Northeast Hearty Bean Soup

With the recent snows and cold snaps we’ve been experiencing in upstate New York the past couple of weeks, soup, and especially hearty and filling soups have been on my mind.

I finally settled on making my hearty bean soup when I saw a huge bag of great northern beans staring at me in Aldi last week.  I know many swear by navy beans, but I’ve always been partial to great northern.  They’re large and, well, beany.

I have been making this soup for so long I forget exactly when I came up with this recipe.  Usually I made this after having leftover bone-in ham, but it’s not necessary.  You can always use chunk ham and even kielbasa.  Try both.  I did that this time and the flavor is superb.

This soup was always made by a pinch of this and a poke of that, but I did take note of all my pinches and pokes and wrote down the measurements and amounts this time.

I added no additional seasoning, as it was fine for my taste.  I do suggest you taste this before you serve and correct the seasonings if you feel it needs any correction.  Firmly resist the urge to add salt, etc. before it is done.  The very long cooking will draw out the flavors of all ingredients, including the salt in the ham and the sausage.  I also cheated and started out with 1 package, portion, whatever you call that little tub thing, of Knorr vegetable stock (which is seasoned).  If you do have a leftover meaty ham bone, forego the vegetable stock and just use the ham bone and 4 cups of water.

Serve this with a crusty roll and it’s a meal–and then some.

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Northeast Hearty Bean Soup

I have been making this soup for so long I forget exactly when I came up with this recipe.  Usually I made this after having leftover bone-in ham, but it’s not necessary.  You can always use chunk ham and even kielbasa.  Try both.  I did that this time and the flavor is superb.

Prep Time1 day d

Cook Time8 hours hrs

Total Time1 day d 8 hours hrs

Course: Comfort Foods, Pork, Slow Cooker, soups

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bean soup

Servings: 6 -8

Calories: 250kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 2 cups great northern beans plus water to cover to soak
• 3 carrots sliced thickly
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 stalk celery sliced
• 1/2 tsp OR about 5 large fresh basil leaves
• about 3 or 4 bunches celery leaves
• 6 whole black peppercorns
• 1 cup diced kielbasa Polish sausage or smoked sausage
• 1 cup cubed smoked ham
• 4 cups vegetable stock

Instructions

• Cover beans with water. Soak overnight. Drain beans.
• Add beans to 5 quart slow cooker. Add all other ingredients. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours. Reduce slow cooker heat to LOW and cook for 10-12 hours or until beans are very soft and soup looks thick and stew-like.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 1339mg | Potassium: 507mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5429IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg

Northeast Hearty Bean Soup

 

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Easy Cheesy Pizza Casserole

 

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Easy Cheesy Pizza Casserole

 Surprise them with this easy and delicious pizza casserole.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course: beef, Comfort Foods, Everyday Meals, Pork

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Blue Cheese, pizza casserole, pizza recipes

Servings: 4 -6

Calories: 959kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef*
• 1/2 cup ricotta
• pinch of oregano
• pinch of basil
• 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• – 26 oz jar of pasta sauce -or-: 1 can of pizza sauce**
• 1/8 – 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• Pepperoni slices I used 1/2 of a package of Hormel brand
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup shredded aged Provolone
• Herbed Parmesan Drop Biscuits
• Additional Parmesan cheese for topping
• Herbed Parmesan Drop Biscuits:
• 2 1/4 cup baking mix like Bisquick or Jiffy
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 2/3 cup milk

Instructions

• Brown ground beef in skillet; drain fat. Mix in pasta or pizza sauce and pepper flakes; set aside. Mix ricotta cheese with the herbs and Parmesan in a separate bowl; set aside.
• Mix the dry ingredients for the biscuits. Add milk and stir until combined.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 13 x 9 pan with non-stick spray. Drop biscuit dough by teaspoons in the bottom of pan, spacing evenly. It’s OK if there is space between the dough–it will expand as it’s cooked. Top with ground beef mixture and dot with the ricotta cheese mixture. Bake at 375 for about 20 min or until biscuits are puffed and beginning to get golden brown.
• Top with mozzarella and provolone cheeses and distribute pepperoni slices evenly over top, increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Return to oven and bake until cheeses are melted and beginning to bubble. This should take about 10 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before slicing and serving. May be topped with the additional Parmesan cheese.
• Serves about 6 (hearty servings)
• *equal amount of bulk Italian sausage may be substituted
• **home made sauce may be substituted

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 959kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 2557mg | Potassium: 1177mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 1578IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 773mg | Iron: 7mg

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