Rainy days and Black Bean Chili match up for a throw down

We have finally gotten some much needed rain in Central Florida. Along with several inches of wet stuff over several days (I've lost count), cooler temperatures are here too. I am sure the rain has put a damper (pun) on some spirits, especially vacationers, but not in this household. We have seen it as a blessing and seized the opportunity to hunt down well hidden new-born calves, drag pastures, plant landscape plants and make Chili, which warms us from within and gives us sustainability and energy to complete the listed tasks. Where the throw down comes in to play: Who/what will last longest, Gene, the rain or the Chili? Of course, out of the three, Gene wins. But for the other two, I am hoping for a tie! This flavorful chili is quick and easy and tastes so much better than canned chili. It is so comforting to come in from wet, chilly tasks (or play) to a bowl of this chili. We like to use ground turkey in the recipe, but you could easily omit it to make it vegetarian.




BLACK BEAN CHILI
serves 6

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
3 (15 ounce) cans black beans, undrained (or use a combination of various beans)
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (may substitute fresh lime juice to taste)

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat; cook onion and garlic until onions are translucent. Add turkey and cook, stirring, until meat is brown. Stir in beans, tomatoes, chili powder, oregano, basil and vinegar. Reduce heat to low,
cover and simmer 60 minutes or more, until flavors are well blended.

My note: serve over cornbread or corn chips, top with sour cream, cilantro, grated cheddar cheese and, or Avocado slices



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Have a bowlful of health

Dani Spies calls this recipe Mexican Cabbage Soup. I think she should have called it Once Around the Farmer's Market. Most of the veggies are rough chopped, so it comes together quickly. The Jalapeno adds a slight amount of heat, the lime juice makes it pop and all those veggies! You will have certainly met your minimums. Looks good, tastes good, you feel good! Lower calories for healthy food is a super bonus. This is a win-win recipe. Highly recommended!




Mexican Cabbage Soup
Ingredients
1 yellow onion, cut into ½ moons
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
½ jalapeno, minced
5 carrots cut into slices
6 cups of chopped up cabbage
1 large zucchini, cut into chunks
A few handfuls of baby spinach
½ cup of frozen peas
6 cups of chicken broth
1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Juice of one lime
2 tsp of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: Pre-cooked shredded chicken &
avocado
Directions:
In a large pot heat olive oil over medium high heat and add onions along with
a pinch of salt. Allow the onions to cook for about 4-5 minutes or until
translucent.
Stir in jalapeno, carrots, and garlic and cook another few minutes. You just
want to give the veggies a head start before stirring in the cabbage.
Combine all the veggies together before adding the broth and the tomatoes;
turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.
Once your soup is at a boil bring it down to a simmer and stir in zucchini and
peas. Cook for just a couple more minutes before stirring in the spinach,
cilantro and fresh lime juice. Adjust seasonings and serve yourself some
soup!!
Serving suggestion: Put a couple of ounces of pre-cooked shredded chicken at the bottom
of the bowl before topping with the soup. Then finish it off with some fresh
avocado and an extra squish of limejuice… SO GOOD!
Makes a HUGE pot.
Nutritional Analysis
Serving Size: 1/8 of the pot (without the addition of chicken
or avocado) Calories: 99; Total Fat: 1.6g; Saturated Fat: 0.2g;
Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 119mg, Carbohydrate: 17.9g; DietaryFiber: 4.8g; Sugars: 9.2g; Protein: 4.7g

Bonus photos from our recent visit to the Webster Farmer's Market:





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Just in time, a recipe to help celebrate Mardi Gras and the party pup, OSKAR is ready to get you in the mood

                                                         Artist Michael Osterhout

                                                           

                                                   

Even if you are not heading to N'Oleans to party with the masses, you can feed a slew of people with this gumbo and you will have a party in your mouth. You can even make your own creole seasoning. The seasoning recipe nets about four cups, keeps indefinitely, and is nice to have around. If you are a party of one, you'll have plenty of gumbo to freeze.  Heck, you could even open a small, intimate cafe.  Allow yourself plenty of time to make your roux, you will be happy with the results.



Gumbo Ya Ya (from Birmingham News)

1 lb. unsalted butter
3 cups all purpose flour
2 red peppers, medium dice
2 green peppers, medium dice
2 medium onions, medium dice
2 celery stalks, medium dice
1 1/4 gallons (20 cups) chicken stock
2 tablespoons creole seasoning
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried hot red pepper flakes
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 lb. andouille sausage, cut in 1/4 inch slices
3 1/2 lb. chicken, roasted and boned
Hot sauce to taste


Boiled rice

In a 12 quart stock pot, melt butter and add 1/3 of the flour, stir constantly for 30 seconds. Add 1/3 more flour, stir constantly for 30 seconds, add the remaining 1/3 flour. 
Continue to cook until dark mahogany, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir and adjust temp to avoid burning the roux. Then add the peppers, onions, and celery. Add stock, stirring constantly. Add all remaining ingredients except chicken, rice, and hot sauce and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered 45 minutes, skimming off the fat. Add chicken and simmer 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings with hot sauce. Serve over rice.



Creole Seasoning (from Birmingham News)

1 1/2 cup Paprika
3/4 cup ground black pepper
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/3 cup granulated garlic
1/3 cup dried thyme
1/3 cup dried oregano
1/3 cup dried basil
1/4 cup granulated onion
1/4 cup cayenne

Combine, store in an airtight container
Makes about 4 cups


And if you want to veer off Gumbo and go a different route, try this Shrimp recipe.  It is devine:


Barbecue Shrimp (adapted from Ralph Brennan’s New Orleans Seafood Cookbook)

Ingredients:
12 raw colossal (or the largest you can find) Gulf shrimp, unpeeled with heads and tails left on
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic (2 cloves)
1 tablespoon of water
half of 1 lemon, seeded
1/4 pound (1 stick) of unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch slices

Method:
1. Place the unpeeled shrimp, Worcestershire, spices, garlic and 1 tablespoon of water in a heavy 10-inch sautee pan. Squeeze the juice from the lemon half over the shrimp and add rind and pulp to the pan.
2. Over high heat, cook the shrimp while gently stirring and occasionally turning the shrimp.
After about two minutes of cooking, the shrimp should start turning pink on both sides, indicating they are nearly half cooked.
3. If the shrimp are the colossal size, now add 2 tablespoons water to the pan. Otherwise, don’t add water.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-high and continue cooking as you gradually add the cold pieces of butter to the pan. While stirring the shrimp, swirl the butter pieces until they are incorporated into the pan juices, the sauce turns light brown and creamy as it simmers, and the shrimp are just cooked through. This will take about two minutes total if the shrimp are extra-large and about three minutes if they are colossal.
5. Serve immediately with crusty bread for sopping up the sauce and lots of napkins for cleaning your hands. Makes two servings.
Note: If you can’t find shrimp with the heads on, still be sure and use unpeeled shrimp.

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This is a pretty good use of cabbage

And good for you. Not only healthy, it is a great way to stretch a dollar. I am on a soup kick, can you tell? I changed the recipe by using ground hamburger instead of the smoked sausage the original recipe called for. It is a quick meal and smells so good while simmering away. Read more!

Greens and Beans Soup with Skillet Cornbread

Cold weather, no problem.  Drag out your soup pot and get the good stuff simmering.  You could add or subtract ingredients and personalize this recipe to make it your own.  A wedge of cornbread goes great with this soup, but a crusty baguette would work too.  Winter comfort in a bowl.

                                                  Greens and Beans Soup

2  slices bacon

2  pounds smoked ham hocks

10  cups water

2  large russet potatoes, cubed

1  large yellow onion, diced

1  pound collard greens (or Kale, or turnip greens)  washed, stems removed, coarsely chopped

3  15 oz cans cannelini beans, drained and rinsed

3  small turnips diced (optional)

Place your soup pot over medium-high heat.  Cook the bacon, add the ham hocks and cover with water, about 10 cups.  Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour.

Remove ham hocks from broth and discard bones and fat and skin.  Cut the ham into small pieces and return to the pot.

Raise heat to medium-high.  Add potatoes, onions, and turnips if using.  Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the greens and beans to the pot and simmer for an additional 20 minutes.

Serves 8

Freezes well

Leftovers are great

We like cornbread with this soup

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Toscana Soup Borrowed and changed a bit

I made the soup from fortheloveofcooking, then changed it up a bit because I wanted to try gnocchi instead of the russet potatoes.  Olive Garden has a relatively new soup on their menu with gnocchi and chicken and feeling a little adventurous, I thought what the heck, go for it.   You will only need to simmer thirty minutes if using gnocchi, adding the gnocchi in the last three minutes. Let me know if you like it.  Gene said you could smell it all the way to the front pasture.  Hope the cows don't mind--it's not Chickn.

  

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