Week Nine: Black Bean Soup from South Beach Diet

One of the reasons I LOVE Black Bean Soup is that it is a very healthy one, and after several weeks of high-fat, high calorie soups, it was time.  I think Panera Bread Company's Black Bean Soup is one of the best around, but this version from the South Beach Diet is pretty tasty, and very easy!  


One of the things I've learned from cooking soup a lot is that pureeing is often a method used to deliver a smooth, velvety texture to soups, mostly cream soups, but also in some cases, such as in this recipe, it tends to give the soup body.  Pureeing can be done in a food processor, with an immersion blender or in a stand blender.  America's Test Kitchen favors the stand blender, which in my kitchen is the mighty Vitamix.  It is one of my favorite kitchen appliances. When pureeing hot soups, be sure to fill your blender only 1/2 to 2/3 full to prevent leakage! 


Next to homemade stock (that's a blog post for another day), America's Test Kitchen recommends   Swanson's Chicken Broth which is what I typically use. However, I picked up a new product the other day called Knorr Homestyle Stock which I used in this recipe.  I think it worked very well, but haven't heard the word from ATK yet:)  


This soup is low fat, vegetarian, and filling. As usual, I favor the garnishes for adding a punch to the soup: fresh lime juice, cilantro, sliced green onions, and low fat sour cream, if desired.  Kind of like icing on the cake if you ask me:)  Add a salad and some cornbread, and you've got a meal!  Enjoy!


Click here to view and print the recipe!
Black Bean Soup from South Beach Diet

Week Eight: Cream of Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup with Roasted Sweet Corn and Cilantro-Lime Sour Cream

Also known as Loca Luna's Red Bell Pepper Soup!  I thoroughly enjoyed making this soup--not sure if I was just in the mood, or if it was that I've looked forward to trying a red pepper soup for so long, or that I just enjoyed the process...whatever, it was a delightful recipe to make!  


This one came from the Idea Alley cookbook--50 years of recipes in a spiral bound book which is published by the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.  My mom loved the recipes printed in the paper every week, and must have clipped every one ever published.  This is a brilliant collection of them spanning the decades.  (I purchased mine at The Crown Shop in Little Rock.)  


Published on February 8, 2006, the story behind the recipe is interesting in that the food editor made several requests for the recipe to Mark Abernathy, the owner/chef of the local restaurant Loca Luna. Each time the request got lost in the shuffle of daily business.  But Mr. Abernathy finally came through, and so did Food Network, after Rachel Ray filmed a segment for her television show, Tasty Travels, at Loca Luna because "the soup sounded so good".

I can attest. It is good.  It's not inexpensive (8 bell peppers @ $1.79 each), and it's not low calorie ( 2 cups heavy cream). But it's satisfying to make, as well as to eat.  Don't be tempted to skip the garnish-it really, really adds a great finishing touch.  Click the link below to print the recipe from Food Network's website.  Enjoy!
Cream of Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup with Roasted Sweet Corn and Cilantro-Lime Sour Cream

Week Seven: St. Michael's Alley White Chili

When it's cold outside, we not only can't resist soups, but soup in the form of chili just has to be at the top of the list.  It's this year's first real winter weather today in Arkansas--just a little sleet and snow, not too severe, but the city closed schools, etc. So technically, it's a snow day. Yay!  

St. Michael's White Chili

This recipe comes by way of my friend, Cheerful Chirpy Cheryl, who got it from her cousin.  I'd been looking for a tasty white chili recipe to serve for an upcoming special occasion, and by George!, (or by Michael!), I do think this is a winner!  It makes a TON, and could certainly be shared with others or frozen to eat later.  I think a batch of cornbread would be the perfect addition.  
On researching the restaurant noted in the title, it's a pretty interesting history of changing hands over many years.  Nothing like local flavor, yes? Around here, local restaurants are biting the dust in our present economy.  Read about St. Michael's Alley Coffehouse in Tulsa.  


*Notes:  If you take note of the ingredients list, you'll see right away this is a very  spicy chili.  Here are the changes I made: used 4 chicken breasts instead of 6, reduced the cayenne pepper to 1/2 teaspoon, used 4 cans of beans instead of 6, used 2 14-ounce cans of diced tomatoes, and roasted my jalapenos.


St. Michael's Alley White Chili
2 lbs. cooked, chopped chicken breasts (6)*
6 15.8 ounce cans Great Northern beans*
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 onions, finely chopped
1 4 ounce can green chiles
3 cups chicken broth
1/3 c. chopped jalapeno*
2 tsp. chili powder
1 T. cayenne pepper*
1 T. cumin
1 T. Tabasco sauce
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 16 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained*
2 t. oregano
salt & pepper


Saute garlic and onion until onions are clear.  Add remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring every 10 minutes, or until mixture is hot and well blended, about 45 minutes.  Top with chopped green pepper, red onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and a dollop of sour cream.  May also top with guacamole if desired.

Week Six: Super Bowl Chili (a little late)

This being Super Bowl Sunday I asked my husband what soup I should make this week, and he said, "Chili! Of course!"  But Week Six totally blew by without posting, and sadly, no photo, but I'm guessing you all know what a delicious bowl of chili looks like!  Turns out this recipe really isn't very "soupy", as I combined one from my friend, Joyful Jodi, and another friend, Sweater Dan.  (No alliteration there, because, of course, there's a story behind that name:) )


The recipe from Jodi was sent to me in 1999 in an email as her favorite to serve with Fiesta, and pile-on dish with rice, lettuce, Fritos, chili, cheese dip, onions, black olives, pecans, coconut, and the kitchen sink! Really. Whatever you like can go on this pile!  It's really delicious, but is more of a meaty version of chili for topping things like this, or nachos, or Frito pies.  I got Sweater Dan's version of chili which is always served at our small group party where the menu is Soup & Pie.  It is very similar but adds green peppers, and leaves out the tomato paste, which of course is the key to making it thick instead of soupy.  So this basic chili can be tweaked however you see fit, and it will be good! Guaranteed!


Since I've owned my special pot, LeCreuset, I've become accustomed to simmering dishes like this in the oven at very low temperatures, maybe 200-225 degrees.  I think it works magic.


CHILI
2 lbs. ground sirloin
2 chopped onions
4 chopped green peppers
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 23 oz. cans diced tomatoes, drained
2 small cans tomato paste
2 T. garlic salt
4 T. chili powder
2 cans Ranch Style beans


Brown meat with onions and garlic.  Add other ingredients and simmer for several hours. 


Enjoy!