Sausage, Bean & Spinach Stew

A hearty slow-cooker stew that is not chili.

With the temperature at -20˚ below in downtown Auburn this morning. Joan decided to go with this old favorite for dinner this evening. Plus this recipe should warm our hearts on this Valentine's day 2016.

Ingredients:

1    lb. dried white beans, such as great northern,
        rinsed and picked through
8    cups low-sodium chicken broth
1     onion, peeled and finely chopped
2     carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2     ribs celery, finely chopped
6    cloves of garlic
8     sprigs fresh thyme
1    bay leaf
    Parmesan rind (optional)
1    lb. sweet or spicy Italian sausage, casing removed,
        shaped into 1/2-inch meatballs
1     bunch spinach, trimmed
    Juice of 1/2 lemon
    Crusty bread, for serving

Directions:

1. In a large slow cooker, stir together the beans, chicken broth, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and Parmesan rind, if using. Cover and cook on high heat until beams are nearly tender, about 3 1/2 hours.
2. Place sausage meatballs on top of beans. Cover, cook until the meatballs are no longer pink in the center, about 25 minutes.
3. Discard the thyme sprigs, bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Stir in spinach, thencover and let stand until the spinach wilts, 10 minutes.
4. Stir in lemon juice, season. Serve with crusty bread.

Serves     - 8 to 10
Prep         - 30 min.
Slow-Cook - 4 HR

Joan found this recipe the January/February issue of EveryDay with Rachel Ray. Joan used crusty rolls from BJ’s as a substitute for bread.

Bay Scallop Chowder

Today beginning Ash Wednesday and having the temperatures in the low teens, Joan decided to prepare a fish dish that would warm the cockles of our hearts.

Ingredients:

2    tablespoons butter
1    onion, chopped
1/2    cup chopped carrots
1/2     cup chopped celery
1    small red bell pepper, chopped
1     cup chopped unpeeled red potatoes
1/4    teaspoon dried oregano
2    (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
1    pound bay scallops
2    cups half-and-half
1/4    teaspoon salt
1/4    teaspoon freshly ground balck pepper
1/2    cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Melt butter in heavy saucepan. Add onion and next 5 ingredients (onion through oregano). Sauté 10 minutes. Add clam juice and scallops. Cook 5 minutes.
2. Add half-and-half and pepper; cook until throughly heated. Stir in parsley.


Serves: 4

Original Posting

 
Second Posting

Orange-Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Joan decided to put her new Mr. Food cookbook, Hello Taste, Goodbye Guilt! to work for the dinner hour. She served the pork with Swiss chard and sweet potato.

Ingredients:

2    (3/4-pound) pork tenderloin, well-trimmed
1/4     teaspoon salt
1/4    cup sugar-free orange marmalade
1    tablespoon spicy brown mustard

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Place tenderloin in prepared baking dish and season with salt.
3. In a small bowl, combine marmalade and mustard and brush over tenderloin.
4. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until internal temperature is 145˚F and pork is slightly pink, basting occasionally with pan juices. Slice and serve.

Serves: 6

Observation - Cooking with mustard gives lots of flavor without lots of calories or fat. When it comes to mustard, there are many varieties, so try incorporating different ones into your routine.

Other Pork recipes:

Mediterranean Pork Tenderloin

Hearty Winter Pork Stew

Pork Chops with Apples & Stuffing

Rush-hour Pork Stir-fry

Pork and Squash Chili

Red Barn Chowder

With the temperature below freezing,  Joan prepared this old favorite for lunch.

Joan followed the recipe in her cookbook, Gooseberry Patch Homestyle Family Favorites. She substituted turkey sausage for Italian sausage. The Rotel tomatoes must have contained extra spicy chiles because the end product was zippy.

1 lb. ground ho Italian sausage crumbled
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
2 zucchini, quartered and sliced
3 to 4 cloves garlic, chopped
28-oz. can stewed tomatoes
10-oz. can Rotel tomatoes with chiles
6-oz. can tomato paste
1 c. water
2 t. dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
1 c. canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

Combine sausage, onion, celery, peppers, zucchini and garlic in a large saucepan; saute until sausage is browned and vegetables are tender. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, water, basil, salt and pepper; cook until heated through. Mix in garbanzo beans; heat through.

Serves 8 to 10

Previous Cooking Up A Blog (2011-2007)

Moving Day

North Georgia Caviar

Back By Popular Demand

1st Appeared - December 16, 2007

2nd Encore - February 12, 2012

3rd Encore - New Year's Eve 2015

Tuscan Turkey Soup

This heartwarming soup will become a Winter staple.

Since there was a chill in the air, Joan made this soup for dinner. She substituted chicken breast for turkey breast. And she served the soup with cornbread.

Prep: 15 min.

Cook: 25 min.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
3 medium carrots, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups of water
3 teaspoons reduced-sodium chicken base
3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 package (16 ounces) potato gnocchi
2 cups cubed cooked turkey breast

1 cup frozen peas

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. In a Dutch oven, heat butter over medium heat. Add carrots; cook and stir 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. 
   
2. Stir in water, chicken base and Italian seasoning; bring to a boil. Add gnocchi. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 3-4 minutes or until gnocchi float. Stir in turkey, peas and pepper; heat through. Top servings with cheese.

Servings: 6