Bean and Bacon Soup

I     I tried this the other day and it was really good! However, rather than garnishing the soup with the bacon, I just put it in the crockpot and let it cook with the other stuff. That made the soup kind of salty.

·         1 1/4 pound(s) thick-sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips

·         2 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil 

·         1 Spanish onion, finely chopped

·         1 large carrot, finely diced

·         2 celery ribs, finely diced 

·         4 clove(s) garlic, minced

·         1 fresh bay leaf

·         2 teaspoon(s) chopped thyme

·         2 teaspoon(s) chopped rosemary

·         1 pound(s) Great Northern beans, soaked overnight and drained

·         10 cup(s) chicken stock

·         Salt and freshly ground pepper

1.    In a large soup pot, cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until browned and crisp, about 7 minutes. Drain, reserving the fat and bacon separately.

2.    Heat the olive oil (I just used the bacon fat, because why would I not use that yummy flavor, especially if they tell you to add it back in later?) in the soup pot. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon each of the chopped thyme and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the drained beans, stock, and 3 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat and bring to a boil. Simmer the soup over moderately low heat until the beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

3.    Discard the bay leaf and stir in the remaining thyme and rosemary. Season the soup with salt and pepper and transfer to shallow bowls. Garnish the soup with the bacon and serve.

Heather Baird's Awesome White Chicken Chili

Many thanks to Ali for the delicious recipes! Here's one of my favorites--I think I posted it on Blagodarnost--but here it is again. This seriously tastes great and looks hard but it's not. Set all of the condiments out on the table for a fiesta.

1 T olive oil
1 lb boneless chicken, cubed
1 med. onion, diced 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans Great Northern beans (I use any white beans)
1 3.5 oz. can green chilies with juice
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t dried oregano leaves
1/2 t coriander
1/2 t salt fresh cracked pepper
1 32 oz. box chicken broth

Add before serving:
1 lime
1/2 C chopped fresh cilantro

Condiments:
Sour cream
Chopped cilantro
Shredded cheese (I use cheddar or mozzarella cheese, but the recipe calls for pepper-jack)
Avocado
Tortilla chips

In a large pot, heat olive oil, then add onion and cook 'til translucent. While onions are cooking, drain beans and rinse with cold water, then set aside. Sprinkle chopped chicken with salt and pepper and add to pot. Add garlic. Cook until there's no visible pink on the chicken, 3-4 minutes. Add green chilies, including their juice. Then add the beans, cumin, oregano, coriander, and salt. Add a few turns of cracked pepper. Stir to combine and then add chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer uncovered 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat, then add juice from 1 lime (I just put out lime slices for people to use if they want) and the 1/2 C. chopped cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.

When I want to make this in the crockpot I use dried beans, "quick soak" them in the morning (add beans to hot water, bring to a boil, then let stand, covered, for 2 hours, then drain and rinse) and then add them to everything in the crockpot and let it cook on low all day. I've also used canned chicken instead of sauteing fresh chicken.

Ali's Adventures in Domesticity

The title could also be Ali's attempts at domesticity. Some of you know I hardly ever cook and constantly feel a little bit guilty. Part of it is because Scott is gone a lot and part is because I just don't enjoy it that much. But I made a goal this year to cook more, and so far I have done just that. Beebs helped me to make a list of about 35 meals. I am typing up the recipes and cooking them in order. Of course I skip some days because of leftovers, other plans, laziness, etc. But everyone has liked what I've made so far. I have a binder with the recipes in numbered order that I can take to the store to buy what I need. I've been trying to buy 5x as much of the storable stuff to add to my food storage. That way I'll have about 35 weeks worth of food storage that I know people will eat. I also plan to occasionally try out a new recipe and maybe add it to the bunch, and to sometimes cook stuff that's already languishing in my food storage or freezer. In case you're interested in the recipes I will post them here.

1. Taco Soup
2 pounds ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning
1-1/2 cups water
1 can (16 ounces) mild chili beans, undrained
1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomato with green chilies
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
1 can olives (use ½)
grated cheese
chips

Notes: Use low sodium everything or it’s too salty
Serve with sour cream and a fruit salad
Lots of leftovers—can use 1 lb. ground beef
This is awesome for food storage!

2. Sweet and Sour Crock Pot Chicken
1 ½ C sliced carrots
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 Tbsp quick cooking tapioca
3 lbs chicken or pork, cut into bite-sized pieces
8 oz can pineapple chunks with juice
1/3 C brown sugar
1/3 C soy sauce
½ tsp instant chicken bouillon
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
rice

Place vegetables in bottom of crock pot. Sprinkle with tapioca. Add chicken. Combine all other ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on low 8 to 10 hours. Serve over rice.

3. Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas
6 Tbsp honey
5 Tbsp lime juice (1 large lime)
1 Tbsp chili powder
½ tsp garlic powder
montreal steak seasoning to taste
1 tsp salt
1 ½ lbs cooked shredded chicken (3 breasts)
1 can black beans
8-10 flour tortillas
1 lb monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 oz green enchilada sauce
1 C cream or whole milk or half and half

Mix first four ingredients and set aside. Cook chicken, season with mss, add honey lime mix and shred. Pour ½ C enchilada sauce in 9x13 pan. Fill tortillas with chicken, black beans, and cheese (save 1 C cheese to sprinkle on top). Mix rest of enchilada sauce with cream and other sauces from chicken, pour on top, sprinkle on cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Kids loved these!

4. Ham and Potato Soup
3 ½ C peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 C diced celery
1/3 C diced onion
3/4 C diced ham
3 ¼ C water
2 Tbsp chicken bouillon
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
5 Tbsp butter
5 Tbsp flour
2 C milk

Combine 1st 5 ingredients, cook until potatoes are tender (10-15 minutes). Add bouillon, salt, and pepper. In separate pan cook butter, flour, and milk until thick, add to ham mixture and serve.

5. Slow Cooker Pepper Steak
2 lbs beef sirloin cut in strips
garlic powder to taste
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cube beef bouillon
¼ C hot water
1 Tbsp cornstarch
½ C chopped onion
2 large green peppers, chopped
14.5 oz can stewed tomatoes
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt

Sprinkle steak with garlic, heat vegetable oil and brown beef. Put in crock pot. Dissolve bouillon cube and cornstarch in hot water. Add it and other ingredients to crock pot. Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 6-8 hours.

6. Macaroni
1 pound penne pasta
1 cup 2 percent or skim milk
1 pound shredded cheddar cheese (or other melting cheese)
½ head cauliflower, cut into florets
¼ C Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp melted butter
½ C bread crumbs or low fat ritz crackers

Preheat oven to 350. Cook pasta and steam cauliflower (10 minutes). Puree cauliflower and a few Tbsp of liquid. Add milk, cheeses, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix butter and crunched up crackers, sprinkle on top and bake for 20 minutes.

A look at the mess I have made of the back yard

A first look at the new goats

2012 Family Get together

I know I am funny about planning things, and you all know that, so this shouldn't come as a surprise... But now that we know where mom and dad will be for the next 23 months (yipee), we can start planning a family get together. (we had talked about this summer but we all know that is not going to happen... schedules and short notice. And we could plan a family get together in San Diego for 2012, if that is what everyone wants. This is a topic we should address...) And yes, this is REALLY early, but one of the reasons I would like to figure it out is because our year-round school makes us choose which "track" we want (though we may not get that track) which determines when we'll be in school. I have to put down my choices by April 15th (which is why I am asking now), and then around the beginning of June I find out which track we were given.

So, if I get Track A, we would be out of school on June 6th 2012 and then go back to school somewhere around the 25th of July. Yes, nice and early. Track B would be out of school June 29th and back end of July (just three weeks off), or Track D out of school June 29th but back in school somwhere around August 20th (track C is not an option... and all of the tracks for sure I would be out for those three weeks in July and really this for me would be the best time to plan it--in July-- cause then it doesn't matter which track I get) . Now, I am not saying that we need to plan our vacation around when my kids go to school, but if we decide around what dates we'd like to do this, then I can request that track. So, if we do it end of June, I'd request track A, etc. (again, I may not get that track, so maybe we should wait til I have my track assigned...) I am just saying, if there is a better time for you all, then I'll request my track around what YOU want/need.

Now, this may not be needed at all since maybe some of you don't want to get together, or maybe Kim's fam and Ky's fam may be living in far off places of the world.

So, let's get a discussion going. I propose the idea of all of us renting a big huge beach house in San Diego that we can all fit in (or something like that) and we stay for a week or so. We can plan trips to Sea World, the Zoo, etc. And just hanging out on the beach.

Other ideas? Other plans? Let's talk. please.

A good laugh

Remember this fun little show? I feel pretty...