Tuscan White Bean Soup with Sausage

    
        One of the best things about winter is soup. There are so many wonderful soups it's hard to choose a favorite. Okay, not really, chili is definitely the best. But this is a great one! It's warm and comforting, light yet hardy. This recipe came from The Pioneer Woman but I decided to use sausage instead of shrimp. Mostly because it would keep in my fridge longer. This soup would have been even better if it had actually been cold outside when I decided to make it. Instead we were sitting at the kitchen table with the back door open, sweating. Ahhh, winter in Alabama! It was delicious anyway and the whole time I was thinking this could be on the menu at any fabulous Italian restaurant in town.

Tuscan White Bean Soup with Sausage
 (adapted from The Pioneer Woman)
  

5 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
3 cans (14.5 Ounce) Cans Great Norther Beans, Drained And Rinsed
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
2 teaspoons Dried Oregano
1/4 cup Tomato Paste
3/4 cups Dry White Wine
1 can (28 Ounces) Whole Or Diced Tomatoes
4-6 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 bunch Kale (more If Desired)
Plenty Of Torn Fresh Basil
1 Turkey Polka Keilbasa sausage (cooked)
Fresh Parmesan cheese


Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic and stir to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook about 2 minutes, getting lots of flavor in the bottom of the pan. Stir in red pepper flakes and dried oregano; stir and cook for another 30 seconds.

Pour in wine and stir, scraping the flavors from the bottom of the pan. Cook until reduced by half.
Add canned tomatoes, if using whole tomatoes, break up a bit. Add the drained and rinsed beans. Pour in chicken broth. Stir to combine and allow it to simmer for 20-25 minutes. Season to taste.

Rinse and chop kale and add it to the pot with a bunch of torn basil. The kale will wilt, like spinach, so don't be afraid to add a lot. Simmer 5 more minutes and add any more seasonings if needed.
 
Ladle soup into bowls and top with cooked sausage. Sprinkle Parmesan and additional basil on top. Serve hot.

Yumm!

  

Creamy Ranch Pork Chili

I love making soups and stews this time of year.  I make some sort of soup almost every week during the winter. It is so nice to have something warm and comforting on a cold winter night. It also doesn't hurt that most are a cinch to prepare. This week, I thought soup would be a great way to use the leftovers from the other night when I made slow roasted pork shoulder. This recipe is kind of a cross between chili and brunswick stew, but it's creamy like a chowder. The original recipe is made in a slow cooker, but I cooked mine in a big pot on the stove. That's just my preference. If you prefer to use a slow cooker just skip the onion and garlic step, throw everything else in your slow cooker, and cook on low 6-8 hours.


Creamy Ranch Pork Chili
 adapted from Plain Chicken


1/2 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic. minced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, undrained
1 can Rotel, undrained
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 8 oz package light cream cheese
3/4 cup chicken broth
1lb pork shoulder, shredded


Heat olive oil in a large pot over med/high heat. Add onion and garlic to pan and saute until translucent. Add remaining ingredients, except cream cheese, and stir to combine. Place cream cheese on top. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Stir cream cheese into chili and serve.