Black Bean Soup

I was asked for this recipe on Facebook. I don't know if I would call it a recipe--it's in my typical style of "let's try a pinch of this and a cup of that." But for what it's worth, here you go!

Ingredients:

1 bag of dry black beans
chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
ham, diced or chopped (I buy it packaged by Farmland)
1 can diced tomatoes

Cook the beans according to the directions on the bag using either the overnight or quick soak method. For added flavor, substitute half of water (or more if you like) with chicken broth. When the beans are about an hour away from being done, saute the ham, onion, and green pepper in oil or butter until the vegetables are softened. Add this mixture plus the can of tomatoes (including juice) to the beans, along with additional water/broth if necessary. Season with chili powder (several tablespoons), cumin (several teaspoons), garlic (several cloves) and salt to taste. I'm sorry I can't give you more specific amounts than that. Simmer until beans are done, and garnish with grated hard-boiled egg, Monterrey Jack or cheddar cheese, and sour cream, plus some Sriracha or Tabasco sauce for those who want a spicier dish. Serve with tortilla chips, saltines, or cornbread. Yum! (Great leftover, too.)

Trader Joe's Throw-Together

I love Trader Joe's. I know I'm lucky to live near one. I was shopping there yesterday and they were handing out samples of a chicken chili recipe made with all Trader Joe's products. I had a taste and was immediately sold. We had it for supper tonight.


Here's the recipe. It doesn't get much easier than this. In fact, I don't think I can even call this cooking.

1 jar Trader Joe's Fire-roasted Yellow & Red Peppers
1 jar Trader Joe's Salsa Verde
1 can Trader Joe's White Kidney Beans
1 can Trader Joe's Premium White Chunk Chicken



Put it all in a pot, stir, and warm thoroughly. That's it.

I was worried this would not be enough food for my crew. So I added another can of chicken and another can of beans. I didn't have any more white kidney beans so I used black beans. Then I tossed in a little extra chili powder.


We had a salad on the side and some saltine crackers. Yum! It was a great dish for a cold winter's night. It cost a little more to make than a pot of beef chili, which costs about $5. But it was a welcome change of pace and cheaper than making chicken breasts or the like for everyone. You could easily substitute the Trader Joe's ingredients with other brands.

Next time I think I'll try doing what we do with black bean soup and garnish with onions and/or sour cream. Time to go back to TJ's and stock up on more ingredients!