Tuscan Bean Soup – Cheer Up!

Our grandparents called them the winter blues, but nowadays we know this condition as Seasonal Affective Disorder; a melancholy scientifically proven to be caused by shorter, darker days. 

Since fall and winter are full of those, we’re going to need some coping strategies, and this hearty Tuscan bean soup is one of the more effective. There’s just something about that combo of smooth, silky soup, and crunchy, crispy croutons that makes everything seem okay. 

Speaking of shorter days, this recipe is also a fantastic base for creating even more substantial weeknight meals. Things like sausage, peppers, and/or maybe a handful of greens, always works in this.

I tried a new method prepping our veggies; pureeing them instead of dicing. I thought this might save time, possibly extract more flavor, and quicken the cooking. Hey, two out of three aren’t bad! It was faster than dicing, and the soup only had to simmer for 15 minutes, but I didn’t think the flavor was quite as good as the classic diced veggies method.

Either way, this soup is delicious, and guaranteed to fog up your kitchen windows. Smiley face sold separately. I really hope you give this Tuscan bean soup a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 servings:

1 onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 carrot, diced

3 cloves garlic
*As stated in the post, I prefer diced veggies to the ground ones I tried in the video, and if you do go for the traditional method and cut your vegetables in small cubes, you'll have to simmer you soup for about 30 minutes, or until they are sweet and very tender.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

cayenne to taste

1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary

1/2 teaspoon picked thyme leaves

2 (15-oz) cans white kidney beans aka cannellini beans

4 cups chicken broth

1/3 cup crème fraiche or heavy cream

1/2 lemon, juiced

- Garnish with fresh bread cubes fried golden in olive oil, tossed with Parmigiano Reggiano, and fresh Italian parsley.

Billionaire’s Franks & Beans – Welcome to the Top 1% of Comfort Foods

Maybe it’s the billionaire(s) in the news lately, but for some reason I decided to take one of America’s most frugal meals, franks and beans, and give it a high-end makeover. Besides, all the other classic comfort foods have been fancified, hipsterized, and/or molecular gastronomized; so I figured I would take this one down. And by down, I mean up.

Usually, franks and beans is made by opening up a couple cans of baked beans, and heating it up with some sliced hotdogs. Not exactly something you’d serve to visiting dignitaries. However, by adding some fresh veggies, plain beans, and high-quality beef hot dogs, we can achieve something much healthier, equally delicious, and every bit as comforting.

So, how much more will it cost you to make this usually cheap dish, using these upscale ingredients? It’s tempting to say, if you have to ask, you can’t afford it, but that’s not the case. Sure, the Kobe hotdogs will cost you a couple extra dollars, but the rest of the dish is still quite inexpensive. I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions Franks & Beans:

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 diced yellow onion

1 diced poblano or other green pepper

2 tbsp minced fresh cayenne pepper, or other hot red pepper

1 rib celery, diced

1 pound hot dogs, sliced (literally any other sausage will work here)

2 (15-oz) cans cannellini beans, drained, rinsed

1 tbsp light brown sugar

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 1/2 cup chicken broth, or as needed

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup sliced green onions

- serve with buttered toast and champagne

Crunchy Spiced Chickpeas – Margaritas Sold Separately

There’s a Mexican joint Michele and I go to once in a while, that serves a complimentary bowl of spicy, fried chickpeas when you sit down to eat. In the restaurant biz they call this a “loss leader.”

That’s where you give away something cheap to help sell something expensive, and by something expensive, I mean handcrafted margaritas and artisan beers…sold to people like me, who, for some strange reason, are suddenly thirsty.

While I’m hip to the true motive, it’s still a very nice touch, and a periodic reminder of what a great, highly additive snack this is. As in, only make single batches at a time, because you will eat everything you make.

As I mentioned in the video, this works exactly the same using rinsed, canned beans, but dry beans are much cheaper, and get a little crunchier. Obviously, you have free reign with the spices, so I suggest making a few different batches, trying different combinations.

No matter what you come up with, it will be significantly better than any of those salty snacks from the supermarket. I hope you give these easy, oven-fried chickpeas a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 snack-sized portions Crunchy Spiced Chickpeas:

1 cup dry chickpeas, aka garbanzo beans, soaked for 24 hours

2 tbsp olive oil

season to taste with salt, freshly ground black pepper, cumin, paprika, and cayenne, OR literally any spices you like

- Bake at 400 F. for about an hour, tossing occasionally, until browned and crunchy/crispy.

Falafel – The Opposite of How These Will Make You Feel

Unlike most of America’s other favorite fast foods, falafel is rarely attempted at home, which is a shame, since it’s very simple to do, and even a relative novice like me can get some very decent results. One word of warning: you do need to know you’re going to have a craving for this a full day before you actually want to eat it.

Whipping up a batch of these after a late night at the bar is not going to work, since soaking the dry beans overnight is a crucial step. While you can use canned beans for this, word on the street is not to do it. Those are cooked, and apparently just aren’t as good.

As you’ll see, you don’t really need a deep fryer to do this, as they pan-fry quite nicely, but the model you see me using has some advantages. In addition to being less messy, a small fryer lets you achieve the precise temperature, which means your food crisps up perfectly, while absorbing virtually none of the fat. People have done studies, measuring the oil before-and-after frying, and when done properly, it’s remarkable how little oil is used.

No matter what method you use to cook yours, I think you’ll be surprised how close this is to your favorite falafel stand, assuming they used the exact ingredients and amounts I did, which may not be the case. So, be sure to taste and adjust until you get it just right. I really hope you get this try very soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 12 falafel balls:

1 cup dried garbanzo beans aka chickpeas

1/2 yellow onion, diced

4 cloves minced garlic

1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley

1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 rounded tablespoon flour

2 tsp lemon juice

- Fry at 350°F for about 5 minutes or until browned and crispy

Mardi Gras Special: Red Beans and Rice – Comfortably Yum

Any time someone asks the question, “What exactly is soul food,” the answer should always be a comforting bowl of red beans and rice. Just sit them down, give them a spoon, and when they finish, ask them if they understand. They will.

Like I say in the intro, there are thousands of ways you can make this, using all sorts of smoked pig parts and sausages, but there are really only two ways you can serve it – thin and soupy, or thick and creamy.

Once you slowly simmered your beans, and they’re very, very soft and tender, and your meats are falling apart, you’re ready to serve. If you ladle it up as is, you’ll have something that’s fairly loose, with most of the beans still whole. It’s great like this, and based on my travels to New Orleans, the more common style.

However, another popular technique is to smash and stir some of the cooked beans into the mixture as you continue cooking. This creates a much thicker, and creamier consistency, which I really enjoy when I want something a bit more substantial. It’s closer to a chili texture, and I love how the rice sticks to it.

This is totally up to personal taste, so if you’ve never made it before, try some on rice as soon as the beans are tender, and it’s still pretty juicy. Check it out, and then, if you want, you can continue cooking/smashing/stirring to end up closer to where I did.

Regardless of how thick you make yours, you’ll want to soak your beans overnight in cold water before starting the recipe. If you forget, which you will, you can always use the quick method. Bring the beans to a boil in large pot of water, turn off the heat, and let it sit there for an hour or so to soften up, and become easier to digest.

If you put enough meat in it, this is more than a meal, but it also makes a great side dish for barbeque, or pretty much anything. Throw in some collard greens, and maybe some cornbread, and let the good times roll. I hope you give this easy, red beans and recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 portions:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

12 ounces Andouille sausage, sliced or cubed

1 cup finely diced onion

3/4 cup finely diced celery

3/4 cup finely diced green peppers

4 cloves minced garlic

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 smoked ham hock

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

2 quarts chicken broth or water, plus more as needed to adjust consistency

1 pound red kidney beans, soaked overnight

about 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
hot sauce to taste