bowl so that you can mix your marinade. In the Ziploc bag, add oil, olive oil, chili sauce, cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme, basil, salt, and pepper. Close the bag and combine the ingredients.

2.     Add cut carrots to the marinade, close the bag, and make sure all carrots are covered with the mixture.

3.     Place carrots on the lined baking sheet. Be sure to spread them evenly before baking. Place in the oven at one of the temperatures above.

4.     Once carrots are done, plate and serve.  Enjoy!

Grits and Eggs with a Creamy Twist

Grits, eggs with bacon or sausage was a Sunday morning favorite when I was growing up.  Grits known for its mark on Southern Cuisine is not just for breakfast anymore, it is now served for lunch and dinner with shrimp, or lobster.   So the next time you want to impress your Sunday Brunch guest, try my recipe for Grits and Eggs.  Just the right portion full of creamy cream cheese and topped with egg, crispy bacon and a little onion flavor from chopped chives. Enjoy

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Quick - 5 minute Grits
• 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 4 ounces Cream Cheese 1/3 Less Fat
• 1/4 cup Fat Free Milk
• 2 Slices Bacon
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp of Chopped Chives
• 1/4 cup Cheddar Cheese, grated

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare 4 ramekins with butter flavored or regular cooking spray. 

2. Cook Grits according to package directions for about 5 minutes until nice and creamy.  Then add butter, cream cheese, and milk stir until blended well. Let simmer for about 1- 2 minutes, remove from heat.

3. Microwave on high, bacon for 2 - 3 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.  Remove and let drain on paper towel than chop into small pieces, and then set aside.

4. Place grits in prepared ramekins, filling each ramekin about half. Then crack one egg over each ramekin filled with grits.  Be careful not to break the yolks, season with salt and pepper to taste.  Top with chives, cover with aluminum foil, place ramekins on baking sheet, place in oven and let bake for about 15 minutes or until egg whites are set and yolk is firm.

5. Remove from oven and top each dish with Triple Cheddar cheese and chop bacon. Serve with toast, or toasted English Muffins. 

Wordless Saturday - You eat with your eyes first

Home made Potato Gnocchi with fresh Lamb Mint Sausage

Pesto Bacon Wrap Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa

Lamb Shanks with Carrots and Potatoes

Roasted Leg of Lamb with roasted veggies

Green Godless Salsa

Turkey Dumpling Stew

How do you spell satisfaction?

  With a simmering pot of Turkey Stew!!

What a wonderful way to use leftover turkey from Thanksgiving.  This Turkey Dumpling Stew is loaded with flavor and jazzed up with star dumplings.  Big-bowl meals are the rage now, but the idea dates back to my Grandma’s kitchen.  It’s easy to see why robust one-dish recipes have withstood the test of time.

Prep Time: 15

Cooking Time: 1 hour

Servings: 6

Tools: Stock Pot and Star Cookie Cutter

Ingredients

Dumplings

• 2 cups Bisquick Mix
• 2/3 cup Milk

Turkey Stew 

• Leftover Turkey Parts ( including the bones)
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 4 whole garlic cloves
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon dried sage
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped celery
• 1 cup carrots sliced thin
• 1 cup frozen peas
• Fresh chopped parsley and chives for garnish

I love using Litehouse Instantly Fresh Freeze-Dried Herbs. 

Easy to Use

No refrigeration 

add water to rehydrate

no preservatives

1 tsp. = 1 tsp of fresh

Directions for Turkey Stew

• In a large stock pot, place leftover turkey breast, drumsticks, and wings including the bones.  Add water to cover the turkey and add onions, garlic, butter, sage thyme, salt, pepper, celery.  Cover and then bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for about 30 to 45 minutes or until the broth is flavored with all the essences of the turkey and seasonings.

• Transfer turkey to a plate.  Strain broth through a strainer over a large bowl.  Discard bones, onions, garlic, and then return the broth to stock pot and add turkey back in.
• Add sliced carrots and frozen peas to stew and simmer uncovered for about five minutes.
• Raise the heat on the stew just a little and follow directions for dumplings.

Directions for Dumplings

• Combine Bisquick mix and milk together until soft and dough forms.
• Then flour your board and scrape dough on board and flour your hands.  Knead dough by hand until smooth.  Pat dough flat about ¼ inch and use your star cookie cutter or any type shape you have to cut out your dumpling shapes.
• Drop dumplings into stew and reduce heat. Cook uncovered for about 5 minutes, and then cover stew and let simmer for about 5 – 10 minutes.
• Garnish stew with fresh parsley, chives, and serve warm slice of French bread.