Bean soup and cold weather!

The elements that make for a great bean soup served and eaten in cold weather;

It's tasty!

It's hot!

&

It's free!

A big thanks to neighbor Carol L. who was kind enough to bring me a sample!

Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup!

Taking a cue from a package of Hurst's 15 bean soup package, I thought to try out an 'Owenized' version, using just the foodstuff I actually had on hand. 
 

Ingredients:

10 oz of Hurst's 15 bean soup package (1/2 a package)

2 ham hocks

½ packet of ham flavoring (included with Hurst package)

15 oz can of chicken broth

15 oz can of petite diced tomatoes

¼ onion, chopped

¼ tsp garlic

Dash of Cayenne pepper

¼ tsp of lemon juice

Directions:

For this meal I used a small 2 quart Crock Pot, that I had ordered from Amazon, as it does a great job when cooking up smaller amounts of food.

To start this recipe off, I rinsed the beans (about half the package) and added them, along with the onion, ham hocks, broth, garlic and Cayenne pepper into the Crock Pot which was set on high. The lid was put on and it was allowed to cook for 5 hours. (Note that if you boil the beans prior to adding them to the slow cooker, the time is reduced to about three hours). After that time had elapsed, I removed the ham hocks, cut off the meat and discarded the bones. I also checked the beans for tenderness. I then stirred in the can of diced tomatoes, lemon juice and ham flavoring.

I let this cook for an additional 30 minutes to allow the flavors a chance to meld. Serves about 4.

Notes: The Crock Pot I used, when set on high, reached a temperature of about 232 degrees Fahrenheit. This was hot enough to cause the contents to slightly boil or simmer.

Ad Hoc Bean Soup!

Never being one to have much order in my life, I still break the mold from time to time with efforts like my bean soup. This version was also meatless as I forgot to get some ham when I went to the store. If you were to click on the picture, I think you can just make out the list of ingredients - it's basically a vegetable soup with beans added.

Slow Cooker Bean Soup with Cubed Ham!

Make what fun you will of beans, those magical fruit! They still deliver a hearty taste along with good basic nutrition at cheap cost every time. This slow cooker version is one I’ve made for a number of years now. I happen to like it and hope you will too.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. Great Northern beans, soak over night
• 4 cups of water
• 2 8 oz cans tomato sauce or one 16 oz. can
• 1 cup ham, diced
• 1 med. Russet potato, peeled and cut into cubes
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• ½ medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, minced or sub garlic powder
• 1 tbsp basil or parsley
• 1 dash of cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste (hold off til the end)

Directions:

Soak the beans overnight as per package instructions. Drain off old water and place in a 3 quart pot. Add 6-8 cups of fresh water and bring to a brief boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. Drain once again and move to the slow cooker. Test the beans at this time. Note: They should feel somewhat soft.

Combine the beans with three cups of fresh water along with the rest of the ingredients. (Note: do not add salt until the beans are done as this will only toughen them)! Cook on low for about 4 hours. Test for doneness and add salt towards the end of the cooking cycle. Serves 6-8.

Cooks Log:

Following is a real time log of the cooking process for this recipe;

11/25/11 - Soaked beans overnight.

11/26/11 – 9:00 AM - drained & rinsed beans. Added fresh water and brought to a brief boil, then reduced heat.

9:15 AM - Simmered for 45 minutes!

9:50 AM - Rinsed the beans again and added them to the slow cooker. Added warm water and tomato sauce. Beans were beginning to feel somewhat soft. Also nuked the veggies & ham for 20 seconds to warm them after taking from the fridge. Left the slow cooker on the high setting to bring the contents up to speed quicker.

10:45 AM - I turned heat to low setting. Smells pretty good at this point.

12:15 PM – Checked slow cooker – everything on track to finish about 2 PM.

1:48 PM – Checked and beans still a little undone!

3:30 PM – Checked and potato still a little al dente. Total time is now 5 ½ hours in slow cooker.

4:00 PM – It was done to a tee!

Summary:

This is a great dish to make anytime of the year! I also like the fact of how inexpensive it is especially if you grow your own vegetables. Sure, the cost of smoked ham has skyrocketed as of late and that’s why I only use a small amount in this recipe.