Jasper's Tuscan Bean Soup

Jasper's Tuscan Bean Soup

"Tuscans were very frugal people and never threw anything away," says Jasper J. Mirabile, Jr., the owner of Jasper's cooking school and restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri. Northern Italians like to serve this soup, which dates back hundreds of years, as a full meal. The hearty main dish includes beans, grains and plenty of healthy vegetables.

8 ounces dry navy beans (1 1/4 cups)
4 cups water
1 ounce pancetta, chopped, or thinly sliced bacon
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups water
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon instant beef bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 head escarole, torn (6 cups)*
3 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup ditalini (tiny thimble- or tube-shaped pasta)
1/3 cup tomato juice

Rinse the beans. In a saucepan, combine beans and the 4 cups water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. (Or skip boiling the water and soak beans overnight in a covered pan.) Drain; rinse beans.
In a Dutch oven, cook pancetta, celery, carrot and onion in olive oil till vegetables are tender, but not brown.
Add the 6 cups fresh water, wine, beans, bouillon granules, crushed red pepper (if you like), tarragon, basil and pepper. Bring mixture to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer the mixture for 1 hour.
Add the escarole, tomatoes, potatoes, ditalini and tomato juice. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes more or till potatoes are tender.
*If you can't find escarole, substitute the same amount of fresh spinach and just stir it into the soup before just stir it into the soup before just stir it into the soup before serving, instead of simmering with the potatoes.

Southwestern Pinto Bean Burgers with Chipolte mayo

Southwestern Pinto Bean Burgers with Chipolte mayo
The-Skipper-Bunch via Cooking Light

1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeño pepper
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained
1 (8 3/4-ounce) can no salt-added whole-kernel corn, drained
Chipotle Mayonnaise:
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon canned minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce

Remaining ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 (1 1/2-ounce) whole wheat hamburger buns, toasted
4 romaine lettuce leaves

--- To prepare burgers, combine the first 10 ingredients in a large bowl. Add pinto beans and corn; partially mash with a fork. Divide bean mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each portion into a 3 1/2-inch patty, and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
To prepare chipotle mayonnaise, combine mayonnaise and 1 teaspoon chipotle in a small bowl; set aside. Heat canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties to pan, and cook 4 minutes on each side or until thoroughly heated. Assemble burgers.

Homemade Refried Beans

by Table for Two on January 9, 2012 in Sides
See this recipe post on Table for Two’s site! January 9, 2012
Sides

Preparation Instructions

1. If possible, soak pinto beans overnight. This will cut down your cooking time a lot. If not, it’s okay. Instructions are the same as below.
2. Rinse the beans to get off any dirt.
3. Add the beans to a pot and cover with the water. Make sure there is at least 3-4 inches of water above the beans. Cook the beans for 2 1/2 hours, about 1 1/2 hours for pre-soaked beans.
4. Once the beans are cooked, reserve 1 cup of the water, then drain the rest. Set aside.
5. In a skillet, saute the onions, red pepper flakes, paprika, and brown sugar for about 5 minutes. Add this to the pot where the beans are and add the reserved cup of water.
6. Using an immersion blender, lightly blend the beans until they’re the consistency you want. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a pastry blender (like I did). It gives a coarser consistency than the immersion blender since it’s harder to get every bean.
7. Season with salt as needed. Keep tasting it occasionally. This is also where you can add more red pepper flakes if desired.
8. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 2-½ cups Dry Pinto Beans
• 3 quarts Water
• 1  Onion, Chopped
• ½ Tablespoons Red Pepper Flakes, Or More To Taste
• ½ Tablespoons Paprika
• 2 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
• 4 Tablespoons Salt, Or As Needed

Pasta and White Beans with Broccoli Pesto

Pasta and White Beans with Broccoli Pesto
Everyday Food (January/February 2012)

INGREDIENTS
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 bunch broccoli, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
10 ounces short pasta, such as fusilli
5 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 ounce Parmesan, finely grated (1/4 cup), plus more for serving (optional)
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
1/2 small garlic clove
1 can (15.5 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

DIRECTIONS
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook broccoli until tender and bright green, about 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer broccoli to a food processor. Return water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 2 cups pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.
To food processor, add oil, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, parsley, and garlic. Puree until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down side as needed. Transfer pesto to pot with pasta. Stir to coat, adding enough reserved pasta water to make a creamy sauce. Stir in beans and heat over medium until warmed through.
Season with salt and pepper. To serve, sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired.

Creamy Spaghetti and Beans

Creamy Spaghetti and Beans

Ingredients

    5 to 6 cups chicken stock
    2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    2 tablespoons butter
    1/4 pound chunk pancetta chopped into small dice
    4 cloves garlic, chopped
    1 pound spaghetti
    1 medium onion, chopped
    2 carrots, cut into a small dice
    1 fresh bay leaf
    5 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme
    1 (15-ounce) can Roman beans or small white beans (recommended: Goya brand)
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    1 cup dry white wine, eyeball it
    1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
    A generous handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Directions

Place the stock in a sauce pot and warm it over medium heat then reduce to simmer.

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil and the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the pancetta to brown slightly. Next add the garlic and spaghetti and toast the noodles lightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Add onions and carrots, bay leaf and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Soften veggies a bit, 5 minutes. Add wine and allow it to be completely absorbed. Add beans then add a few ladles of stock and stir the pasta. Keep adding stock a few ladles at a time allowing liquids to be mostly absorbed before adding more, as if you were preparing a risotto. When liquids are absorbed and spaghetti is cooked to al dente, 12-15 minutes, stir in cheese. Adjust salt and pepper. Turn off heat and stir another minute. Remove the bay leaf and thyme stems. Serve in shallow bowls and garnish with lots of parsley.

Recipe by Rachel Ray.

Creamy Spaghetti and Beans

Creamy Spaghetti and Beans
(burns_toast via Rachel Ray)

Ingredients

    5 to 6 cups chicken stock
    2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    2 tablespoons butter
    1/4 pound chunk pancetta chopped into small dice
    4 cloves garlic, chopped
    1 pound spaghetti
    1 medium onion, chopped
    2 carrots, cut into a small dice
    1 fresh bay leaf
    5 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme
    1 (15-ounce) can Roman beans or small white beans (recommended: Goya brand)
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    1 cup dry white wine, eyeball it
    1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
    A generous handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Directions

Place the stock in a sauce pot and warm it over medium heat then reduce to simmer.

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil and the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the pancetta to brown slightly. Next add the garlic and spaghetti and toast the noodles lightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Add onions and carrots, bay leaf and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Soften veggies a bit, 5 minutes. Add wine and allow it to be completely absorbed. Add beans then add a few ladles of stock and stir the pasta. Keep adding stock a few ladles at a time allowing liquids to be mostly absorbed before adding more, as if you were preparing a risotto. When liquids are absorbed and spaghetti is cooked to al dente, 12-15 minutes, stir in cheese. Adjust salt and pepper. Turn off heat and stir another minute. Remove the bay leaf and thyme stems. Serve in shallow bowls and garnish with lots of parsley.

Cowboy Baked Beans

Cowboy Baked Beans
farmin_mama

1 lb of hamburger, cooked

1 lb of bacon, cooked and chopped in bite size pieces

2 - 28 oz cans of original baked beans

1 med onion, chopped

2/3 cup of granulated sugar

2/3 cup of brown sugar

2 TBS mustard

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup BBQ

1 tsp chilli powder

 

This recipe can be either baked in the over or in the crockpot. *I cooked them for 7 hours on low in the crock pot and they were amazing!

Barley and Black Bean Salad

Barley and Black Bean Salad
Wreanne05 from The New American Plate
 
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup pearl barley, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can black beans rinsed and drained
1 medium yellow pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small tomato, seeded and chopped
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 medium scallion, chopped, trimmed, white parts only
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
juice of 1/2 a lime
salt and pepper to taste
Monterey Jack Cheese for garnish

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the barley and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, if desired. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the barley is tender. Drain Well  In a large bowl, combine the barley, beans, bell pepper, tomato, corn, scallion, oregano, basil, and lime juice. Stir the mixture with a fork. Season to taste with salt and pepper, top with the shredded cheese.

Spice Rubbed Steak with White Beans and Cherry Tomatoes

Spice Rubbed Steak with White Beans and Cherry Tomatoes
Bon Appetit March 2010
OP Marina

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
• 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Coarse kosher salt
• 1 1 1/4-pound top sirloin steak (about 1 inch thick)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 1-pint container cherry tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 15-ounce cans white beans, drained

Preparation

• Mix chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, crushed red pepper, and oregano in small bowl. Sprinkle spices, salt, and pepper all over steak. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook steak to desired doneness, 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to cutting board. Wipe out skillet; add 1 tablespoon oil. Add tomatoes; sauté 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and 1 teaspoon cumin. Add drained beans; stir until heated through, adding water by tablespoonfuls if dry, 3 minutes.
• Slice steak; serve with beans.

Beer-Baked White Beans

Beer-Baked White Beans

INGREDIENTS


6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 sprig rosemary
1 pound dried white beans, such as Great Northern or cannellini, picked over, soaked overnight, and drained
2 bottles Belgian-style white ale (12 ounces each), such as Blue Moon or Hoegaarden
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, cook bacon over medium until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp and browned, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Increase heat to medium-high; add onion and garlic to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, 4 minutes. Add mustard and honey; cook 1 minute. Add rosemary, beans, beer, and broth; season with salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil; cover and transfer to oven.
Bake until beans are tender and most of liquid is absorbed, about 2 hours. Season to taste with vinegar, salt, and pepper. To serve, stir in reserved cooked bacon.

From here.

Creamy White Bean and Apple Chili

Creamy White Bean and Apple Chili

*Sara* From A Year of Crockpotting

--2 cans of white beans, drained and rinsed (I used white kidneys)
--1 onion, chopped
--2 apples, cut in tiny chunks, no need to peel
--3 cloves smashed and chopped garlic
--3 T butter. Yes, butter.
--2 tsp chili powder
--1/2 tsp ground thyme
--1 tsp cumin
--1/4 tsp salt
--1/4 tsp pepper
--3 cups chicken broth (unless you are vegetarian. then you should use vegetable broth. because the chicken would be wrong.)
--1/2 cup plain non fat yogurt
--1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

Any crockpot over 4 quarts would work well with this dish.

Put the butter into the bottom of your crockpot. Dump in the drained and rinsed beans. Chop up the onion and the apple. Add the spices, and pour in the broth. Stir in the yogurt.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4-5. This is done when the onion has reached desired tenderness and the flavors have melded. Stir in the cheddar cheese before serving.

Cheesy Beans and Rice

Cheesy Beans and Rice 
LBsMom via Allrecipes.com / Submitted by: Linda Rindels
 

1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced  tomatoes and green chilies, undrained (I use 2 8-oz cans of tomato sauce instead)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, divided 

Cook rice according to package directions. Transfer to a bowl; add the beans. In a nonstick skillet, saute onion in oil for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, chili powder and salt. Bring to a boil; remove from the heat. 

In a 2-qt. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray, layer a third of the rice mixture, cheese and tomato mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining rice mixture and tomato mixture.  

Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until heated through. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Kitty’s Kick-Ass Refried Beans

Kitty’s Kick-Ass Refried Beans
Sharon via myhusbandhatesveggies.com

2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 large sweet red pepper, diced
1/2 sweet onion, diced
2 cloves minced garlic
1-2 canned chipotle peppers, in adobo sauce, finely chopped
ground cumin, chili powder, Adobo powder – to taste
1/2 cup stock (chicken or veggie, water if no stock on hand)

1) Saute the peppers and onions in some olive oil, adding the garlic after a few minutes. Add your ground seasonings, giving them a few minutes to toast. Add the chipotles (one for mild, 2 or more for spicy, but remember, a little goes a long way!). Allow chipotles a minute or so to incorporate with the veggies.

2) Stir in the beans.

3) Add stock or water, partially cover, and leave on medium low heat for 15-20 minutes, or until liquid has mostly absorbed.

4) Using a potato masher, mash the mixture until it is almost smooth, but leaving the appearance of crushed beans. You may either serve it as-is, OR, what I like to do is:
5) Spoon mixture into a small casserole dish, cover mixture with shredded cheddar cheese, and place in a 300 degree oven, covered for 10 – 15 minutes. Mmmm…

White Bean Cassoulet

White Bean Cassoulet

Serves 4 to 6

- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) olive oil

- 1 large onion, chopped fine

- 3 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) dried thyme leaves

- Salt, to taste

- 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground pepper

- 2 pork sausages, cut in half or thirds

- 4 chicken thighs, bone-in

- 4 ounces (115 g) double-smoked bacon, diced

- 2 carrots, peeled and diced

- 1 tablespoon (5 mL) tomato paste

- 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) low-sodium chicken broth

- 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) Great Northern dry white beans, soaked overnight and drained

To garnish:

- 3 tablespoons (40 mL) fresh parsley leaves, minced

- 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) homemade croutons

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Remove from pan and set aside.

2. In the same pan, brown sausages well; set aside with the onion. Brown chicken thighs; set aside with sausage and onion. Sauté diced bacon, then transfer all ingredients (except garnishes) to slow cooker. Stir until combined.

3. Cover and cook on Low setting 7 to 8 hours. Before serving, garnish with chopped parsley and homemade croutons.

Source: The Red Apron


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