Hot Soups for the Polar Vortex

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Friends, the Polar Vortex has seized Chicagoland and I keep thinking of big steaming bowls of hot soups and stews. Nothing beats the cold better - and I love how stew fills up our home with steam and mouth-watering aromas. 

How cold is it here? Weather.com is saying it's -2F, with the windchill making it -25 degrees. There's a little footnote under the temperature: bitterly cold. Yes. To put it another way, when I filled up the bird feeder this morning, fog rose from the birdseed. When I opened the blinds, they were stuck to the windowsill with a layer of ice on the inside of the window. 

Stay warm and brew up one of these luscious soups!

Zuppa Toscana - Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup

Guinness Irish Beef Stew

Shoyu Pork Ramen

Chana Masala - Indian Chickpea Stew

Poblano Corn Chowder

Pot Roast Paprikash

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Polish Mushroom Soup (Zupa Grzybowa)

Now that we live in a heavily Polish neighborhood of Chicago (Jefferson Park/Portage Park), we're trying to learn about traditional dishes. One of the most exciting Polish traditions is the paczki (PUNCH-key), a heavenly jam-filled donut you see everywhere at the beginning of Lent. This soup is another popular one - and we'll be learning how to make Dill Pickle Soup soon. 

Mushroom Barley soup is a classic Polish dish usingdried or fresh mushrooms, and sometimes a dollop of sour cream and barley grain. In Polish, it is called Zupa Grzybowa, and its filling, healthy, and satisfying. The soup can be made quickly, or it can slowly simmer all day in a crock pot. Either method is flavorful, hearty, and easy. Add some cornbread, hot crusty bread, or a salad for a solid filling meal.

We recommend using a several kinds of fresh mushrooms for maximum flavor. The soup can be made with vegetable broth for a Meatless Monday or a fasting holiday, or it can be made with beef stock for extra flavor.

Ingredients

2 tbsp oil 

1 cup chopped onions

1/4 cup dried Polish mushrooms (borowiki)

1 cup chopped portabella mushrooms

1/2 cup sliced shiitake or porcini mushrooms

1 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

5 cups vegetable or beef stock

1 cup pearl barley or quick-cooking barley (use quick-cooking barley if you're going to make this in a crock pot)

1 1/2 cups sour cream (optional)

Instructions

Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water until soft, then drain and chop them.

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Add onions and mushrooms and fry until slightly browned, about 10 or 15 minutes. 

If using a crock pot, transfer to the crock pot, add the rest of the vegetables and the beef stock and cook at low heat for 6-8 hours or high heat at 4-6 hours. Fifteen minutes before serving, cook the quick-cooking barley separately according to package directions, then stir into the soup. 

If cooking in a soup pot, add the rest of the vegetables and the beef stock and heat to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the pearl barley and simmer for 30 more minutes, or until the barley is tender.

Remove the bay leaf. Serve in bowls with a dollop of room-temperature sour cream, if desired.

Serves 4-6.

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Italian Sunday Gravy

If you've spent any time around big Italian-American families, you've probably had the pleasure of tasting a thick, meaty Sunday gravy - the end-of-the-week belly-busting dinner that fortifies family and friends for the week ahead. Joe was blessed to know a wonderful cook, Florence, who was Danish but married into an Italian family. From her he learned to make the best Sunday gravy we've ever tasted.

This tomato and meat sauce takes a while to make, but it also makes enough to feed all of the Jersey Shore, or enough extra to freeze for quick weekday meals. Once I start smelling the opera of aromas while it's cooking, I'm nipping off to the kitchen to snatch a little shred of pork here and there when Joe's not looking - it's that tempting.

Next time we make this, you're ALL invited over to dinner. We love nothing better than a crowd around our dinner table.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste - Joe likes more)
2 cups onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
2 cups sliced mushrooms
8 cloves of garlic, minced fine or pressed
2 lb pork neck bones
1 lb Italian sausage (or turkey Italian sausage) in casing
2 64 oz cans of diced roma tomatoes
1 6 oz can of Italian tomato paste
4 cups homemade stock - beef, chicken, or vegetable
2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tsp crushed dried sage leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup good dry red wine (more if sauce is too thick)

1 16 oz box of pasta, such as rotini or farfalle (spaghetti is fine also)
1/4 cup fresh grated Pecorino Romano cheese or good Parmesan

Directions

Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy stock pot over medium low heat. Add the olive oil and heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Stir in the crushed red pepper flakes and heat in olive oil for about 1 minute to release the flavor and aroma. (Hot pepper oil can be used instead if it is made ahead.) Toss in onions, carrots, mushrooms and celery; saute until tender. Mix in the minced/pressed garlic cloves and saute for another 2 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium high, and add the pork neck bones, stirring occasionally. Cook evenly for about 8 to 10 minutes until just beginning to brown and cooked through. Pour in the chopped tomatoes with juice, and the stock. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the herbs, salt, pepper, and sugar. Stir in the dry red wine. Bring to a very low boil and reduce heat to low, simmering for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.

After 1 hour add the Italian sausage in casings. Stir and simmer for another 1 to 1 1/2 hours (or longer if you like - Joe has cooked this all day sometimes) checking for thickness as it simmers. If the sauce is too thin add more tomato paste, if it is too thick add some more red wine or stock.

Remove the pork neck bones and Italian sausage links onto separate warm platters. Serve the Italian Sunday Gravy over pasta and the Italian sausage links on the side. Sprinkle with fresh grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Joe likes the neck bones for the tender meat that is on the bones. That is his meat course with a plate of pasta with the gravy.

Serves 8.

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Crock Pot Apple Butter

 

I guarantee that when you make apple butter, the entire house will smell like every holiday rolled into one day. This recipe comes form my mother, Kathleen Tarr Helbling, and my sweet German friend, Talea Bloom. If you are not blessed with the gift of a bushel of their gnarled, flavorful organic apples, there are plenty of other varieties to try.

Apple butter doesn't actually contain any butter, and is completely fat-free, and I think the name comes from its smooth, rich consistency. This sweet-sour and spicy recipe doesn't take all the fussing and hovering that a lot of jam recipes demand. You just cut up the apples and let them simmer all day in a crock pot, stirring and mushing once in a while, then boil the puree until thick and can them at the end.

This tastes fabulous on whole-wheat honey bread. Yum.

Ingredients

4 lbs of firm-fleshed, tart apples (McIntosh, Jonathan, or Granny Smith are my favorites)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
1 lemon, quartered (note: old lemons have bitter peels; try to find a fresh, plump-skinned one)
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
White granulated sugar or Splenda (about 2 cups, see cooking instructions)
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp allspice

Directions

Cut the apples into quarters, cutting out damaged parts. Don't peel or core them, or pick out the apple seeds. Put the apple pieces into a large crock pot, add the lemon, vinegar, water, and brown sugar, and cover. Turn the crock pot on high and allow to simmer for 6- 8 hours, stirring occasionally and crushing the fruit with a spoon. It is ready when the consistency is similar to applesauce. You can also let the mixture simmer overnight in a crock pot on low, but increase the time to 10 hours and stir it if you get up in the night to use the bathroom or get a snack.

Strain out the solids through a colander. Measure the apple puree. Stir in 1/3 cup of white sugar for each cup of apple pulp. Stir in the salt, cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves, and allspice. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Pour into a heavy, wide-bottomed saucepan. Simmer on medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until thickened and reduced, about 1 hour. Test if it is ready to jell by pouring a spoonful on a plate and letting it sit in the refrigerator until cool. It should be thick as jam.

Pour into sterilized pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace, and wipe the rims. Screw on lids hand-tight and lower into a hot water bath canner. Boil 15 minutes once the pot reaches a full rolling boil. Remove from the canner and allow to cool. Test the seals before storing.

Makes 3-4 pint jars.

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Parjoale - Moldavian Meatballs

This hearty meatball recipe is fragrant with vegetables, spices, and a tangy sauce. We first tried it at the Russian Tea Time restaurant in Chicago, though I understand it is actually a Romanian recipe called Parjoale. Though it contains a lot of ingredients, it is a great recipe to make up for a party or let simmer in a crockpot all day when you're at work. The meatballs make great party appetizers. They taste even better when made a day ahead.

Ingredients

For the Sauce

1 large red bell pepper
1 large onion
1 large carrot
1 stalk celery
4 garlic cloves
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp flour
1 cup beef stock
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 cup plum tomato, finely chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp Hungarian paprika
1 tsp salt and pepper
2 tablespoons low fat sour cream

For the Meatballs

1 lb. pork, finely ground
1/2 lb. beef, finely ground
1 large onion
2 garlic cloves
¼ cup fat-free milk
1 large egg or 1/4 cup egg substitute
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped dill

Directions

Chop onion, carrot, celery, and bell pepper. Saute in oil in a large saucepan until slightly tender. Add minced garlic. Add tomato paste and flour and stir until mixed. Stir in stock, wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, vinegar, paprika, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and reduce heat to low.

Mix together all meatball ingredients. With your hands, form into 1 or 2-inch balls (the size of a golfball, or if you don't play golf, the size of a pingpong ball). Saute in a separate skillet until well-browned on all sides, and then add to the sauce mixture. Simmer 45-60 minutes until tender if serving immediately, or place meatballs in a crock pot, and simmer on low until ready to serve.

We think it tastes best over a bed of pearled barley.

Serves 6-8 as a main dish, or 10-12 as an appetizer.

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Braised Beef Shanks, Northern Germany-Style

If you were traveling along the northern coast of Germany, on the North Sea side or the edge of the Baltic Sea, you might come across this creamy and substantial meal of beef shanks, bacon, vegetables, and sour cream. You might need a meal that fortifies your belly, too - the winds and snow hitting coastal towns make one crave something hearty for dinner.

This dish satisfies, and it's one you can prepare and then braise until you're ready to serve it, depending on the temperature of your oven or crockery cooker.

Ingredients

1/4 pound thickly-sliced bacon, diced
3 pounds beef or veal shanks, cut about 2 inches thick
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tsp thyme
2 tsp marjoram
1 cup beef broth
1 cup sour cream
3 tbsp flour

Sauté the bacon until tender but not crispy. Set on paper towels to drain. Put the beef shanks in the pan and brown on all sides. Place in a Dutch oven, roasting pan, or slow cooker. Add the vegetables, bacon, and herbs. Pour the beef broth over the meat and put the lid on the pot.

Cook at an even temperature until you are ready to eat. The meat should be fork-tender but not falling apart. With a 250 degree oven, or a crock pot on low heat, you could cook this for 6 to 8 hours, or it will be done in 1 1/2 to 2 hours in an oven at 375 degrees.

When done, take out the meat and put it on a platter, covering it with foil to keep it warm. Leave the vegetables in the pan. Skim the fat from the pan drippings and add 1 cup hot water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat until barely simmering.

Whisk the sour cream with the flour until smooth, then stir into the pan drippings until smooth. Heat this sauce without boiling for 3-5 minutes, then pass the sauce with the meal.

Serves 4-6.

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Get Out the Crockpot!

Our trusty old vintage crock pot. 

Our lives are so crazy busy these days, and I bet your lives are, too. Gone are many of our slow Sunday afternoons cooking together with Third Day or Miles Davis rolling off the turntable (yes, Joe and I are purists about vinyl records. I hope that doesn't make us too geeky.)

The slow cooker is the one way we can come home from work at 9pm and have a hot meal ready to dish up. This last Sunday, while Joe made a huge batch of Gyoza dim sum dumplings for the freezer, I started up a crock pot of pulled pork for sandwiches. Instead of eating it that night, I put the whole pot in the refrigerator and plugged it in Tuesday morning. Bless the person who invented the slow cooker.

So here are some of our most favorite around-the-world recipes that are crock pot-friendly. If you have a few of your own recipes, please share!

Crock Pot Pulled Pork Sandwiches

White Bean Chicken Chili

Parjoale - Moldavian Meatballs

Guinness Irish Beef Stew

Jambalaya

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White Bean Chicken Chili

Oh my, it's cold here in Illinois. It's two little degrees in Chicago, and they're saying that tomorrow will be about -10 F. I know there are much colder places in the world, but this shivers my timbers.

Time for a hot bowl of thick and spicy white bean chili. Chili in general is just about as flexible as a martini - you can add pretty much anything and still call it what it is. So if you don't have any white beans, throw in kidney beans or cannelinis or pintos - whatever you like. We like an extra bite of spice, so scale it back if spicy is hard on you.

This chili is great for using leftover cooked chicken or turkey, browned ground chicken, or even canned chicken if you're in a hurry. If you're not in a hurry, throw it all in a crockpot and go snowshoeing or ice fishing or some other winter-loving sport. Or you know, just cluster around the heating vents until it gets warmer.

Ingredients

2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 ancho pepper, seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic
2/3 cup diced onion
1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
1 14-oz can white beans, drained
1 cup frozen corn kernels
4 cups chicken stock
1 pound chicken or turkey
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped (optional)
2/3 cup shredded colby-jack cheese (optional)

Instructions

If you're using raw meat, cut it into bite-size pieces and saute with 1 tbsp of oil in a large saucepan. Set aside. Heat the 2 tbsp of oil and add the red pepper flakes and ancho pepper. Cook on low heat until the ancho is flexible. Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper and cook until translucent.

Stir in the remaining ingredients except toppings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour. Taste and correct the seasonings. Serve topped with the cilantro and cheese if you like. We ate this with a big loaf of cheesy pull-apart garlic bread. I'm embarrassed to say that we ate the entire loaf, but it is so very delicious, and we're fighting heavy weather here, folks.

If I had any sweet green chilies, cornbread with chilies would have been my preference. Chili and corn bread are like peanut butter and jelly, right?

The White Bean Chicken Chili serves 4-6.

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Best Corned Beef Brisket

I love living in a country that's a tossed salad of cultures. That means that there's nearly always a special day to celebrate, along with traditional foods for that celebration. And my, do I love corned beef for St. Patrick's Day. A few years ago, though, we were looking for a slightly different recipe than the usual. I don't remember where we found this recipe, but we adored it and now it's the only way we make it.

Like I suggested with the Guinness Irish stew, why not pop this into the crock pot and go find an Irish celebration during the day? Here in Chicago, we have the second-largest Irish population in the United States. There are celebrations all over the city for St. Patrick's Day; two parades are our favorites. The downtown St. Patrick's Day parade runs close to the lakefront (dress warmly!) the Saturday before St. Patrick's Day - March 17. Get there early to see them dyeing the Chicago river green by boat.

There are plenty of rollicking parade-goers, and plenty of alcohol, singing and dancing, and general good-will. Chicago also has dozens of great pubs around the parade route. However, if you're looking for a celebration that is a little more family-friendly and a little less like a chilly Mardi Gras celebration, why not head down to the South Side neighborhood of Beverly for their traditional St. Patrick's Mass, parade, and family parties?

The celebrations here remind us that St. Patrick's Day is a religious holiday for the patron saint of Ireland, not just a drinking holiday. South Side pride is alive and well with the jolly parade watchers all clad in green, beads and feather boas slung around their necks and and crazy hats on their heads. But the South Siders are most proud of the firefighters, police, schools, and church groups, judging by the cheering that rises as each of these groups march past.

Open alcohol is prohibited on the streets, and security is abundant. These long-time Irish immigrants keep a clean, friendly, safe environment while they celebrate their love for their homeland. They welcome the honorary Irish, too! You'll find some fine Irish food and traditional music in the local restaurants. We recommend the Irish Manor pub on Pulaski.

Wherever you go for the celebration, it's wise to take Chicago's public transportation. You'll have a lot more fun, you'll walk less, and you'll save a ton of money.

Ingredients

1 5-6 pound corned beef brisket
2 tbsp pickling spice
1 large orange, peeled and sliced
2 cup celery, chopped
1 large onion, sliced
1 cup beef broth
1 head of cabbage, cored and quartered

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Rub the brisket with the pickling spice, and place it in a roasting pan. Arrange celery, orange and onion over the meat. Pour in the water, and cover it tightly. Bake for 3 hours. Add water if the liquid escapes the pan; there should be a cup or two of broth in the bottom of the pan when it is cooked.

After 3 hours, place the cabbage quarters over the meat and baste it with the cooking liquid. Cover it again and bake for 1 more hour, or until the meat and cabbage is very tender.

If you're using a crock pot instead, follow the directions above, then place the cabbage on top of the meat at the beginning of the cooking time. The cabbage will be very soft at the end, but still delicious. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours.

Slice across the grain before serving, and arrange the fruit and vegetables around the roast. We like to serve this with small boiled red potatoes sauteed in garlic, parsley, and olive oil.

Serves 10-12.

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Mardi Gras Jambalaya

Joe's jambalaya recipe is going to make you feel like you're in N'awlins, I guarantee it! There's so much going on in this recipe it's no wonder this is a celebration meal before the fasting that comes with Lent.

One of Joe's early cooking influences was Emeril Lagasse - someone he'd like to meet in person someday. Joe's also spent some time tasting his way around Louisiana, and like many classic recipes, everyone has their own version. This version suits us.

Jambalaya stew generally has the distinctively-flavored andouille (say on-DWEE) sausage, tomatoes, chicken, shrimp, rice, and okra. Lots of fresh herbs make it complex. This list of ingredients might seem long, but this makes a huge potful of hearty food for a big Tuesday dinner February 12.

While it's simmering, why not transport yourself down to the festivities by visiting the official Louisiana Mardi Gras site at http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com? Interesting fact: despite the image of Mardi Gras as a drunken street party, it's also a big family festival and a Catholic holiday - and a legal holiday!

Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 1/2 cups onion, chopped

4 carrots, chopped

1 lb andouille sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 28-ounce can tomatoes, chopped

2 cups vegetable broth

3 cloves garlic, crushed 

1 teaspoon whole thyme 

2 bay leaves
1 tbsp Creole seasoning

1 cup okra, sliced

1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and de-veined

1/2 cup hot banana or jalapeno pepper, sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 cups white rice

Directions

Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. In a large stockpot, saute the chicken in oil until white on all sides. Add celery, onion, and carrots, and saute until slightly tender. Add the sausage, tomatoes, broth, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and okra. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour.

Add the shrimp, peppers, salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and rice. Simmer for 20 minutes more, or until rice is tender. Serve immediately.

Note: you can also cook this in a large slow cooker, and let it simmer all day. Add the rice and shrimp about 30 minutes before serving, and turn the crock pot heat to high during the last cooking stage.

Serves 10-12.

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Crock Pot Pulled Pork Sandwiches

On Super Bowl Sunday, there's nothing better than a houseful of football fans and a big pot of pulled pork sandwiches. If you keep the meat hot in a crock pot or on the stove, and put a big pile of sandwich buns nearby, people can help themselves whenever they're hungry. These are especially good with a spoonful of our giardiniera.

This recipe is my grandmother's, who also made barbecue beef sandwiches with this same recipe, using a beef roast instead of pork. She was a Bears fan when she lived in Chicago, and a Vikings fan when she moved to Minnesota. I loved her either way.

Recently, I made these barbeque pork sandwiches for a church meeting that was going to begin directly after the worship service. Halfway through a sermon on patience, the savory BBQ smell started to fill the room, and I realized I hadn't stirred the pot in a while! I didn't want to walk out in the middle of my friend Al's sermon, so I practiced my patience and waited. It turned out fine.

Ingredients

2 cups onions, chopped

1 tbsp oil

3 lb beef pot roast or pork shoulder

2 cups beef broth

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp dry mustard

1/2 cup honey

1 can tomato soup

1 cup barbecue sauce

1/4 cup hot sauce

Directions

In a large pot, fry onions in oil until brown. Cut meat into 2 inch cubes, and brown with the onions. Pour in the beef broth and enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 1 hour.

Transfer to a crock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well. Cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, until sauce is thick and the meat is tender and shredded.

Makes 6 cups, or 24 1/4-cup portions.

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Chicken Tortilla Soup

For nearly twenty years, I worked in IT and Finance for a corporation that fed its employees free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. I was so spoiled! Marriott Food Service cooked our meals, and one of the chefs gave me this recipe for their fantastic Chicken Tortilla soup. Whenever they served this popular soup, they set up a bar with all sorts of toppings, like sliced jalapenos, guacamole, chopped tomatoes, tortilla strips and cheese.

It's barely 20 degrees in Chicagoland today, and I'm reading the tart and funny book, "Then We Came to the End" by Joshua Ferris. It's set in Corporate America, right in Chicago's Loop, and I'm toasty at home with a pot of soup and lots of memories. If you liked "The Office" series and the movie "Office Space", you might like this book also.

This quick soup can be ready in 45 minutes, or you can simmer it on low in a crock pot all day.

Ingredients

6 cups chicken broth

1 tbsp oil

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced

3 cups onion, diced

3 cups red pepper, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 can tomato sauce

Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tbsp)

1 tbsp salt

2 tbsp chili powder

2 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less, to taste)

4 corn tortillas

3 cups shredded colby-jack cheese

Directions

In a large stock pot, saute chicken in oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until tender. Add the rest of the ingredients except the tortillas and cheese, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Bake tortillas until slightly crispy, then cut into strips. To serve, ladle the soup into a bowl, then top with the tortilla strips and cheese, and any other ingredients like jalapenos or guacamole.

Serves 6. 

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Pork Roast with Sauerkraut, Apples, and Onions

The German branch of my family came to Chicago in the early 1900s, and settled on the North side of Chicago in the Lincoln Square and West Rogers Park area. This are was heavily populated with German families, and the Hopfner branch of the family had a bakery at 4754 N. Lincoln Avenue where my grandmother worked as a kid.

My grandmother, Therese Detzner Tarr, was part of the first generation born in the U.S. Unfortunately, she came of age as World War II was beginning and anti-German attitudes were rampant. The trend was to assimilate into U.S. culture. I don't have a lot of German recipes, stories, or memories from the family, but one of my favorite meals from Grandma Tarr was pork roast with sauerkraut.

I've updated this recipe in a couple of ways. Joe, not growing up with much sauerkraut on his plate, doesn't like the strong tartness, so I drained and rinsed the kraut before cooking it. Also, I added apples and onions to the pot. It truly becomes autumn on a plate with these extra ingredients.

Ingredients

1 tbsp oil

3 lbs pork roast (any cut will do)

16 oz. sauerkraut

1 1/2 tsp carraway seed

2 cups yellow onion, thickly sliced

2 cups tart apple (Granny Smith, Jonathan, McIntosh), cored and cubed

Directions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Brown the meat on all sides.

Drain the sauerkraut and lightly rinse, if desired. Place the kraut in the bottom of a roaster pan, Dutch oven, or large crock pot. Sprinkle with half of the carraway seed. Place the apples and onions on top, then place the roast on top of the apples and onions. Sprinkle with the other half of the seeds. Cover.

Roast in the oven for 1 hour at 350 degrees, or until meat is tender. Add a bit of water if the pot becomes dry. If using a crock pot, cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender.

Serve by placing the fruit and vegetables on a platter, then topping with slices of the roast pork.

 Serves 6-8.

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Chorizo Cheese Dip

Combining the usual cheese and salsa dip with fresh chorizo gives an extra punch of flavor to your Superbowl party dip. This fast and easy dip can be served with crackers, sliced veggies, tortilla chips, and toasted bread rounds.

Ingredients
1 12 oz. package low-fat Velveeta cheese
1 10 oz. can Ro-Tel, or canned chopped tomatoes with onions and peppers
1 tsp. hot sauce
1/2 pound fresh chorizo


Directions
Remove the skin from the chorizo and cook in a frying pan until soft and crumbly, but not browned. Remove from heat and drain fat. Open Ro-Tel and drain off juice. Dice cheese.

If using a crock pot, dump all ingredients into the crock pot and heat on high, stirring occasionally until thick and creamy. Serve warm (a crockpot on low will keep the dip warm for an entire Superbowl game).

Makes 3-4 cups dip.

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MegaBeans (Mixed Baked Beans)

Thanks, Lee Coursey, for taking this picture for me.

The lady who originally gave me this recipe called these "MegaBeans", and I can't think of a better description. Sweet, smoky, tangy...these beans are perfect for a potluck or picnic, and everyone raves about them afterwards. Best of all, you can put them in a crock pot and let them cook all day. If you make this the day before, the flavors will blend even better when you reheat it, or try serving it cold.


Ingredients

6 slices bacon

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained

1 (16 ounce) can great Northern beans, drained

1 (28 ounce) can butter beans, drained

1 (16 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained

1 cup ketchup

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon thyme

2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

                   
Dice bacon, then cook until evenly brown and crisp. Place in the crock pot or regular pot.

Cook the onion and garlic in the bacon drippings until onion is tender; drain the grease and add it to the pot. 

Pour in all cans of well-drained beans. Stir in ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, and black pepper. Mix well.  Cook on low heat for at least 4 hours, or in a crock pot at least 6 hours, until the beans are in a thick, rich sauce.

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