White Bean Chicken Chili

It's time for another edition of Fantastical Food Fight, where every month a theme or ingredient is chosen, and we all choose a recipe - from a cookbook, blog, or our imaginations - and then share on the same day. 

This month's theme is Slow Cooker Soup, and what could be better during the cold month of January? I love being able to throw some ingredients into the slow cooker first thing in the morning and have a yummy soup by dinner time. Talk about easy! I could probably eat nothing but soup all winter.

I've made this particular soup twice so far, and we really enjoy it. It's very simple and the flavors are fantastic.

White Bean Chicken Chili
from Burnt Apple

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (15 oz each) white beans (Great Northern or Cannellini), undrained
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)
• 1 can Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, undrained
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 3/4 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. dried oregano leaves

Directions:

1. Place one can of the Great Northern beans into the slow cooker and smash with a potato masher or back of a fork. Add the second can of beans and all other ingredients to the slow cooker, stirring to combine.
2. Cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker, shred, then return to the slow cooker and stir until combined.
3. Serve topped with sour cream, grated cheese, and tortilla chips if desired.

The first time I made this soup, I used a can of Great Northern beans and a can of Cannellini beans because that's what I had. I also used a can of diced chipotle tomatoes, which gave the soup a really nice flavor. The second time I used home cooked Great Northern beans - 1-1/2 cups of beans and 3/4 cup liquid = 1 can of beans. And I used the tomatoes with green chilies. Both soups were yummy, and of course that's the beauty of soup - ingredients can be adjusted according to your tastes and/or what you have on hand.

Also, though the theme of this Fantastical Food Fight is Slow Cooker Soups, this soup is just as good when made on the stove; it just needs more attention than when throwing everything into the slow cooker. (and sometimes I just don't get everything together early enough in the day to use the slow cooker) For a little extra flavor when cooking on the stove, cook the onions in a bit of olive oil until translucent then add the spices and cook until fragrant. Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or so, until chicken is cooked.

An InLinkz Link-up

Easy Vegetable Soup

I have plenty of recipes 'on deck' but for some reason I just haven't been getting around to posting any of them. I have some pictures, so hopefully I will remember what I actually did with these recipes - because, of course, I can never just follow a recipe. I just really need to sit down one of these days and get them all written up, if only for my own sake.

I've been fighting a cold this week, so the only thing that really sounded good was soup. I pulled some turkey broth out of the freezer, and I was just going to heat that up and drink it. But then I kept thinking of vegetables that would be good, so I just kept adding. Of course, feel free to add more or less or even omit a vegetable if you don't have it on hand. This is just what I did. This time.

Easy Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 1/2 a medium onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 to 1 cup sliced cabbage
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric
• 2 cups turkey (or chicken) broth
• 1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in 2-quart saucepan. Chop onion, celery, carrot, bell pepper, and cabbage, adding them to the pan as you go. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables begin to soften; add garlic, salt, pepper, and turmeric, and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
2. Add broth and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until flavors are blended and vegetables are cooked. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Enjoy.

Oh, sure there are aisles full of canned soups in the grocery stores.  So many choices, and all you have to do is open the can and heat it up - but this isn't much harder than that, and it's much better because I know everything that went into it. It was exactly what I needed, and now that it's gone, I'm probably going to make another batch of it tomorrow.

Maybe I should add a jalapeno? That would certainly kick any last vestiges of this cold right outta there.

Lentil Garlic Soup

I thought for sure I had posted this recipe already, but when I started looking for it so I could make this soup, I realized it wasn't here.  Thankfully I printed the recipe in 2001, so I was still able to make soup.  Yes, I've been making this soup for a few years now.

Lentil Garlic Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 to 2 T olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 4 to 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 to 4 cups water, to bring total liquid to 8 cups
• 16 oz. bag lentils, rinsed
• 1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
• lemon wedges

Directions:

1. Heat oil in 5-quart pan.  Add onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft, stirring frequently.  Add salt and cumin and cook until fragrant.
2. Add broth, water, and lentils; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.  Add tomatoes and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes more.
3. Serve with lemon wedges and crackers.

I really like this soup.  It's simple and tasty.  I especially like it after it's been cooled and then reheated.  It gets thicker and better each time.

Definitely do not forget the lemon wedges.  They add the perfect finishing touch to the soup.  Just squeeze the juice over your soup and drop the wedge in.  So good!

Tuscan Chicken Soup

When I saw the recipe for Tuscan Chicken Stew on South Your Mouth, I knew I had to try it.  It just looked so good.   Of course, I didn't quite follow the original recipe, but I did use basically the same ingredients, and I kept all the seasonings the same.  I think it turned out great.

This soup is sure to become a favorite around here. I will definitely be making it again. It's super flavorful and easy to make.

Tuscan Chicken Soup
adapted from South Your Mouth

 Ingredients:

• 1-2 T olive oil
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 3 carrots, diced
• 5 medium potatoes, diced
• 1 15-oz. can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 bay leaf

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large Dutch oven (6 quart); add chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add onion, garlic, and celery; cook until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are soft, stirring frequently.  Add seasonings and cook for a few minutes until fragrant.  Stir in carrots, potatoes, beans, and tomatoes and then add broth, water and bay leaf.
2. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes with lid slightly cracked, stirring occasionally.  Add additional salt and pepper to taste.  Cook a few minutes longer if needed, until carrots and potatoes are done.

I made this soup one day and then reheated it the next.  I think all soups get better when you reheat them, and some absolutely have to be made a day before you want to eat it.  I think this one would be good either way.   I made fresh cornbread to go with the soup, which was really good.  It would also be good with some nice crusty bread.

I used the1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, and the soup had a nice kick to it.  My husband, who does not like his food very spicy at all, didn't complain and really liked the soup, but if you don't like a lot of spice you'll probably want to cut the measurement down to 1/4 tsp. - at least the first time.

Chard and White Bean Stew

I'm still getting a few things from my garden.  The tomatoes are ripening, and I've been picking a few every couple days.  There are plenty of green ones still needing to ripen.  There are also quite a few small jalapenos on the plants and some bell peppers, too.  We had to cover the tomato and pepper plants for a few nights this weekend to protect them from frost, but it's warmed up again so we should be good for a while.  I've also got carrots and chard still out in the garden.  I read somewhere that carrots will taste better after a couple of good freezes, so though I've pulled several of the carrots, I'm going to leave the rest of them for a while.  Chard can survive a frost, so I should be having that for a while, too.

With all the chard and tomatoes, I started searching for a recipe that would use some of them.  There are quite a few good sounding recipes, but this one won out.  She served this with crusty bread, and a poached egg on top, but I skipped the poached egg.  It does look interesting, though.  Perhaps next time?

Chard and White Bean Stew
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 pound Swiss chard (or another green), stems removed and coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup dry white wine (or juice of half a lemon and water to make 1 cup)
• 2 15-ounce cans (or about 4 cups) white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup chicken broth (or 2 cups broth and not bean liquid)
• 1 cup bean liquid (if using home cooked beans)
• 1-2 cups pureed tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf

Directions:

1. Prepare vegetables.  Heat olive oil in 5 to 6 quart pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, onion and garlic and saute for 15 minutes or until onion begins to brown. Add chard and cook, stirring, until chard begins to wilt. 
2. Add wine (or lemon water), scraping up any bits that have stuck to the pot and cook until it has reduced by three-fourths. Add beans, broth, tomatoes, salt, black pepper, thyme and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. 
3. Add more broth if you’d like a thinner stew and adjust salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with crusty bread.  Drizzle with Balsamic vinegar if desired.

I really enjoyed the flavors in this. My husband didn't drizzle any of the vinegar on his, but I thought that really added a nice touch.  I really love when the broth soaks into the bread.  So good!

This whole grain sourdough is the perfect complement to so many things!  I used 1 cup of the bean liquid in this batch, instead of the water.

Creamy Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

I was looking for some kind of crock-pot recipe to take to a potluck.  Since I just cooked a turkey, I wanted something with turkey, but didn't really have anything else in mind.  This recipe came up, not because it's a crock-pot recipe, but because someone had made a note that she made this and threw it in the crock-pot on low until dinner time.  And that's pretty much what I need - something I can make on a Friday and then take on Sabbath and just warm up with the crock-pot.

So, I made it Friday, had some for lunch, and threw the rest in the crock-pot to warm up for the potluck.  Good thing I had some for lunch, because there was none leftover to bring home after the potluck.  The recipe says it's "a healthier twist on a classic creamy turkey and wild rice soup" but since I've never made any kind of creamy turkey and rice soup, I don't really know about that. I do know that it's a simple soup to make with a really good flavor, and with plenty of veggies in it, there's no reason why it wouldn't be healthy.

Creamy Turkey and Wild Rice Soup
adapted from Delish

Ingredients:

• 1 c. uncooked wild rice or wild rice blend (I used a wild rice and brown basmati blend)
• 1 T olive oil
• 2 c. sliced mushrooms, about 4 ounces
• 1/2 a medium onion, chopped
• 3/4 c. chopped celery
• 3/4 c. chopped carrots
• 1/4 c. flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. parsley flakes
• 4 c. turkey broth
• 2 c. cooked turkey, chopped
• 1/2 c. sour cream

Directions:

1. Cook rice according to package directions.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, celery, carrots and onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add flour, salt, pepper, and parsley and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more.
3. Add broth and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in turkey, sour cream, and rice and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes more.  Taste and season with additional salt & pepper if needed

The original recipe called for 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, which I did not have, so I substituted dried parsley.  If you use fresh, add it at the end with the turkey, rice, and sour cream.

Time-saving tips:

• The rice will take 45-50 minutes to cook; cook it early in the day or the day before and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Slice mushrooms and chop the rest of the vegetables; store covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Pasta e Fagioli

We've always loved Olive Garden's Paste e Fagioli Soup, and it was a happy day when my friend Peggy found a copycat recipe that tastes almost exactly like Olive Garden's. I have modified it slightly by only using 1/2 lb. ground beef, cutting the pasta way down, and adding a bit more liquid.

Pasta e Fagioli
adapted from Top Secret Recipes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large carrot, julienned (1 cup)
• 3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
• 2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
• 1 15-oz. can kidney beans, drained
• 1 15-oz. can great northern beans, drained
• 1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 12-oz. can V-8 juice (OR 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce and 1 can vegetable broth)
• 1-1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 T white vinegar
• 1 cup water (use it to rinse tomato and tomato sauce cans and then add to pot)
• 1/2 cup ditali pasta

Directions:

1. Begin browning ground beef in 6-quart pan over medium heat. 
2. Add onion, garlic, carrot, and celery and continue cooking until beef is browned. Drain fat if necessary.
3. Add all remaining ingredients, except pasta; cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
4. Cook pasta in boiling water over high heat, just until it is al dente.  Drain.
5. Add pasta to soup pot; simmer for 5 to 10 minutes and serve

In the past I have used the V8 that the recipe calls for, but V8 is not something that I usually buy or have on hand.   So, this last time I made it I substituted a can of vegetable broth and an additional 8-oz. can of tomato sauce, and it turned out great.  I also didn't have the exact pasta so I used Creamette Rings instead.

I warmed this up several times - yay for leftovers! - and added a bit of water each time, just to keep the consistency right.  Some soups I love as they get thicker and thicker each time they're reheated, but I'd rather not let this one thicken up too much.  This is also a good reason not to use too much pasta.  The original recipe called for 8 oz. of pasta, and that is fine the first day, but as the soup sits the pasta soaks up the liquid, and pretty soon you have something more like goulash.

If you like the Paste e Fagioli Soup from Olive Garden, you'll definitely want to give this recipe a try.  So yummy!  Sprinkle with some Parmesan, serve with some crusty bread, and enjoy.

Red Bean Turkey Chili

I love this cooler weather because it's the perfect weather for soup! And boots and sweatshirts, fires in the fireplace, and snuggling up under the covers at night.  I mean, I would be OK if it wasn't quite so cold already in November, but I'm just going to enjoy it.  And make soup.

I made this one last week, and it's very tasty and satisfying.  I love all the beans.  I can't believe there was a time I didn't like beans.  Now I adore them.  The original recipe called for 2 cans of beans.  I ended up using 4!  I was really only planning to put 3 in, but I accidentally opened a can I didn't mean to open.  The beans were on top of the diced tomatoes I meant to grab, but somehow I moved the beans to grab the tomatoes and then put the tomatoes back and kept the beans - and then I opened them without looking at the can.  Oh well - lots of beans in this soup!

Red Bean Turkey Chili
adapted from Hip Foodie Mom

Ingredients:

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 bell pepper, diced
• 1 T cumin
• 1 T dried oregano
• 2 T chili powder
• salt and pepper
• 2 cans (15 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cans (15 oz.) red beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
• 1-1/2 cups frozen corn
• 4 cups turkey broth
• 1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 to 3 cups cooked turkey, shredded
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes; optional

Directions:

1. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds then add and the bell pepper and season with the cumin, oregano, chili powder, and salt & pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the beans, kale, corn, turkey broth, and tomatoes.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil and then turn the heat down low and simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until some of the liquid has reduced. Add the shredded turkey and red pepper flakes (if using) and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper, to taste. Enjoy!

Like most soups, this is a great make ahead meal. Make it one day, cool and refrigerate, then reheat the next. Soups just get better and better the more times you reheat them. I did end up adding a bit of water the second time I reheated this, because it thickened up a lot and there wasn't much broth left.

The flavors were really good in this.  The combination of seasonings was really good. (I did not use the red pepper flakes because I was afraid it would make it too spicy for my husband, though I think it would have been fine.) 

The original recipe used white beans, chicken stock and rotisserie chicken, Swiss chard, and added some diced zucchini, but I had just pulled some red beans and kidney beans out of my freezer - to make just a regular old pot of chili, except I then realized I had no tomato sauce so I needed another recipe for the beans - so I used the red beans.  I think any beans would work, whatever you like or have on hand.  I used turkey and turkey broth because I had those in my freezer too, and with Thanksgiving coming up and turkeys on sale, I will soon be cooking another turkey and replacing some of that cooked turkey and broth.  I'm cleaning out the old to make room for the new!

Anyway, that's a long way to say - the seasonings are really good in this, but you can mix, match, and substitute the ingredients you have and the ingredients you like, and you're still going to come out with a very good soup perfect for a cool weather meal.   Serve with a pan of cornbread fresh out of the oven, and you have perfection!  Or something very near.

Lamb and Barley Stew

This cool Fall weather has me thinking soup!  I made this a few weeks back, and we really liked it.  It makes a very satisfying meal served with a crusty bread, and the lamb gives it a distinctive flavor that really sets it apart.  Also, I love barley.  I only recently starting using it regularly - why did I wait so long? - and I adore it.

Lamb and Barley Stew
adapted from Nourished Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 1 cup barley, not quick
• 1 T apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup split peas
• 1 lb. ground lamb
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thin
• 1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 10-12 cups water, plus more for soaking the peas and barley
• fresh spinach, washed and chopped (1 or 2 cups)

Directions:

1. Place barley in a small bowl and cover with about 1 cup warm water; stir in cider vinegar. In a separate bowl, cover the split peas with warm water. Leave both bowls in a warm room for 12 to 24 hours.
2. After the soaking time has passed, heat a large pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add ground lamb.  As lamb begins to cook, add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic to the pot, and cook until lamb is browned and vegetables soften, stirring often.  You may need to add a little butter or olive oil to keep things from over-browning or sticking to the pan, if your lamb is too lean.
3. Season lamb and veggies with thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Add your 10-12 cups water - depending on how thick you want your soup and/or if you want to serve it right away. 
4. Drain barley and split peas and rinse well; add them to the pot.  Bring the soup to a boil, turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until barley, peas, and vegetables are cooked.
5. Add spinach to the pot; simmer for 7 minutes or until the spinach is wilted. Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

Time-saving tip:  Chop all the vegetables the day before or early in the day (when you start the barley and split peas soaking).  Store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator until you're ready to add them to the soup.

While you can serve this soup right away (with that crusty bread), it is better - like most soups are - if you make it one day and then reheat it the next.  If you want to serve it the same day you make it, try using the 10 cups of water instead of 12.  Your soup will be much thinner the first time you serve it, but it thickens up more each time it's reheated.  You know how soup is - it gets better and better every time you reheat it, until it's GONE.  (Time to make more!)

The original recipe called for a lamb shank instead of the ground lamb.  I inventoried my freezer yesterday and found that I have two lamb shanks - so I'm going to try it that way next time.  I also have a bunch of kale right now, for which I substituted spinach in my recipe.  I think I'm going to have to make this again.  Soon.  Just to see which way we like it best.  The beauty of soup - besides being a warm, comforting meal on a cool fall or winter day - is that you can substitute the ingredients you have and come up with something uniquely yours.

Spaghetti & Meatball Soup

It's time again for Secret Recipe Club reveal!  My secret blog assignment this month was Kitchen Trial and Error, a blog written by Kate.  Along with her husband Jason - chief taste-tester and occasional guest poster - and two adorable sons, Kate lives in Rochester, NY.  She never planned to become a blogger, but has found it's a great way to keep track of her recipes and all those kitchen trials and errors. 

I just started on the first page of her blog and started scrolling, and found so many amazing recipes.  Then I decided to check out Kate's Recipe List, which she has organized by year starting with 2010.  These are just a few of the recipes I want to try, and I haven't even made it through 2011.  YET.

• Carrot Cake Pancakes
• Apple Chicken Chili
• Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
• Creamy Barley with Tomatoes & Spinach
• Mocha Gelato

They all look amazing.  I can't stop!  I love that she's got them organized this way, because the older recipes will still get attention instead of getting lost in the archives.  However, I don't know if I'll ever make it up to the present day because there are so many I want to check out.

I finally settled on this Spaghetti & Meatball Soup (Spaghetti Stoup) because it just looked so good, and it would go perfectly with my fresh-baked Sourdough Bread. I'm pretty sure this is only the beginning, though.  I will be trying many of Kate's recipes!

Spaghetti & Meatball Soup
from Kitchen Trial and Error

Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 15 ounces tomato sauce
• 1/2 pound spaghetti broken in half

Directions:

1. For meatballs: Use your hands to combine beef, egg, bread crumbs, and Parmesan.  Set aside.
2. Coat the bottom of a large Dutch oven with olive oil and heat on medium.  Add the onion, carrots, garlic, and bay leaf and cook about 5 minutes, until vegetables start to soften.  Stir in basil, salt, and pepper.
3. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, and tomato sauce.  Cover and bring to a boil.
4. Roll meat mixture into small meatballs, about the size of a walnut.  Once all meatballs have been formed, drop them into the simmering soup and simmer 10 minutes.
5. Add spaghetti and cook 10 to 12 minutes or until the pasta is done and the meatballs are cooked through. 

Serve with Parmesan cheese and crusty bread

Time saving tips:

• Mix the meatballs up ahead of time and store in the refrigerator.  You can even form the meatballs and store them in a covered container.  Just put waxed paper between the layers if you have more than one.
• Chop the onion, garlic, and carrots; store in covered container in refrigerator.

While it will still take the same amount of time, doing some of the prep early in the day or even the night before (whenever you have time) means, when it's time to make dinner, you just have to throw things in the pan - and you'll have a delicious soup in no time!

We really enjoyed this, and it was perfect with the sourdough bread.  I wasn't completely sure about just dropping the meatballs into the soup without baking or browning them first, but they were just perfect.  I will definitely make this again!

The soup was much thicker when we enjoyed the leftovers - as most soups are.  It was kind of like a really saucy pot of spaghetti, and just as tasty as the first time.  I have a hard time believing that some people refuse to eat leftovers.  Most things just get better and better each time they are heated up.

I think this would make a great dish to take for a potluck, just put it into a crock pot or slow cooker to warm it up.  My husband said that maybe I'd want to skip the carrots for that, but I really like the carrots in this.  Maybe grating them instead of chopping would let them be in there but disappear a bit more - so people like him wouldn't even know they were there.  But I would.

An InLinkz Link-up

Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew

I had some chicken breasts in the fridge and some sweet potatoes in the pantry, so I went looking for a recipe.  I found this one which also included cabbage - and I had some of that in the fridge, too!

Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew
adapted from Weight Watchers

Ingredients

• 2 tsp cooking oil
• 1 lb. boneless skinless breast, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper 
• 1 tsp dried oregano 
• 1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 5 cups cabbage, chopped
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1⁄4-inch chunks
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1 T cornstarch

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until beginning to brown.
2. Add the cabbage, onion, garlic and seasonings. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage and onion are just tender. Stir in the sweet potatoes, broth, and water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes, longer if you want your sweet potatoes really soft. Stir in the peas and heat through.
3. Combine the cornstarch with about 1⁄4 cup water in a small bowl until smooth. Add the mixture to the Dutch oven. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture bubbles and thickens, about 3 minutes.

Notes

If you like, substitute a teaspoon of dried thyme, or use 1 T chopped fresh oregano or thyme.  If you use fresh herbs, add them when you add the peas.

I made this a day early and then added 1/2 cup of water when I reheated it, because it was really thick.  I'm not entirely convinced the cornstarch is needed for thickening because I cooked mine long enough that the sweet potatoes got really soft and thickened the stew on their own.  I will probably leave that step out next time.  I also may have used more than just the 1 cup of peas, too - their green color against the orange of the sweet potatoes is really pretty.

This was a really easy and tasty soup recipe, great for a potluck.  Everybody really seemed to like it and there wasn't much left, so I'm sure I'll be making it again.  A nice slice of wholegrain sourdough bread is the perfect complement.

Related articles

• Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas
• Sweet Potato & Chicken Stew
• Sweet Potato Beef Stew in the Slow Cooker

Crock Pot Tex-Mex Chicken and Dumplings

I'm excited to be joining the Secret Recipe Club (Secret Recipe Club) this month!  My assignment was to choose a recipe from Jenna's Cooking Journey, and I had a really hard time choosing because she had so many great looking recipes to choose from.  Jenna didn't start cooking until college, but she's certainly been busy since then and become quite a good cook if all the recipes and pictures on her blog are any indication.  She lives in Wyoming with her husband, who helps her eat all those delicious creations.

Cranberry Vanilla Coffee Cake and Reuben Burgers were two of the recipes that caught my eye, but I finally decided to make Crock Pot Tex-Mex Chicken and Dumplings. 

I made a few changes, mainly because I didn't have the exact ingredients, but I think the overall taste was pretty much the same.  I am definitely planning to make this again, because it was so good!

Crock Pot Tex-Mex Chicken and Dumplings
adapted from Jenna's Cooking Journey

Ingredients:
Stew

• 2 boneless chicken breasts
• 1 tub Knorr® Homestyle Stock - Chicken, dissolved in 3-1/2 cups boiling water
• 1/2 cup carrots (about 2 small carrots), peeled and shredded
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 can diced tomatoes w/ green chiles
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• juice from one lime
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 cup water

Dumplings

• 1-1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 heaping T. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• 2 T. cilantro

Directions

1. Cook chicken breasts for 2-4 hours on low.
2. Pull chicken breasts out of crockpot and shred chicken.  
3. Place all other ingredients for the stew portion of the recipe in the crockpot, and then put the chicken back in and mix well.  Cook on high for 2-4 hours.
4. Mix all the ingredients together for the dumplings until the ingredients form a batter.
5. Drop tablespoons of batter into the stew mixture and cook for approximately an hour on high until dumpling dough is cooked. 
6. To serve, spoon into bowls and garnish with cilantro and/or sliced green onions, if desired.

Jenna's recipe called for a carton of chicken broth, which I did not have and wasn't sure exactly how much chicken broth is in one of those cartons, but I substituted what I had - a tub of the Knorr® Homestyle Stock, and that worked just fine.  Ordinarily I would have pulled some chicken broth out of the freezer, but I'm out right now.  I substituted Red Gold petite diced tomatoes with lime and cilantro for the Rotel in the original recipe and frozen corn kernels for the Mexicorn.

Because my husband doesn't like things too spicy, I just used one jalapeno in the whole recipe - 1/2 in the stew and 1/2 in the dumplings.  It was still very nice and flavorful, even for me, and I love spicy!  I loved the veggies in this, and the carrots added just the right touch of color.  I probably had more carrots than I was supposed to because I didn't measure, just peeled and grated two carrots and threw them in.

onions, garlic, celery, carrots, cilantro, chopped and ready

The only thing I wasn't too sure about was the dumplings.  The batter was much thinner than any dumpling batter I'd every used, not that I've really made dumplings that much in my life...  Also, there seemed to be more batter than I could use.  I covered the top of the stew with spoonfuls of batter, and I still had quite a bit left. Was it my fault for using milk instead of fat free half-and-half - what is that, anyway?  Maybe should have done some research first.

Now that I look closer at the picture on Jenna's recipe, I'm thinking that I should have just gone ahead and used all the batter and let it go down into the stew more and thicken it.  But I didn't.  It thickened up quite a bit when I reheated the leftovers, and it was wonderful.  So next time I'm just using all the batter,

or maybe trying a different recipe for the dumplings, perhaps something from this page of Corn Meal Dumplings recipes, with a thicker batter that uses more corn meal, adding the jalapeno and cilantro, of course.  I especially loved the little bits of jalapeno in the dumplings.  So good!

Lentil Barley Soup

I found this soup recipe in my Sunday (or Wednesday) paper - at the same time I found the Sweet Potato Chickpea soup that we loved. 

Lentil Barley Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• 1/4teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups lentils (about 16 ounces)
• 3/4 cup barley
• 8 cups broth (vegetable, chicken, beef, whatever you have or like)
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1.  Heat olive oil in large saucepan (6 qt.) over medium heat; add onion, garlic and celery and cook until onion begins to soften and become translucent.  Add carrots and continue cooking 1-2 minutes; add seasonings (except salt) and stir to coat vegetables; allow to cook for a few minutes, until fragrant.
2. Add lentils, barley, and broth; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally until lentils and barley are tender. Add additional stock or water to reach desired consistency, if needed. Add salt to taste.

Alternate (original) Directions:
Place all ingredients, except salt (and olive oil - there was no olive oil in original recipe), in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 45 to 55 minutes, stirring occasionally until lentils and barley are tender. Add additional stock or water to reach desired consistency, if needed. Add salt to taste.

To prepare ahead: You can prepare the soup up to two days ahead. Cool, cover and refrigerate. Reheat when ready to serve.

Yes, I know the original directions sound simpler, and I'm sure the soup will turn out just fine following them.  I just think it adds some extra flavor to cook the vegetables in olive oil first, and to cook the seasonings with them for a couple minutes.  If you're in a hurry or just don't feel like messing with it - don't.  Just toss everything in and cook!

With most soups it is best to prepare ahead, cool, cover and refrigerate, and reheat before serving, but this is one you can serve right away!  It turned out really thick, so I'm thinking I might need to add additional water when I reheat it, but it was perfect tonight.   The flavors were just so good!  Part of the flavors come from whatever broth you use (I used half broth from a deer roast I had cooked and half turkey broth) - so if your broth is good, your soup will be good - but the seasonings in this are really good themselves.  I loved the texture - barley is one of my new favorite things!

I wasn't sure what to serve this with.  Soup usually calls for crackers, bread, biscuits, cornbread, something - but I wasn't sure what this particular soup needed.  I went with toasted whole grain sourdough, which was good, but I'm not sure this soup really needs anything.  It was good all on its own.

I definitely plan to make this one again!

Update: This soup really thickened up after being refrigerated, so I needed to add a cup of water when I reheated.  It also needed a bit of additional salt once the water was added.  I still think it's really good.  My husband said it was 'OK' so I don't think he's a huge fan - but he did eat it.

Italian Style Chicken

I found this recipe in the Food section of my newspaper. It's a keeper!

Italian Style Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1-1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 3/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. coarse salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 large thinly sliced onion
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 T quick-cooking tapioca
• 2 cans (15 oz.) rinsed cannellini beans Great Northern beans
  
• 1 10-oz. pkg. frozen spinach, thawed
• 1/2 cup fresh basil torn into small pieces

Directions:

1. Place chicken in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Scatter onion over chicken.
2. Stir together tomatoes, broth and tapioca; pour over onions.  
3. Cover and cook on high 4-1/2 hours or on low 6-1/2 hours.
4. Stir in beans and spinach; cook 30 minutes more on low.  Stir in basil and serve.

The flavors in this were so good together!  It turned out soupier than I was expecting, but I think that was because I used pearl tapioca instead of instant - it's what I had - and I think I messed it up by soaking it in hot water instead of cold.  Looking back on it, I could have just mixed the tapioca with the cold broth and tomatoes and let it soak in that overnight - since I mixed this up the day before and then cooked it in the morning.  Either way, I'll try it again, whether with instant tapioca or the same kind - to see if there's a difference.  It didn't really matter, because it tasted great.  I just cooked up some fettuccine and served it with that and some sliced sourdough bread.

The original recipe called for bone-in chicken thighs, but I read it wrong and got the boneless thighs out of the freezer.  I don't really like boned chicken in crockpot recipes because it ends up falling apart, and you always have to be on the lookout for bones.  So, I stuck with the boneless.  It was great, because it did fall apart, and there were pieces of chicken all through.  I cooked it on high most of the time, and probably got closer to the 6-1/2 hours than the 4-1/2.

I used Great Northern beans, which I cooked in my crockpot, instead of the cannellini beans - because that's what I had.  The original recipe called for 1/2 cup sliced black olives instead of the spinach, but at least one of the people who would be eating this doesn't like olives, so I left them out.  And the spinach?  The original recipe didn't call for it, but it just seemed like it should have spinach - so I added it.  I didn't actually measure, but a 10-oz. package ought to be about right.  You can add olives instead of the spinach or along with the spinach.

Update (1/29/16) -  This recipe was Lori's September 2015 SRC pick over on lori's culinary creations.  She added a handful of orzo to the crockpot along with the beans and spinach.  I just finally got around to making this again, and followed her suggestion and added 1/2 cup orzo.  I could have added a bit more, but it was really good.  I am going to have to do that from now on.

Also, I used chicken breasts, because that's what I had.  They aren't as good as the thighs, so I will definitely use thighs from  now on.  And, Great Northern beans are better than cannellini.  I will use those from now on, no matter what the recipe says.

Sweet Potato and Chickpea Soup

I found this recipe in the paper a couple weeks ago and made it for dinner last night. It was amazing! Really. So, so good!

Sweet Potato and Chickpea Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 T olive oil
• 2 onions, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lbs. (about 2 large) sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 T paprika
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• pinch of ground cinnamon
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups turkey broth (or chicken or vegetable stock)
• 3 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 can (15-oz.) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 green pepper, diced
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. In large soup pot (5-qt.), heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion, celery, garlic, and sweet potato and saute until onion becomes translucent, about 8-10 minutes.
2. Add paprika, turmeric, basil, cinnamon, and cayenne. Stir to combine.  Add stock and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil; turn down heat and simmer, covered, 10 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, garbanzo beans and green pepper.  Simmer an additional 10-15 minutes (or longer) or until potatoes are tender and soup is heated through.  Season with salt to taste.
4. Serve with crusty whole grain bread, and brown rice if desired.

I will definitely be making this again.  It's really easy, and the flavors blend so well.  Also, I can't remember why I thought I didn't really like Garbanzo beans - until I tried roasting them - but they are absolutely perfect in this soup.  I might have to try them in other things...(see related articles)  The recipe said, once the potatoes are cooked and the soup is hot, to add additional stock or water if needed to reach the desired consistency, but I thought it was perfect just the way it was.  I guess it depends on how you like your soups.

The recipe didn't say what to serve this with - crackers, biscuits, bread? - so I  had mine with a bit of brown rice, which was wonderful, and we had some nice whole grain sourdough bread.  Oh!  the broth soaked into the bread!  Amazing!!  (so I added my own suggestion to the recipe - because I can't imagine anything going better with this soup)

Related articles

• Chickpea (Garbanzo Bean) Soup Recipe with Spinach, Tomatoes, and Basil (kalynskitchen.com)
• Tomato Veggie Garbanzo Soup (nancycreative.com)
• Meatless Monday: African Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup (Vegan) (thetraceyshow.com)

Bean and Pumpkin Chili

I cooked a pumpkin last week and used part of it in this chili.

Bean and Pumpkin Chili

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. hamburger
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 t. dried parsley flakes
• 2 t. chili powder
  
• 1-1/2 t. dried oregano
• 1-1/2 t. ground cumin
• 1 can (15-oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15-oz.) red beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups cooked pumpkin
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 4 cups chicken broth

Directions:

1. In 6-quart pan, brown hamburger with onion, pepper, and garlic; drain fat if necessary.  Add spices.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients, cover, and simmer until heated through and flavors have blended. (1 to 1-1/2 hours on low heat)

Serve hot.

The original recipe was supposed to be meatless, using soy crumbles, but I didn't have anything like that, so I used hamburger.  Ground turkey would probably be good in this too.  I made some cornbread muffins to go with it.  My husband just put crackers in his.

I've never used pumpkin in chili before, so I wasn't really sure what to expect.  It adds a richness and a thickness to the chili, but you really don't taste pumpkin.  So why put pumpkin in chili?    Any ideas?  I'm thinking it's a good way to get some extra nutrition into your soup.  Pumpkin - it's not just for pies!

Related articles

• Vegan Pumpkin Black Bean Chili (absolutelyravenous.wordpress.com)
• More pumpkin. More soup. More yum. (evaskitschenart.wordpress.com)

Beans: Canned or Dry?

Image via Wikipedia

Adding beans is an inexpensive and easy way to add protein and fiber to your diet.  Diets rich in beans can lower cholesterol levels, improve diabetics' blood glucose control,reduce risk of many cancers, lower blood pressure, regulate functions of the colon, prevent and cure constipation, as well as reduce your risk of heart disease and improve your bone and prostate health.

If you're not eating beans, you really should be!  I know - I'm one to talk.  My mom cooked beans often when I was growing up, and I really didn't appreciate them or even like them - except in chili.  I did like the cornbread she served with them, though!  It wasn't until I found and tried the recipe for Five Bean Soup that I discovered I really like beans - a lot.

Canned beans make it really easy to add beans to your diet.  I try to always have a few cans of kidney beans and black beans on hand, and you can buy many other varieties of canned beans.  They're really handy to grab and add to any dish where you want to add a little extra protein or fiber - casseroles, soups, pasta, salads, or anything else you can think of.  There are also many tasty recipes you can find that feature or include beans - my Five Bean Soup for one, and the Turkey Barley Chili I just posted. 

Image via Wikipedia

While canned beans are fairly inexpensive, you can save even more by buying dried beans and cooking your own, and you don't get the added salt or sugar that most canned beans have.  I usually cook mine in the crockpot - I wash and sort them sometime during the day, place them in the crockpot with  enough water to cover, and let them sit all day.  Then, before going to bed at night, I turn the crockpot on low and let them cook overnight.  The next morning I have cooked beans!  This works especially well with black beans, because they always seemed to get mushy when I cooked them on the stove.  Yes, probably my fault for not paying close enough attention, but still....

For use in recipes, I've found that 1-1/2 cups beans is approximately equal to one can of beans.  A 1-lb. package of dried beans makes a little more than the equivalent of 3 cans of beans - and usually costs the same or less than one can.  Cover with 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid if you're going to freeze them, and they're almost as handy as those cans of beans in your pantry.  Since the liquid doesn't usually go into your recipe, you can thaw them fairly quickly by putting the frozen beans into a colander and running warm water over them.

So, which is better - canned or dry?  I say both.   How's that for making a decision?  Both canned and dried beans have their place.  Canned beans are ready and waiting whenever you need or want them.  Dried beans require that you plan ahead, but once cooked you can store them in the refrigerator for several days or freeze them in individual containers.  Dried beans are less expensive and don't give you the added salt or sugar you get with the canned beans - why do they put sugar in kidney beans, anyway?  Always be sure to drain and rinse your canned beans before using them to remove most of that added salt.  If you're not already using beans, start by buying some canned beans.  If you've been using canned beans for a while, try buying some dried beans and cooking your own.   I especially like cooking my own beans when I'm making something like chili that requires several cans of beans - why open a bunch of cans when I can cook one package and have all the beans I need?   And save money, too.

Related articles

• Mediterranean Penne Pasta and Beans (recipes.alwaysbcmom.com)
• Slow Cooker Recipe for Spicy Ground Beef and Bean Soup with Cabbage and Spinach (kalynskitchen.com)
• Beans in the Kitchen (healthandbeautybuzz.wordpress.com)
• Rethinking Canned Beans (dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com)

Turkey and Barley Chili

I haven't really used barley much, but I bought some recently thinking it would be a good addition to our diet.  It's supposed to be really good for you.  I was thinking along the lines of a beef barley soup, but there was a chicken chili recipe on the box that caught my eye.  I cooked some turkey wings and some black beans earlier in the week, so it seemed like a perfect time to try the recipe - with my own spin to it, of course.

Turkey & Barley Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• 1 T chili powder
• 1 t. cumin
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
• 16 oz. tomato sauce
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup medium barley
• 2 cans (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-1/2 cups frozen corn
• 2 cups cooked turkey

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in 6-qt. saucepan; add onions and garlic and saute while chopping celery and green pepper.  Add celery and pepper and continue to cook until very soft and starting to brown; add spices.
2. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and barley.  Over high heat bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add beans, corn, and turkey; increase heat to high until chili comes to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for another 5 minutes, or until barley is tender. 
4. If upon standing the chili becomes too thick, add more broth or water until chili is desired consistency. 
5. Serve with grated cheese and/or sour cream, if desired

The original recipe did not call for the onions, garlic, celery or green pepper - but it just didn't seem like chili without them!  Or at least not without the onions and garlic.  While I was adding vegetables, I figured celery and green pepper couldn't hurt.  I also added about twice as many beans as the original recipe asked for.  Again - chili needs beans! - and I had them.

I'm planning to take this for potluck on Sabbath, so I haven't actually tried it yet - except for a quick taste, which was really good.  I'm thinking that I will need to add a bit more water, or maybe another can of tomatoes when I heat it up, because it turned out pretty thick.  I'm thinking of either making cornbread muffins to go with the chili or serving it with tortilla chips.  I think either would be really good with this.

Related articles

• Butternut Chicken Chili (recipes.alwaysbcmom.com)
• Broke Bean Stew (a Biggest Loser Recipe) (dalailina.wordpress.com)

Butternut Chicken Chili

I took this for a potluck this weekend, and everyone really liked it.

I was going to make my Corn Lover's Veg Stew - which I love - but followed a link to Butternut Chicken Stew on Simple Daily Recipes and decided to make a version of that.  I will be making this again!

 Butternut Chicken Chili

Ingredients: 

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed 
• 1/2 small butternut squash, peeled & cubed
• 1 small bell pepper, chopped (can use frozen)
• 1-1/2 tsp Chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 can cooked red beans (or kidney beans)
• 1 (14.5oz) can tomatoes
• 1 T tomato paste
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen corn

Directions:

1. Over medium high heat, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onion begins to soften.
2. Add boneless skinless chicken thighs and cook until no longer pink, adding the peppers when chicken is almost cooked.
3. Lower heat to medium and add seasonings.  Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, while peeling and cubing the butternut squash.  Add squash as you get it cubed and stir to coat with oil and seasonings.
4. Once all the squash has been added, add beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, and broth.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for about an hour or until squash is soft, stirring occasionally.  Add corn during the last 15 minutes.
6. Enjoy!

I made cornbread muffins to go with it, and it was amazing!

As with any soup, stew, or chili, feel free to adjust any ingredients to use what you have on hand or to suit your preferences.  Substitute chicken breasts or pre-cooked chicken (maybe from a rotisserie chicken), add more tomatoes or more beans, less broth, all chicken broth - it's up to you!

Hearty Soup

This soup is so good!

Hearty Soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb. lean hamburger or ground turkey
• 12 oz. diced potatoes
• 1/2 c. each carrots, celery & onions, chopped
• 4 oz. rice
• 4 tsp. butter or margarine
• 1-28 oz. can tomatoes, quartered, w/ juice
• 1/2 large head cabbage, cut into wedges
• 1-1/2 quarts water
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions

1. In margarine, sauté cooked hamburger, carrots, celery, onion and rice until vegetables are tender.
2. Add remaining ingredients.
3. Simmer 3 to 4 hours

Serve with biscuits - made with half whole wheat flour.  

For best results, make this soup they day before you want to serve it. Refrigerate it overnight and reheat the next day - it's better that way and continues to improve every time you reheat it!

Measurement tip: 1 lb. diced potatoes = about 4 cups.  So for the 12 oz. needed in this recipe, you will need 3 cups.