Four Foods For Friday 109

Hm, here we are, discussing chicken soup. It seems that some folks have had colds recently, eh? Hope you’re better!

Name four of the primary ingredients that YOU use to make chicken soup.

I don’t make chicken soup all that much. I am not a soup eater (unless we are really low on food). I hear it’s really good for you– protein, helps when you’re sick, etc etc anti wrinkle cream, etc etc.. many more marvels… I just don’t like the stuff. But I have made it, and it’s *tolerable.* Barely, lol.

Four primary ingredients, huh? Ummm…

1. Chicken. (I know, DUH, lol) I don’t use breasts or special cuts for soup, though– I make it with the stock I’ve made from a carcass.
2. Onions. A must, otherwise the soup is intolerably bland.
3. Seasoning of some sort. Has to be full of pep. Right now I’m using a lot of the Salamida Pinch Seasoning, it’s very good.
4. White northern beans.

I may also add black beans (well rinsed) if I want real variety.

So, sorry! My meme this week was pretty dull and bland– a lot like my chicken soup!! Hey, Val, let’s talk Italian when you’re feeling better, eh?

Terrific Black Bean & Ham Soup

I cannot believe my kids eat this. I mean— it’s good! But when I was a kid, I hated anything with beans in it. My kids devour this soup. It’s so easy to make, and it’s perfect with my Bread Machine Flax Bread. The ingredients are simple; you probably have everything in your pantry. I serve a big crowd, so this recipe is a little large. Reduce (or double) as you wish.

Wow Chow Black Bean & Ham Soup

4 15oz. cans black beans
2 15oz. cans chicken broth (or use your own)
2 Tablespoons minced garlic, chopped fresh or prepared in the jar (optional)
1 Tablespoon horseradish (optional)
1 Tablespoon olive oil or pat of butter
1 white onion, diced into small pieces
6 cups of diced ham or turkey ham

In a large stock pot, put in the olive oil or butter, and then the onions. Saute lightly, just until the onion is barely translucent. Toss in all your ham or turkey ham (I use turkey ham), and stir well to heat.

Now, drain your canned beans and dump them in the pot. Dump the broth into the pot. Add the garlic and horseradish if you include them.

Stir it well, and cook on low/medium for about 3 hours. I guess it would be technically cooked in 1 or 2 hours, but cooking longer thickens the soup and blends the ingredients more. This is a GREAT cold weather meal. It’s also a terrific “quickie” meal, for days when you’re too busy fooling around, doing housework and bills, blogging, making vacation plans and checking out www.goodsamesp.com, etc etc. Heh heh. It takes about 20 minutes to have everything ready to throw in the pot. The key is stirring it every once in a while. to make sure the beans don’t stick as the soup thickens. Alternatively, if you will be out of the house all day, you can throw these same ingredients into the crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours. The Flax Seed Bread is perfect with this!