Creamy White Bean Chili

Fall. is. here. And along with it, pumpkin flavors, hearty soups, and warm drinks. The Manhattan Beach Holiday Pier Lighting is in 2 weeks and daylight savings time ends this weekend (tear). 

To counter my sadness that the long summer days are over, I've been making lots of warm, delicious treats, including this Creamy White Bean Chili. Since I was young, I've always enjoyed "white" versions of food: white chocolate, white cheddar, white pizza. I can now add white chili to that list. This soup rocks my socks off. It blew Bradford's socks off too. A big holiday cheer for that! 

From Domestically Dreaming

Serves 4

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cooking Time: 30 Minutes

Total Time: 45 Minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder or 2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 cans (15.5 oz. each) Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (14.5 oz.) chicken broth

2 cans (4 oz. each) chopped green chilies

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper*

1 cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt**

1/2 cup whipping cream

Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

*If you have a mild palette, you may omit or decrease the amount of cayenne pepper

**I recommend using the Greek yogurt if you have it. It is a much healthier option that does not decrease from the taste or flavor of this dish at all. :)

DIRECTIONS:

In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in a large pan until onions are translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken, beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in whipping cream and sour cream or greek yogurt. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired and serve immediately.

{Slow Cooker Option}

In a slow cooker, place 1 pound full chicken breast (fresh or frozen). Add chopped onion, garlic, beans, green chilies, and all of the spices. Do not add sour cream/greek yogurt or whipping cream yet! Reduce chicken broth amount to 12 oz. (about 1 1/2 cups) and pour in over the other ingredients. Stir the mixture to incorporate dry spices and cook on low for 5-7 hours (fresh chicken cooks in less time while frozen chicken takes longer to cook). 

Remove chicken and shred it into bite size pieces. Return to slow cooker. In a small bowl, whisk together cream and sour cream or greek yogurt until smooth. Add the cream mixture to the crock pot and stir to incorporate. Let soup cook just until heated through. Enjoy!

Tuscan Tomato Soup

By far, the majority of my recipes are found on the internet, through other blogs, random google searches, or the trusty allrecipes.com. While I do appreciate the ease of the internet, I love the Williams Sonoma Cookbook. It is beautifully organized with pictures of each dish (a must!) and it teaches basic steps for delicious meals (if only I had time to make everything). The cover of this book represents the essential ingredients in all good cooking: olive oil, eggs, garlic, salt, fresh herbs, lemon, and parmesan cheese. I feel pretty confident that almost every basic dish is made better with these ingredients.

So, tomato soup. I kind of love it. I feel like it's the perfect combination between a brothy soup and a creamy soup. Pair it with some good bread or grilled cheese sandwiches, and you've got yourself a full meal. There's another secret about tomato soup. A lot of recipes (like this one) can be re-purposed into a delicious pasta sauce. This recipe is quite delicious, especially when served with toasted french bread at the bottom of the bowl. MMM!

From The Williams Sonoma Cookbook

INGREDIENTS:

6-8 slices french bread, each 1 inch thick
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 lbs. ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded, then diced*
4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
1/2-1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped basil leaves, plus 6-8 whole leaves, for garnish
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

*Click here for instructions on how to peel and seed tomatoes. If you're in a hurry (like I always am) replace 1.5 lbs., or all of the fresh tomatoes, with canned, crushed tomatoes.

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and bake until lightly browned, turning once, 10-15 minutes total. Set aside.

In a large soup pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and sauté, stirring frequently, until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until softened but not browned, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stock, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the tomatoes are softened, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat.

Using an immersion or standing blender, purée the soup, leaving a little bit of texture if desired. Return the soup to the pot, if needed, and reheat gently over medium heat. If soup feels too thin, add bread crumbs until soup reaches desired texture. Add the chopped basil and season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, place a slice of toasted bread in the bottom of each warmed bowl and sprinkle with a spoonful of parmesan cheese. Ladle the soup on top, garnish with a basil leaf, and serve at once.

Cauliflower-Cheddar Soup

 I'm convincing the Mr. to like soups more. Soups are such a great way to eat vegetables and they provide a great solution to mixing up the normal meat-starch-vegetable dinner routine. Aaaaand, soups are (usually) healthy which is good for anyone on a summer diet.

Adapted from Just Cook Already

INGREDIENTS:

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

Salt

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Pepper

5 Tablespoons flour

1 quart chicken stock

1 cup milk

2 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS:

Bring a few inches of water to a boil. Add cauliflower, salt, and cook until tender (about 5 minutes). Drain, puree, and reserve. 

Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and butter and melt. Then add the onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes. 

Sprinkle the flour over the onions and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the stock and milk, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. 

Whisk the cheese into the liquid, stirring until all cheese has melted. Stir in cauliflower puree, adjust seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with toast (sourdough bread is a great option) and a salad and enjoy.