Vegetable Chowder

I write our weekly menu on a chalkboard and had to laugh when I realized I wrote this dish down as vegetarian chowder, not vegetable chowder.  With 4 strips of bacon (which I think are essential for the flavor of the dish), I'd say this meal is most definitely not vegetarian. But it is loaded with vegetables, which I love.  And it also has great flavor. As I mentioned, the bacon adds so much to the dish - the soup made great leftovers the next day (sans bacon) but it's definitely the best with just a little bacon crumbled on top.  A little goes a long way! 

While soup season might be ending for some, I think this still is a fabulous option and still works for spring! It's a filling meal but not overly so.  I served this with a salad and I think some fresh bread on the side would be excellent, too.

Vegetable Chowder
Taken from: Pink Parsley
Serves 4-6 as a main course

• 4 slices of bacon, chopped
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts only; halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and rinsed thoroughly
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (about 1/2 large onion)
• 4-5 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2-3 celery ribs, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 lbs russet or yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tsp minced fresh thyme (I used about 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup half and half
• 1 Tbs minced fresh chives, plus more for serving (I forgot to add)
• juice of 1/2 lemon

1. Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy, 5 to 9 minutes.  Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pot.  
2. Stir in the leeks, onion, carrots, celery, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt into the pot.  Cook until the leeks are translucent and the vegetables are beginning to soften, about 8 minutes.  Add the potatoes and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook 30 seconds.
3. Add the broth and the bay leaf and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and and simmer until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
4. Discard the bay leaf.  If using an immersion/hand blender, blend about half of the soup, making sure there are still plenty of chunks of vegetables in the soup. (Alternatively, you can transfer 2 cups of the liquid to a blender, and use a slotted spoon to transfer 1 cup of the vegetables to the blender as well.  Puree until smooth, about 1 minute -- just be sure to open the vent on your blender and cover it with a towel, to prevent explosions! Stir the processed soup back into the pot.) 
5. Stir in 1/4 cup half-and-half, chives, and lemon juice.  Season with salt and pepper. Taste and add additional half and and half one tablespoon at a time, if desired.  Top each portion with a sprinkle of chives and the reserved bacon, and serve.

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Beef & Barley Soup

So I know that in part of the country, there was a blizzard last week.  And while New York and Massachusetts were blanketed in snow, we were enjoying some 70 degree weather here! While that might not be normal soup weather, we enjoyed this beef and barley soup so much that it didn't really matter what the weather was like.

As I usually do (I can't help myself), I added some extra vegetables to this soup - extra carrots, sliced mushrooms, and chopped cauliflower.  They all worked very well in this dish - our 2 year old especially loved finding the cauliflower "trees" in her bowl.

We all loved this soup but the person who loved it the most was our toddler.  She had 4 bowls for dinner (small bowls but she still put away quite a bit of food!).  The next day she had almost as much for lunch so it was definitely a huge hit in our home.

I think this soup is hearty enough to have on its own for dinner but we added a salad to round it out - you could also include bread or a sandwich on the side, too. 

Beef & Barley Soup
Taken from: Pink Parsley
Serves about 8 (I halved this and got about 4 servings from it)

• 2 medium white or yellow onions, chopped fine
• 2 Tbs tomato paste (I omitted)
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 Tbs minced fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 3-5 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup sliced or chopped mushrooms (optional)
• 2-3 cups of chopped cauliflower (optional)
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup dry red wine (I omitted)
• 1/2 cup pearl barley
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 2-3 lbs beef blade roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 4 chunks
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley, for serving (I forgot to add this)

1. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the onions, tomato paste, oil, thyme, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Stir well to combine and microwave for 5 minutes, or until the onions are softened.  Transfer to the slow cooker.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, beef broth, chicken broth, carrots, mushrooms, cauliflower, soy sauce, wine, and barley.  Generously season the beef with salt and pepper and nestle it into the slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook until the beef is tender, 9 to 10 hours on low, or 6 to 7 hours on high.
4. Carefully transfer the beef to a cutting board.  When it's cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces with 2 forks, discarding any fat.  
5. Use a large spoon to skim any fat from the surface of the soup.  Stir in the shredded beef and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in the parsley and serve.

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Roasted Summer Vegetable Soup

I know soup isn't the likeliest candidate for a meal during the summer.  And perhaps less so when you need to use the oven for this recipe.  But this is still worth it.  Roasting vegetables gives so much great flavor and this soup is full of them.  This is one of my new favorite soups.  I was licking my bowl clean afterwards (no shame).  There's a little work involved but it's not hard - chop up the veggies, cook them in the oven and then blend them with some broth.  It makes a very thick, delicious, and healthy soup.  Adding some good bread and a salad on the side is my favorite way to serve this!

Instead of roasting, I imagine the vegetables could also be grilled (I would cut the vegetables in larger chunks if you do that), which would save you from heating your house.  Next time I might try that -- and maybe even be in charge of the grill myself!

As I was typing this blog post, I had to immediately add this soup back on our menu plan because it's just so good!

Roasted Summer Vegetable Soup
Taken from: Kitchenaid (via Girl vs. Dough)
Serves 4

• 4 carrots, peeled, halved and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 4 vine-ripened tomatoes, quartered and seeded (I didn't have on hand so I added a 14-oz can of diced tomatoes at the end instead)
• 2 medium zucchini, halved and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
• 1/2 yellow or white onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 - 2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (I forgot to add this)
• handful of fresh basil, chopped (optional but recommended)
• Optional: Sour cream, Greek yogurt crème fraiche, for serving (I omitted)

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. 
2. Place the prepared vegetables, thyme leaves or dried thyme, garlic and salt and pepper to taste in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and lightly toss. (I used canned diced tomatoes and I did not include them in the roasting.)
3. Bake the vegetables 40-50 minutes, stirring once halfway through until roasted, tender and caramelized.
4. Transfer the vegetables, garlic and thyme to a blender (this is where I added the diced tomatoes.) You could also use a hand blender as well. Add the vegetable or chicken broth, smoked paprika, chopped basil, and more salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth.  You could add more broth if you want it a little thinner.
5. Pour the soup into a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir until heated through.
6. Serve in bowls.  If using, top with a dollop of sour cream, Greek yogurt or crème fraiche.

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Black Bean Soup (Slow Cooker)

I've decided that Wednesdays will be our slow cooker dinner days.  It's the day that (ideally) one of us goes to a Bible study after dinner.  So our Wednesday evenings go something like this: husband comes home and works out...baby girl wants to play/help/fuss while I try to make dinner...baby girl decides she is STARVING while I'm still trying to make dinner...we finally eat...someone dashes out the door for Bible study while the other puts baby girl to bed.  So the crockpot seems key to help eliminate some of the fussing baby and distracted mama steps.

This was our meal last Wednesday.  While neither of us actually made it to Bible study, we still really enjoyed this black bean soup.  I prepped everything in the morning, threw it all in the slow cooker and moved on with the day.

This created a thick, creamy, healthy soup that the three of us really enjoyed. My husband thought it was similar to a chili but it actually doesn't have chili powder.  I loved the consistency (and the toppings!) for this soup.  And besides all the toppings listed below, I served this with cornbread muffins and a salad, which was a great combination (although next time, I might try cubing and roasting sweet potatoes as a side dish instead)!

Black Bean Soup (Slow Cooker)
Taken from: Cook's Illustrated
Serves 6-8

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (I actually used stored bacon fat; you could also use coconut oil)
• 1 onion, diced
• 2-3 celery stalks, diced
• 2-3 carrots, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Optional: 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I omitted)
• 3 cups water
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 pound dried black beans, rinsed well
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon minced chipotle chiles
• 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
• juice of 1 lime
• Toppings: chopped cilantro (about 1/4 cup), diced red onions, lime wedges, plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced avocado

1. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil, then add onions, celery, carrots, cumin, oregano, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using) and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Saute, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and golden-brown, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water to skillet, scraping bottom with a spatula or wooden spoon.
2. Transfer vegetables to slow cooker. Add remaining water, chicken broth, beans, bay leaves, chipotles, and adobo sauce. Cover and cook on high for 6-7 hours or low for 8-10 hours. 
3. Using a hand blender, blend to desired consistency (we prefer ours chunkier, so I only blended about half the beans). If you don't have a hand blender, ladle 1 1/2 cups beans and 2 cups liquid into food processor or blender, process until smooth, and return to pot.
4. Taste, season with salt (1-2 teaspoons depending on broth) and black pepper. Add the juice of one whole lime.  Add more water, if needed to reach desired consistency. Serve with desired toppings.

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Italian Chicken Soup with Parmesan Dumplings

While I'm very good at making a weekly meal plan, there are occasional times when we don't follow it.  Sometimes it's because I don't feel like having the planned meal, but, more often than not, it's when I can't get to the grocery store when I expected to.   On one such day, I didn't have any of the ingredients for our meal so I had to quickly think of a different dinner for that night.  Luckily, I had just read the latest Cook's Illustrated magazine and seemed like we had almost all the ingredients on hand for Italian chicken soup with parmesan dumplings.

Of course, I often take some liberties with recipes -- I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts because that's what I had on hand (and what we prefer), I omitted the fennel, I used spinach instead of escarole, I decreased the parmesan...but still the soup came together wonderfully.  The parmesan dumplings were the star of the soup, too.  They actually tasted slightly sweet to me, but since there's no sugar in them, the sweetness came from the lemon zest and nutmeg (and because I decreased the parmesan, too). It was a really nice contrast to the saltiness of the broth, and the dumplings had a great texture to them.

I also love that you can make most of the recipe ahead of time.  I prepped everything that afternoon and so dinner came together really quickly that evening.

I love soup and have even been known to enjoy it in the middle of summer.  But right now, with the rain currently splattering against my window, a cup of this soup sounds pretty perfect!


Italian Chicken Soup with Parmesan Dumplings
Taken from: Cook's Illustrated, May-June 2013

•  4 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed (I used about 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken broth instead)
•    Salt and pepper
•    1 teaspoon vegetable oil (I increased this to about 1 tablespoon because I didn't have leftover fat from the chicken)
•    1 fennel bulb, 1 tablespoon fronds minced, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
•   1 onion, chopped fine
•  2-4 carrots, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
•   ½ cup dry white wine
•   8 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used about 4 cups chicken broth and 4 cups water)
•   1 Parmesan cheese rind
• 3 ounces Parmesan, shredded on the large holes of a grater, about 1 cup (I decreased this to about 1/2 cup)
•  2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
•   2 large egg whites (I used one whole egg instead
•    ¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest
•    Pinch ground nutmeg
• 1/2 small head escarole (6 ounces), trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I used fresh chopped spinach instead)

1. TO MAKE AHEAD: Prepare recipe through step 6 (through shaping the dumplings). Refrigerate broth, shredded chicken, and dumplings separately for up to 24 hours. To serve, proceed with step 7 as directed.
2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate. Discard skin.
3. Drain off all but 1 teaspoon fat from pot and reserve 1 tablespoon fat for dumplings (you can substitute canola oil for the chicken fat if you don't have any). Return pot to medium heat. Add fennel bulb, onion, carrots, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until almost dry, about 2 minutes. Return chicken to pot; add broth and Parmesan rind and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken is tender and registers 175 degrees, about 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate. Discard Parmesan rind. Cover broth and remove from heat. When cool enough to handle, use 2 forks to shred chicken into bite-size pieces. Discard bones.
4. While broth is simmering, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse bread in food processor until finely ground, 10 to 15 pulses. Measure out 1 cup bread crumbs and transfer to parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheet (set aside remainder for another use). Toast until light brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl, reserving sheet and parchment, and let bread crumbs cool completely.
5. Pulse shredded Parmesan in now-empty food processor until finely ground, 10 to 15 pulses. Transfer Parmesan to bowl with cooled bread crumbs and add reserved 1 tablespoon fat, egg whites, lemon zest, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg. Mix until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate dough for 15 minutes.
6. Working with 1 teaspoon dough at a time, roll into smooth balls and place on parchment-lined sheet (you should have about 28 dumplings).
7. Return broth to simmer over medium-high heat. Add escarole and chicken and return to simmer. Add dumplings and cook, adjusting heat to maintain gentle simmer, until dumplings float to surface and are cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in fennel fronds. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve

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Fast Creamless Tomato Soup

Now that we have a sweet new baby in the house (!!!), let's just say that my cooking style has changed in these past 2 weeks.  Instead of my usual do-it-yourself type cooking, I'm now buying bread, granola, yogurt and tortillas.  (For now.  But I'll be back because everything's just so much tastier -- and cheaper -- made from scratch.)  But right now, I'm not looking for the best recipe per se but the fastest.   Luckily, fast can still be delicious.

I made this tomato soup one afternoon when we needed a quick lunch.  It only needs a few ingredients and didn't take long to make.   There's no cream in this tomato soup but a surprise ingredient is bread which I think gives it a good consistency.  Who would have guessed?  We like our soups on the chunkier side so I only partially blended our soup. 

Altogether, this made a fast and wonderful meal (especially with a grilled cheese sandwich). The leftovers were also great for lunch for the next couple days.

Creamless Creamy Tomato Soup
Taken from: Cook's Illustrated

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (I probably only used about 2 Tbsp total)
• 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 (28-oz) cans whole tomatoes packed in juice
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3 large slices good-quality sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives (I omitted)

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 3-5 minutes. 
2. Mix in the tomatoes and their juice. Using a potato masher, mash the tomatoes to break them down into smaller pieces (no bigger than 2 inches). Stir in the sugar and bread then bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bread is completely saturated and starts to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
3. Turn off the heat under the pot, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and puree the soup with an immersion blender (or, if you don't have one, in a traditional blender - you'll probably want to do it in 2 or 3 batches. Split the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over the batches as you puree.) Blend to your preferred consistency (we like a chunkier soup) -- you can alsostrain the soup through a fine-mesh strainer if you want a perfectly smooth consistency. Stir the chicken broth into the soup and return the soup to a boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with the chives when serving.

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Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Several months ago, we went out to dinner with friends at a nearby Asian restaurant that not only had good sushi but was known for their noodle soups.   Usually we just stick to sushi because we're big fans but decided to split a chicken noodle bowl as well.  It ended up being a great choice because the soup was delicious!

Recently, I had been thinking about how good that meal was, so this Asian chicken noodle soup was my attempt to make something at home that came close to replicating those flavors.  I didn't want to do much grocery shopping, so I also wanted a recipe with easy to find ingredients (I'll attempt homemade pho another day). Luckily, I had all the ingredients below, so dinner came together incredibly quickly and easily!  I really liked this soup, too.  It was just the kind of thing that I had wanted.

While I'm not sick, I'll definitely keep this recipe in mind for the next time I come down with a cold. (Our previous go-to sick recipe was this chicken and chickpea soup, and while that's still my husband's favorite, I think this Asian chicken noodle soup beat it out!)

Oh, in my opinion, the sriracha really shouldn't be an optional topping. It was delicious and gave a great amount of heat!

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup
Taken from: Eat Live Run
Serves 4-6

• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 3/4 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• 2 baby bok choy, chopped (I didn't have this so I added shredded Napa cabbage instead which worked very well)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Optional add-ins: sliced mushrooms, grated carrots, snow peas 
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced (I removed the seeds and ribs for less heat)
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 5 oz chinese noodles, about half a package (I used fewer noodles, probably closer to 3-4 ounces)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (plus extra to taste)
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• sriracha sauce for serving (optional)
• chopped cilantro for serving (optional)

1. Heat the sesame oil over medium high heat in a large heavy-bottomed stock pot. Add the minced garlic and ginger and briefly saute for about 30 seconds. Add the chicken and bok choy, cabbage, and mushrooms and sprinkle with salt. Saute, stirring frequently, for another three minutes until chicken has turned white but not completely cooked all the way through.
2. Add the chicken broth, jalapeno and green onions to the pot and bring to a simmer (I also added the grated carrot and would add the snow peas at this time as well). Cook for 15 minutes until chicken is done.
3. While soup is simmering, in a separate pot, cook the noodles according to their package (often the directions are cooking the noodles in boiling salted water, draining and then rinsing with cold water). Set aside.
4. Add the rice vinegar and soy sauce and stir. You can add a little more salt or soy sauce if you like (taste first because soy sauce already contains a lot of salt). Stir the noodles into the pot and serve with chopped cilantro and sriracha sauce on the side.

Click here for a printable recipe page

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Tomato Florentine Soup

This was really a clean-the-fridge kind of soup.  I was going to call it pasta e fagioli but apparently, true Italian pasta e fagioli doesn't have much in the way of vegetables.  Or bacon.  And since I'd rather have vegetables and bacon (thankyouverymuch), we're going to call this Tomato Florentine soup.  But whatever you want to call it, it worked. I used whatever we had on hand and loved the results.  I especially liked cooking the pasta in the soup because not only did it make this a one-pot soup, but it also gave the soup an extra thickness thanks to the starch being released while the pasta cooks. 

Topping the soup with bacon, not surprisingly, took it to the next level.  However, we ate it for dinner the next day (and that does not happen often in this house), and still thoroughly enjoyed it bacon-less.  I served this with savory scones and a simple salad.

Tomato Florentine Soup
Adapted from: AllRecipes and MyRecipes
Serves 4-6

• 2 tablespoons olive oil (if you cook bacon as a topping, you could use the bacon fat instead)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 carrots, chopped
• 1-2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley (I used about 2-3 tablespoons of fresh parsley)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 4 1/2 -6 cups water or chicken stock (I used about 3 cups of water and 2 cups of chicken broth)
• 1 (15 ounce) can or 1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans (I used canario beans instead)
• 1 - 1/2 cups pasta (I like a little less pasta because there's so many other things in this soup but you could increase the amount to 1 1/2 cups; I used small shells)
• 6 oz spinach, chopped
• Toppings: grated Parmesan cheese, cooked bacon

1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook onion and carrots in olive oil until onion is translucent (approximately 4 minutes). Stir in garlic, parsley, basil and oregano and cook until tender. Stir in bay leaves, tomatoes, 4/12 cups of water/chicken stock, and beans.  Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil on high then reduce to a simmer.  Simmer about 20 minutes.  Stir in a little more water/chicken stock if the soup seems too thick.
2. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; during the last 2 minutes of pasta cooking time, add spinach.  Season to taste.
3. Serve with grated parmesan cheese and bacon, if desired.

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Chicken & Chickpea Soup, Revisited

This recipe is such a go-to recipe for us that I really wanted to repost it (and include a picture this time).  Also, since it seems that we're at the end of winter, this seems like a good time to post soup recipes!

This is the recipe I make every time one of us is on the verge of a cold.  It's a wonderful twist on chicken noodle soup -- instead of any noodles, it uses chickpeas and it includes spices like cinnamon, coriander and cumin. Also, I love that I almost always have the ingredients on hand so it also makes for an easy last-minute dinner.

If we have any leftovers (that hardly ever happens), I freeze them for the next time we need them.

Chicken and Chickpea Soup
Posted in 2010, originally taken from: Everyday Food Magazine
Serves 6

• 1 Tbsp.olive oil
• 3/4 to 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I highly recommend homemade!)
• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained OR 1 1/2 cups of cooked dried garbanzo beans
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves (I often omit)
• salt and pepper
• squeeze of lemon (I often forget to include)

1. Bring the chicken broth in a large pot to a boil.  Add chicken breast (it can even be frozen) and cook 10-15 minutes until fully cooked through (there should be no pink on the inside and register at 165 degrees).  Cool chicken and then shred with fingers or two forks.  Pour chicken broth in a separate container.  Set both aside.
2. Bring pot to medium-high and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add onion and carrots, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft (about 4 minutes). Add garlic and spices; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth and shredded chicken; add bay leaves.
3. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a medium simmer, partially cover, and cook 10-15 minutes. 
4. Add chickpeas and celery and just a squeeze of lemon juice.  Add additional chicken broth or water to reach the consistency you like. Season with salt and pepper. Top with cilantro just before serving.

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Lightened Broccoli & Cheddar Soup

I love soup.  And this is just the right time of year for it. Well, I could really eat soup all year round but it is just much more fitting in the fall and winter rather than the dog days of summer.  I made this lightened broccoli and cheddar soup last year and it was a great combination of broccoli, cheese and creaminess...just without the cream.  Instead, Cook's Illustrated found that they could lighten the soup by using leeks (which are pureed to give a silky texture) and fat-free evaporated milk which makes it thick and creamy.  Genius!  Make sure you use high-quality cheddar cheese, which is important for the whole "less is more" idea.  Such a good soup that I had to make it again this year.

The one mistake I made was that I added an extra cup of water before pureeing because I thought it looked too thick.  This made the pureed soup a little too thin for me so I would suggest pureeing it first and then adding water or broth as needed. I only do a light puree because we like a little extra texture to our soup.

This broccoli and cheddar soup was served alongside a salad and toasted French baguette slices, making it a simple but filling meal for us (the toast was excellent for dipping in the soup!). Next time, I might try making bread bowls for it, too!

Lightened Broccoli & Cheddar Soup
Taken from: America’s Test Kitchen: Light & Healthy 2010 (an excellent cookbook)
Serves 4-6 (ATK calculated 255 calories/serving for 5 servings)

• 1 bunch broccoli (about 1 ½ pounds), florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stems trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick, divided use
• 1 pound leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and rinsed thoroughly
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• ¾ cup fat-free evaporated milk (see note)
• 1/2 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
• Salt and pepper
• Extra shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

1.  Combine the broccoli stems, leeks, oil, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large pot or Dutch oven. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just beginning to soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Uncover, stir in the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Stir in the broth and water and bring to a ­simmer over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the broccoli stems are softened, about 8 minutes. Add the broccoli florets, cover, and continue to cook until tender, about 5 minutes longer.
3. Working in 2 batches, process the broccoli mixture in a blender until smooth, about 1 minute (we like our soup chunkier so I only pulse the first batch and puree the second). Transfer the broccoli mixture to a clean Dutch oven, whisk in the evaporated milk and mustard, and warm over low heat until very hot.
4. Off the heat, whisk in the cheese, one handful at a time, until the cheese is melted and the soup is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top bowls with extra shredded cheddar cheese (optional).
5. When reheating, make sure to not bring the soup to a boil.

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Tomato Artichoke Soup

I'm a planner. Not surprisingly, I plan our meals a week in advance, However, there are the occasional meals that just seem to slip by me.  I had no plans for dinner tonight but after taking stock of what we had in our kitchen (and perhaps more importantly, what was not there), a delicious-sounding tomato artichoke soup recipe that I had saved fit the bill.  Pair that with the prosciutto, mozzarella and smoked gouda in our fridge as well as the homemade pesto in our freezer for a panini and a green salad to round it out, dinner was sounding better and better.

This soup didn't disappoint.  It had great flavor.  We loved it the way it was although Bryant suggested adding some steamed clams for more of a Manhattan-like clam chowder variation. Additionally, the original recipe calls for all the soup blended but we like our soup on the chunkier side so I only blend half of the soup.  Blending half gave the soup a great creamy consistency but with lots of chunks of tomatoes and artichokes.

It was as if I had planned dinner all along.

Tomato Artichoke Soup
Taken from: A Couple Cooks
Serves 4-6

• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 bay leaves  
• 28 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained (I used Muir Glen's no-salt tomatoes)
• 15 oz can artichokes, drained
• 1 cup water (I used 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup of chicken broth for a little extra flavor)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 
• 1 teaspoon dried basil 
• 1 cup milk (I used skim)
• salt and pepper

 Extras:

• grated parmesan
• croutons (try homemade)

1. In a large soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons butter. Sauté the chopped onions, minced garlic and 3 bay leaves until the onions are translucent.
2. Chop the artichokes into smaller pieces. In the soup pot, add the artichokes, tomatoes (including the juice), water (and chicken broth), oregano and basil. Simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove bay leaves.
3. Using an immersion blender (or blender), blend the soup to a smooth consistency. Add 1 cup milk. Serve immediately, topping with croutons and a little parmesan, if desired.
   *When reheating, make sure to heat the soup thoroughly but do not bring to a boil.

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Lentil Soup

There's really nothing like soup on a cold day (although I'd happily eat it on a hot day, too!).  And lentil soup happens to be one of our favorites - lots of vegetables (but less chopping than I had expected), incredibly good-for-you lentils and a tomato-based broth.  Mmmm.  There are also a lot of ways to make it your own - some people add cumin and curry spices for a more Indian flair but for us? Grated parmesan cheese and crumbled bacon sprinkled on top of each bowl does the trick. 

However, we had to make do with only parmesan this time.  I have plenty of bacon in the freezer so a lack of bacon wasn't the reason.  Instead, while cooking, our bacon caught on fire.  I like to broil bacon by placing a drying rack on top of a cookie sheet; this makes the bacon nice and crisp as pan-frying just doesn't work well for me.  Broiling also allows a lot of the fat to drip off the bacon onto the cookie sheet. I've been using this technique for a while but accidentally set the bacon on the top rack (I usually do second from the top).  When I pulled the bacon out, expecting a nicely crisped piece, I saw a small flame instead consuming our bacon.  Luckily, we always have baking soda so we successfully doused the flame (and sadly, bacon right along with it).

So whether you have bacon or not, try this lentil soup recipe! We served it with cornbread but a slice of good bread would go well with it, too.

Lentil Soup

Taken from: AllRecipes

Serves: 8-10

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 carrots, diced
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed, diced or whole peeled tomatoes (I had whole peeled tomatoes which I chopped up), including juice
• 2 cups dry lentils
• 8 cups water (could substitute chicken broth for all or part of the water)
• 2 cups spinach, rinsed and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons wine (optional)
• grated parmesan cheese, for serving
• 2-4 slices of cooked bacon, for serving

-In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery; cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in garlic, bay leaf, oregano, and basil; cook for 2 minutes.
-Stir in lentils, and add water and tomatoes (including the juice). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve stir in spinach, and cook until it wilts. Stir in vinegar and wine, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
-Serve with grated parmesan and crumbled bacon on top, if desired.

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Cream of (Roasted) Tomato Soup

This tomato soup is perfect for the cold nights that we've been having the last few days (although perhaps I just got wimpier since we've moved to California). And it was even better serving it with grilled cheese sandwiches and a cabbage salad. (We might have including crispy bacon inside our grilled cheese. I like to call it our almost non-meat meal.)

I couldn't decide whether to call this roasted tomato soup or cream of tomato soup, so why not combine the two?  Roasting whole peeled canned tomatoes (I did this ahead of time), stirring in a spice or two, adding just a touch of cream and whisky...whew!  We pureed half of the soup in the blender which made a very creamy texture but kept nice chunks of tomato.  I also lightened this recipe and we didn't miss the extra butter/cream/etc. 

Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup
Taken from: Smitten Kitchen
Serves 4-6

• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes packed in juice, drained, juices reserved
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup of large minced shallots, about 4 (I used minced onion instead)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• Pinch ground allspice (you can substitute equal parts cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, black pepper or omit entirely)
• 2 tablespoon all-purpose or white whole wheat flour
• 1 3/4 cups chicken stock, homemade or canned low-sodium
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (I used fat free half-and-half)
• 1 tablespoon brandy, dry sherry, whiskey (optional)
• Salt and ground pepper 

-THIS STEP CAN BE DONE AHEAD OF TIME: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450°F. Lined rimmed baking sheet with foil. With fingers, carefully open whole tomatoes over strainer set in bowl and push out seeds, allowing juices to fall through strainer into bowl. Spread seeded tomatoes in single layer on foil. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar. Bake until all liquid has evaporated and tomatoes begin to color, about 30 minutes. Let tomatoes cool slightly, then peel them off foil; transfer to small bowl and set aside.
-Heat butter and olive oil over medium heat in large saucepan until foaming. Add shallots/onions, tomato paste and allspice. Cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds. Gradually add chicken stock, whisking constantly to combine; stir in reserved tomato juice and roasted tomatoes. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, to blend flavors, about 10 minutes (this is an excellent time to make the grilled cheese sandwiches!)
-Pour half to 3/4 of the mixture to blender and puree until smooth. Place pureed mixture back into saucepan with remaining soup. Add cream and warm over low heat until hot, about 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in brandy and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. (Soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Warm over low heat until hot; do not boil.)

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Light Loaded Potato Soup

I love soup.  I think there was a month there where I might have made a different kind of soup every week. It also might have been a month when it was 90 degrees outside each day.  So imagine my excitement that we finally have (much more) appropriate weather for soup!  And as soon as I saw two different blog posts about this Light Loaded Potato Soup from Cooking Light, I immediately put it on our week’s meal plan.  It didn’t hurt that I had leftover red potatoes, broccoli was on sale and I always have bacon in the freezer.

The soup is remarkably true to its name – it tastes exactly like a loaded potato! The soup is extremely thick and creamy, even though I used skim milk.  Throwing a little bacon on the top (just a little) makes each bowl that much more luxurious. However, I had the leftovers for lunch today without the bacon and it held up just fine without it.  I tweaked the recipe by pureeing ½ of the potatoes in the food processor and mashing the rest. I also threw in some steamed broccoli which I really enjoyed.

Light Loaded Potato Soup
Taken from: Ezra Pound Cake
Serves 4-6

• 4 (6-ounce) red potatoes
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I did 2 Tbsp all-purpose, 1 Tbsp. white whole wheat)
• 2 cups skim milk, divided
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 bacon slices
• 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 teaspoons thinly sliced green onions
• 1-2 heads of broccoli, steamed

-Steam broccoli.
-Scrub red potatoes and dice into about 1 inch cubes. Place potatoes in sauce pan, cover with water and then bring to a boil.  Cook for approximately 10-15 minutes until cubes are easily pierced with a fork (meanwhile, start cooking onions as below).  Drain potatoes into a colander.  Mash potatoes (I used a whisk) and then transfer half of the potatoes to a food processor.  Pulse until potatoes are creamy.
-While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add broth.
-In a small bowl, combine flour and 1/2 cup milk. Add the mixture to the pan with 1 1/2 cups milk. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook for 1 minute.
-Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in sour cream, salt and pepper. Set aside.
-Move oven rack to the top-middle section and heat broiler. Place a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet and place bacon strips on top of cooling rack. Broil for approximately 3-5 minutes.  Flip over and cook 30 second to 1 minute on the other side.  Drain bacon on paper towels and then crumble.
-Serve soup with cheese, green onions, crumbled bacon and broccoli.

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Chicken & Chickpea Soup

Do you know the feeling when you think you're on the verge of a cold? You're not sick yet but you can feel it coming.  Bryant felt like that on Tuesday so that means sleeping a lot more, lots lof buying some orange juice and making chicken soup.  However, this chicken soup is a bit different than others because it uses chickpeas instead of noodles.  Also, the spices in this soup seem much more Moroccan to me - cinnamon, cumin and coriander. It's delicious and a nice twist on the classic soup. So whether you're fighting off a cold or not, enjoy!

Chicken and Chickpea Soup
Taken from: Everyday Food Magazine
Serves 6

• 1 Tbsp.olive oil
• 3/4 to 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained OR 1 1/2 cups of cooked dried garbanzo beans
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• salt and pepper
• squeeze of lemon

- Bring a pot of water to boil.  Add chicken breast (it can even be frozen) and cook 10-15 minutes until fully cooked through (there should be no pink on the inside).  Cool chicken and then shred with fingers or two forks.  Set aside.
-Bring a large pot to medium-high and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add onion and carrots, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft (about 4 minutes). Add garlic and spices; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth and shredded chicken; add bay leaves.
-Bring to a boil. Reduce to a medium simmer, partially cover, and cook 10-15 minutes. 

-Add chickpeas and celery and just a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Top with cilantro just before serving.

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Week's Menu Plan & Slow Cooker Chicken Broth

So it's back to the working world for me on Monday - which I'm quite excited about although quick weeknight meals will be a much bigger factor from now on!  I'm assuming that I'll be a bit drained after the first work week so I tried to pick things for this menu plan that are much easier to make or the prep work can be done ahead of time.  And we'll be celebrating on Friday with a little homemade pizza!

I'm especially looking forward to the skirt steak and blue cheese salad (my husband loves blue cheese although I'll be topping mine with feta instead) because our farmers market just started carrying grass fed beef. And I'll be stocking up, too, as the end of farmers markets is rapidly approaching (it'll be goodbye to the farmers market, hello to CSA [Community Supported Agriculture] boxes!).

I've been wanted to make my own chicken broth for a while.  I've been shelling out for Trader Joe's chicken broth and while it's good, I figured making my own would be cheaper AND better.  At our local grocery store this week, free range, antibiotic-free whole chickens were only $1 a pound, so I jumped at the chance.  We really only like white meat so I cut off the chicken breast and roasted it along with some vegetables last night.  The rest of the chicken was thrown into the pot for stock and simmered all day yesterday.  For a 5 pound chicken, we got a great meal (or two) AND tons of broth!  I haven't tried the broth yet but I'll be using it in the Vietnamese chicken pho that I'm finally making this week.


Week's Menu Plan

Saturday: marinated chicken skewers, tzatiki, Greek salad
Sunday: Sauteed Tilapia with Lemon Sauce with risotto
Monday: spaghetti with meatballs with sauteed vegetables
Tuesday: skirt steak and blue cheese salad
Wednesday: Spanish Tortilla with biscuits
Thursday: Vietnamese chicken pho
Friday:  homemade pizza


Slow Cooker Chicken Stock
Taken from: Ina Garten
Makes approx 4-6 cups of chicken stock (which can then be thinned with water, if desired)

• 1 (5-pound) roasting chickens (or the parts leftover that you didn't want to eat)
• 1 large yellow onions, unpeeled and quartered
• 2 carrots, unpeeled and halved
• 1 stalks celery with leaves, cut into thirds
• 7 sprigs fresh parsley (all I had was dried so I just threw in probably about a teaspoon)
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme (again, only dried)
• 20 sprigs fresh dill (optional, I omitted)
• 1/3 head garlic, unpeeled and cut in 1/2 crosswise
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns (don't use ground as it'll be too spicy)
• 8 cups water

-Place the chicken/chicken parts, onion, carrots, celery, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, and seasonings in a large stockpot or slow cooker.
-Add approximately 8 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 4 hours over the stove OR place a slow cooker on low and cook 8-10 hours.
-Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander and discard the solids.
-Chill the stock overnight or at least 8 hours. The next day, remove the surface fat.
-Use immediately or pack in containers and freeze for up to 3 months (my husband laughs but I package mine in 2 Tbsp. ice cubes and then freeze them that way.  This means 8 chicken broth cubes would be one cup. It's a lot easier to get the amount you want and a lot quicker to thaw!)

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Corn Chowder

While my husband is very, very easy to cook for (he eats just about anything), he does have his favorites. The first time I made this corn chowder, I was actually a little nervous he didn't like it because he was so quiet while he ate it. Turns out it was a good silence, the kind where you just focus on your food. We actually have a "5 star menu" which lists our favorite recipes. And this chowder recipe is one of them. It's even better now with fresh corn in season.

Corn Chowder
Taken from: Everyday Food
Serves 4

• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 2 scallions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced (I used red onion because we didn't have scallions)
• 2 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 baking potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 20 ounces frozen corn kernels OR 2 cups of fresh corn (approx. 2 ears)
• 2 cans (approx. 30 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups milk (I use skim)

-In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add white part of scallion, carrot, chili powder, and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until scallion is soft, about 2 minutes.
-Add potato, corn, broth, and milk.
-Bring to a boil over medium-high, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until potato is easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 15 to 20 minutes.
-Stir in green part of scallion, and season with salt and pepper.

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Minestrone Soup and How to Cook Dried Beans

So many recipes to share, so little time. It was a serious debate with my husband about which of the past weekend's meals I should share. We decided on the minestrone soup but the blueberry scone and the quiche recipes are sure to follow.

Minestrone soup is probably my favorite soup. Whenever I see it at a restaurant, I always want to get it (but often balk at paying $5 for a cup of soup). So of course, making it at home is a lot cheaper! Also, it has so many fresh vegetables that summer is the best season for it.

This recipe makes a lot of meals. It says that it serves 8 but I think we're going to get more than that out of it. We had it for dinner Saturday night, then I had it for lunch 3 days in a row and I still froze about half of it for a future meal! Definitely worth all the chopping.

Minestrone Soup
Taken from: Allrecipes

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 2 cups celery, chopped
• 5 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 4 cups tomato sauce OR 4 cups crushed tomatoes OR 6 fresh tomatoes (crushed in the food processor)
• 1/2 cup red wine (optional)
• 1 cup kidney beans, drained
• 1 cup white beans, drained (I used canario)
• 2 cups baby spinach, rinsed
• 3 zucchinis, quartered and sliced
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano OR 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil OR 1 Tbsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried thyme (optional)
• 1 bay leaf (optional)
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup whole wheat short pasta (I used rotini)
• 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese for topping

-In a large stock pot, over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and saute garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion and saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots, saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
-Add chicken broth, water, tomatoes and red wine, bring to boil, stirring frequently.
-Reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, white beans, spinach, zucchini, oregano, basil, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, the longer the better.
-Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until tender. Drain water and set aside.-Once pasta is cooked and soup is heated through place 2 tablespoons cooked pasta into individual serving bowls. Ladle soup on top of pasta and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top to taste.
Cooking Dried Beans

Also, I've finally figured out how to cook dried beans! Sad, but true. My husband and I had a black bean fiasco a couple months ago where we decided to soak the entire bag about 3 weeks before we moved to California. Needless to say, we had a lot of black beans before we left. I definitely had to get creative to use those up...and probably cleared out our systems in the process!

So I hadn't bought dried beans since...until they had some at the farmers market on Saturday and was going to make minestrone soup that night. My husband reminded me of "the incident" so after searching the internet, I found that you some easy directions to follow AND they don't require overnight soaking.

Also, since dried beans are cheaper than canned, it always helps our budget (my husband lovingly calls me "the budget nazi" thanks to my extensive excel sheet, large collection of coupons and money-saving tips). Cooked beans can also be frozen so unless you're moving in 3 weeks, you could always make a few cups at a time and freeze them for easy future uses (as I mention below, dried beans will typically triple in volume). Finally, any time you can get away from added sodium and preservatives, found in canned beans, is always a benefit!

-Rinse beans to be cooked (dried beans will typically triple in volume so 1 cup of dried beans makes 3 cups of cooked) and pick out any bad ones.
-In a large pot halfway full of water (do not add salt), bring them to a boil and boil for at LEAST 10 minutes. (Apparently, dried beans have low levels of a toxin so you need to boil for 10 minutes to make sure the toxin is removed.)
-Drain beans. Place beans in slow cooker and add 3 cups of water for every one cup of beans. Cook on high for 2-4 hours or on low for approximately 4-6 hours. Cooking times can vary by bean type.

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