Senate Bean Soup
Some form of ham and bean soup has been on the Senate menu every day since about 1903, except for one day during World War II, due to rationing. The unique thing about this recipe is that the onions are cooked separately from the soup, and added right before serving. This soup is great with a big ol’ hunk of cornbread, some crusty French bread, or just simple saltine crackers.
Ingredients
Method
- Pick through the beans, discarding any debris or stones, rinse the beans thoroughly in cold water, and drain.
- Place beans, ham hock, and 2 quarts cold water in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Stir in baking soda, bay leaves, carrots, and diced celery. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, and partially cover the pot.
- Simmer until beans are tender; begin to check for tenderness at about 1 1/2 hours. If beans are not tender, continue to simmer, partially covered, until soft, checking every 30 minutes or so.
- Remove ham hock to a work surface and allow to cool slightly, until it can be handled comfortably. Pick the meat from the bones, remove any membranes or skin, shred the meat and return to the pot.
- The soup should be thick and creamy. If soup seems dry, add water until your desired consistency is achieved.
- While beans are cooking, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced yellow onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and nearly clear, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Before serving, stir in buttery onions, taste the soup, and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Ladle into serving bowls and serve warm.
Easy Cilantro Lime Bean Salad with Fresh, Zesty Flavor
This tangy cilantro lime bean salad is high in fiber and protein rich. You’ll get a little crunch from the onions and bell peppers, which balance out the soft, creamy texture of the beans. The zesty dressing adds freshness in every bite.
Ingredients
Method
- Combine black beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, red onion, and red bell pepper in a large bowl.
- Whisk lime juice, honey, olive oil, red wine vinegar, cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the bean mixture, and stir to combine. Gently toss the mixture with the cilantro.
- Refrigerate the bean salad until ready to serve. Chill for at least 30 minutes, or overnight is even better.
Notes
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Swicy Kielbasa Bites
These kielbasa bites are sweet, spicy, a little fruity, and have a hint of ginger. Blueberry preserves, chili sauce, ginger, and Worcestershire create a sticky, flavorful glaze for the smoky sausage. With just five ingredients and about 10 minutes of cooking, they’re an easy appetizer or snack.
Ingredients
Method
- Place blueberry preserves, chili sauce, ginger paste, and Worcestershire sauce into a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a gentle boil.
- Add sausage; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook sausage, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes.
- Remove sausage to a plate with a slotted spoon. Serve sauce from the pan on the side, for dipping.
Notes
The recipe serves 2.
The recipe card lists a preparation time of 3 hours 10 minutes, a cooking time of 10 minutes, and a total time of 3 hours 20 minutes. It does not explain the additional preparation time.
The source suggests using homemade blueberry reduction sauce as an alternative to blueberry preserves.
Serve the sauce on the side for dipping, as directed in the original instructions.
The recipe card lists a preparation time of 3 hours 10 minutes, a cooking time of 10 minutes, and a total time of 3 hours 20 minutes. It does not explain the additional preparation time.
The source suggests using homemade blueberry reduction sauce as an alternative to blueberry preserves.
Serve the sauce on the side for dipping, as directed in the original instructions.
Pennsylvania Dutch Chicken Soup
This easy Pennsylvania Dutch chicken soup uses rotisserie chicken, corn, chopped eggs, and homemade dumpling-like rivels, all cooked in a savory broth and ready in under an hour. Chicken and dumplings meets corn chowder in this cozy pot of comfort.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add celery and onion and cook for 1 minute. Season with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes longer.
- Stir in stock and corn and bring to a boil. Add chicken and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the rivels by stirring together eggs, flour, and remaining salt in a bowl until well combined. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk or broth if needed to bring the dough together.
- Drop dime-sized balls of dough into the simmering soup and increase the heat if necessary to maintain a strong simmer. Add hard boiled eggs and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until rivels are tender and cooked, about 15 minutes.
Notes
The recipe uses rotisserie chicken, corn, and hard boiled eggs in a savory chicken stock.
Rivels are small, dumpling-like pieces of dough made from eggs, flour, and salt.
Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk or broth as needed to bring the rivel dough together.
The source lists 20 minutes of prep time, 30 minutes of cook time, and 50 minutes total time.
Rivels are small, dumpling-like pieces of dough made from eggs, flour, and salt.
Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk or broth as needed to bring the rivel dough together.
The source lists 20 minutes of prep time, 30 minutes of cook time, and 50 minutes total time.
Witches’ Brew Stew
Witches’ Brew Stew is a hearty Halloween dinner packed with spicy sausage, ground beef, potatoes, and colorful vegetables in a rich tomato broth. Mushroom “skulls” give this cozy, family-friendly stew a delightfully spooky finish.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage and break it up with a wooden spoon. Add ground beef and cook, with sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or potato masher, until browned and crumbled.
- Turn heat to high. Add onions and celery and cook until onion begins to soften, about 1 minute. Stir in carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic, soup mix, salt, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in broth, tomatoes, water, and bay leaf and bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add potatoes and green beans and cook until mixture returns to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and simmer, covered until vegetables are tender.
- Meanwhile, cut mushrooms in half vertically. Place mushrooms, flat side down on a work surface and use a straw to poke 2 holes for skeleton “eyes.” Make a third hole for a nose or use a paring knife to make 2 small slits for a nose.
- Add mushrooms to the pot and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper if desired and serve with fresh chopped parsley.
Notes
The mushroom halves are decorated with holes or small slits to resemble skeleton skulls, making the stew suitable for Halloween.
The recipe uses frozen hash brown potatoes and frozen cut green beans.
The source instructs simmering the stew, covered, until the vegetables are tender but does not specify an exact duration for this step.
The source lists a total time of 50 minutes, with 20 minutes of preparation and 30 minutes of cooking.
The recipe uses frozen hash brown potatoes and frozen cut green beans.
The source instructs simmering the stew, covered, until the vegetables are tender but does not specify an exact duration for this step.
The source lists a total time of 50 minutes, with 20 minutes of preparation and 30 minutes of cooking.
