This holiday weekend, millions of people across the country will be enjoying a traditional Easter ham on Sunday. It’s the perfect time to pick up a bag of Hurst’s HamBeens® and use that leftover ham bone in the best way possible. Try some of these great recipes and you will have enough ham ‘n beans for several meals next week.

Honey Ham and Beans

Senate Bean Soup

Split Pea and Asparagus Soup

Happy Easter!

Followed the recipe right on the bag and used a spoon to smash some of the beans after cooking… Helps thicken the soup perfectly. Serve over long-grain rice with sour cream and Cajun hot sauce!

Check out this month’s Hurst Family Harvest recipe from Carol Kicinski @ Simply Gluten Free ! The smooth texture of cooked split peas allows her to remove the usual addition of heavy cream all together, while the included Hickory Smoked Seasoning was a perfect substitute for a huge portion of bacon. Final dish is a lot lower in fat and cholesterol, but still great flavor!

Gluten Free Low Fat Split Soup Recipe
by Carol Kicinski

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped
2 – 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 package Hurst Family Harvest Split Pea Soup Mix
7 cups water
5 – 6 dashes hot sauce (like Tabasco)
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt & pepper if needed
4 strips bacon
4 green onions, sliced thinly

Directions

Heat olive oil in a soup pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and carrots and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 5 – 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Rinse and drain the split peas and add to the pot along with the seasoning packet and 7 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pan and simmer for 45 minutes. Add lemon juice, hot sauce and some salt a pepper to taste if needed. Cook for 10 more minutes.

While the soup is cooking, cut the bacon into small, ¼ inch pieces. Put into a cold frying pan; turn on the heat to medium and cook, stirring often until the bacon is very browned and crispy. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels and drain well.

Serve soup garnished with bacon bits and green onion slices.

Serves 6.

Happy New Year! For anyone still recovering from their weekend celebrations, here’s an easy recipe from guest blogger Carol Kicinski to throw on the stove and by dinner time, you will be all set to enjoy a delicious pot of bean soup. Enjoy!

from Carol Kicinski @ Simply Gluten Free:

“…I love this hearty gluten free soup recipe – it is filling and wholesome, packed with fiber and nutrients (as well as flavor) and it is a real budget saver. After all the turkey was already paid for, I use Hurst Family Harvest’s Black Bean Chipotle Lime Black Bean Soup Mix which cost about the same as 2 cans of black beans (but feeds a whole lot more) and has a tasty gluten free flavor packet included and the rest of the ingredients are just some pantry staples. If you don’t happen to have any leftover turkey hanging around you can use some leftover chicken or shred up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Or just leave out the turkey, use dairy free sour cream and you have yourself a fabulous vegan main course soup...”

Ingredients

1 package Hurst Family Harvest Chipotle Lime Black Bean Soup Mix
1 onion, diced
1 – 1 pound bag frozen corn kernels
1 – 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 – 4 ounce can diced mild green chilies
1 bunch green onions, sliced
½ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 cups cooked turkey or chicken, shredded (omit for vegan)
Chipotle Lime Sour Cream – recipe follows
Handful of cilantro leaves

Directions

Remove the flavor packet from the beans and save. Place the beans in a large soup pot and cover with water. Let sit, covered, overnight or for at least 8 hours. Drain the water from the beans. Place back in the pot and add 8 cups of cold water along with the reserved flavor packet. Bring to a boil, cover and let simmer for 90 minutes to 2 hours or until the beans are tender. Add the corn, tomatoes, chilies, green onions, salt, pepper, garlic powder and turkey and heat through, 5 – 10 minutes.  Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve with Chipotle Lime Sour Cream and cilantro for garnish.

Chipotle Lime Sour Cream

Ingredients

1 cup sour cream or dairy free sour cream
*1 – 3 teaspoons pureed chipotle in adobo depending on heat level you like
juice and zest of 1 lime – zest finely grated

Directions

Stir together the ingredients and let sit covered in the refrigerator until time to serve.
*I take one can of chipotle in adobo sauce, puree it in the blender and store in a covered jar in the refrigerator, that way I can use as much or as little whenever I want. Or you can take one of the peppers from the can with some of the sauce and mince finely.

A gluten free recipe that serves 10 – 12 people.

As the temps continue to drop in the evenings, it is a perfect time to look back at some of our favorite Fall recipes from the last few years. This Pumpkin Lentil Soup is one of our most popular posts ever on the bean blog. Serving out of a small pumpkin makes it a perfect dish for any Halloween party. Don’t forget to try the Pumpkin White Bean Stew recipe posted last Fall. The earthy flavor of the Great Northern beans are balanced well with some tangy apple cider and sweetness from the puréed pumpkin. The 15 Bean Tailgate Chili has been a hit at all of our Hurst Bean Field tailgate parties. It’s ideal for a huge crowd and has just enough spice to keep everyone warm on a cold day. Enjoy!

From Carol: “I love this recipe because it is so packed with flavor, so robust and yet so simple. To make it really easy I started off with a bag of Hurst Family Harvest Bayou Cajun Red Bean Soup …mix which has the gluten free seasonings all ready in the mix! You can make this recipe on the stove top, just simmer the soup for about 2 hours, but I like to prepare everything the night before, while I am already cooking dinner that night and throw it all in the slow cooker in the morning. This was a strategy I employed when my kids were younger, whenever possible I would try to make more than one dinner at a time. Such a great time saver especially at a time when families are adjusting to the kids going back to school and busier schedules.” (For the rest of Carol’s post, click HERE)

Ingredients

1 package Hurst Family Harvest Bayou Cajun Red Bean Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound andouille sausage (omit for vegan and vegetarian), sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large or 4 small carrots, thickly sliced
4 close garlic, minced
Kosher salt and pepper
1 cup rice
4 cups gluten free chicken or vegetable stock
3 cups water
3 green onions, sliced

Directions

The night before you plan to serve this soup, pour the beans into a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Reserve the seasoning packet for later. Let the beans cool in the water and then refrigerate overnight. Drain the beans and rinse. Put into a slow cooker along with the reserved seasoning packet.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the slices sausage, onions and carrots. Cook until everything starts to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made up to this point the night before, put in an airtight container and refrigerate.) Put in slow cooker with the beans and add the rice, stock and water. Stir everything to combine. Cook on low for 8 – 10 hours. Garnish soup with green onions.

This gluten free recipe  serves 8 – 10 people.

Knowing that I would use it for a soup at some point, I left plenty of ham on the bone after Christmas dinner to accommodate the future recipe. The ham bone lasts in the freezer for several months wrapped in a zip top bag, just remember to take it out to thaw at the same time you soak the beans. I also had some cubed honey ham left from the meal that was frozen and thawed for this recipe, you can add more if you desire.

What you need:

1. 1 package HamBeens 15 Bean Soup®
   
2. 1 large honey glazed ham bone (trim off excess meat and save)
   
3. 2 cup diced yellow onion
4. 1 cup chopped carrot
5. 1 cup chopped celery
6. 3 cloves chopped garlic
7. 1 can diced tomatoes
8. 1 tbsp. chili powder
9. 2 tsp. cayenne pepper
10. Juice from 1 lemon
11. Salt and pepper to taste

1. Rinse and sort through the beans. Check for any debris or stones and discard. Pour the beans into a large pot or bowl and add enough water to cover the beans by 2″. Allow to soak overnight or for at least 4 hours. When finished, dump out any excess water.

2. Prepare the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. In a large soup pot, add 1-2 tbsp. of olive or vegetable oil and sauté the vegetables over medium high heat until the onion becomes translucent (about 8 minutes).

3. Add the soaked beans, ham bone, and 8 cups of water (can sub chicken stock for even more flavor). Turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Then reduce the heat to low and allow the soup to simmer for 1.5-2 hours.

4. Once the beans are fully tender, add the leftover cubed ham, tomatoes, lemon juice, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Continue to simmer the soup for at least another 15 minutes. At that point, it is ready to be served, but as with many soups the flavors will only continue to develop and you can get even better taste after several hours. Serve with your favorite corn bread and enjoy!

As everyone prepares for a big Thanksgiving meal on Thursday, one thing often overlooked is how to use all the great leftover turkey when the weekend rolls around. A package of Cajun 15 Bean Soup can solve this problem and satisfy the whole family after a day of Black Friday shopping.

With the tools and hardware more readily available, smoked turkeys have increased in  popularity on Thanksgiving tables across the country. While this version uses the leg meat, any portion of the bird will work great. Just pull off any excess meat and drop the bones right in with the beans as they cook. The combination of smokey and spicy flavors create a delicious soup that you will want to make year-round, not just after Thanksgiving.

What you need:

• 1 package HamBeens Cajun 15 Bean Soup®.
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2-3 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2-3 cups pulled turkey meat (+ large bones from turkey)
• Juice from 1 lemon
• Sour cream (when serving)

1. Pour the beans into a colander or sieve. Rinse and sort through the beans, checking for any stones or debris and discard. Dump the beans into a large bowl and cover with at least 2″ of warm water. Allow to soak for at least 4 hours, up to overnight.

2. Pull meat off of turkey legs and set aside. In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, sauté the onion and garlic with 1 tbs. of olive oil. When onion becomes translucent, add 8 cups of water, rinsed beans, and turkey bones.

3. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat and cover. Simmer for 60 minutes, then remove the lid and check to make sure beans are tender. When beans are fully cooked, add diced tomato, lemon juice, leftover pulled turkey, and Hurst’s cajun seasoning.

4. Continue to simmer for an additional 15 minutes, or until ready to serve. Tastes great with a dollop of sour cream and a big slice of corn bread. For some additional heat, don’t forget your favorite hot sauce!

The end of October is quickly approaching and temperatures in the Midwest have finally made the transition into Fall. It’s a perfect time of year to feature a recipe with classic bean soup taste mixed with the sweet and savory flavors of the season.

It was exactly a year ago today that Pumpkin Lentil Soup was featured on the Hurst Bean Blog. In the last few weeks, the delicious soup has been one of our most sought after recipes on the site. So in the spirit of Halloween, here’s another great recipe that features pumpkin and works perfect for the cold nights in the weeks ahead.

What you need:

1. 1 package (20 oz.) Hurst’s Great Northern HamBeens®
2. 2 ham hocks
3. 1 can pumpkin (not pie mix)
4. 1 large yellow onion, diced (approx. 2 cups)
5. 1 cup sliced carrot (small rounds work great)
6. 1 cup diced potato
7. 1/2 tsp. allspice
8. 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
9. 1/2 tsp. clove
10. 1/2 tsp cumin
11. 1/4 tsp. cayenne
12. 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
13. 1/2 cup heavy cream
14. 1/2 cup apple cider
15. 7 cups of water
16. 3 tbsp. chopped chives (garnish)

1. Dump the beans into a colander or sieve. Rinse and sort through the dry beans checking for any unwanted debris. Pour into a large bowl or pot and cover with at least 2″ of warm water. Allow the beans to soak for at least 4 hours, up to overnight. Discard the excess water.

2. In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, sauté the onion and carrot in a small amount of olive oil. When the onions become translucent, add the water, ham hocks, and soaked beans.

3. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer (covered) for 60 minutes, stirring periodically.

4. After 60 minutes, check the beans for tenderness. If fully cooked, remove the ham hocks (you can either discard, or trim the meat and add back to the soup). Next add the can of pumpkin, apple cider, spices, and Hurst’s Ham Flavor packet.

5. Cook stew for additional 10 minutes, then stir in the heavy cream. Serve hot with the chopped chive for garnish. Works great in a crusty bread bowl too!

This is our submission for My Legume Love Affair #28, hosted by Dil Se… (MLLA is a monthly blog event started by Susan Wolfe @ The Well Seasoned Cook)

Football season is now in full swing and this Sunday the Hurst Bean Field will host the first Colts tailgate party of 2010. What better way to kick off the home opener than with a huge pot of Tailgate Chili! With 15 bean varieties, 3 kinds of meat, and plenty of spice for any chili fan, this recipe is sure to be a hit as you get ready for your teams’ next game.

What you need:

• 1 LARGE soup pot (this recipe makes a lot!)
• 2 Bags Hurst’s HamBeens® Chili 15 Bean Soup® (I also added some extra kidney beans in this version)
• 1 lb. ground sausage
• 1 lb. ground sirloin
• 1 lb. cubed chuck roast
• 3 cups chopped onion
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 each poblano, anaheim, green bell peppers.
• 5 cups (40 oz) beef stock
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons ground chipotle powder
• 1/2 tablespoon allspice
• 1/2 tablespoon cumin
• 1 small can tomato paste
• Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Rinse and sort through the beans. Check for any debris or stones and discard. Dump the beans into a large bowl and cover with at least 2″ of warm water. Soak overnight or at least 4 hours. After soaking, discard the excess water and set the beans aside.

2. In a large skillet, brown the meats in separate batches. You don’t want to cook the cubed beef all the way through, just sear the outer layer. Add the meats to the chili pot as you go (not over heat yet).

3. Using some of the leftover grease from the meats, sauté the onions and garlic for 4-5 minutes until they begin to turn golden brown. Add to the soup pot when finished.

4. Preheat the oven to 450º. Cut the peppers length-wise and remove the seeds and stems. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. Roast the peppers until the skins begin to turn black and the peppers become soft. Remove and allow them to cool in a covered bowl or ziplock bag. The skins should then peel right off the outer layer after cooling. Using a blender, pureé the peppers until smooth. Add to the chili pot.

5. Add beans, beef stock, and enough water to cover the contents in the pot. Turn the heat to high and bring entire mixture to a low boil. Reduce the heat and simmer (covered) for 60 minutes (check periodically to make sure you have enough liquid in the pot to cover all ingredients, add more water if needed). Remove the lid and add tomatoes, blended peppers, tomato paste, spices, and contents of Hurst’s Chili seasoning packets. Bring back to a simmer and cook for at least another 30 minutes (uncovered).

The longer this chili cooks the better (2.5+ hours in this version). As the ingredients incorporate together, the flavors become more rich and deep. The beans will start to break down, releasing their starches to help thicken the chili. I like to serve with sliced jalapenos, shredded cheese, and a side of corn chips for a little crunch with every bite.

Have a great tailgate!

This is our submission to The Well Seasoned Cook’s “My Legume Love Affair #27″ this month hosted by the contests’ originator, Susan Wolfe. Be sure to check out all the great recipes and enter to win a Hurst’s Bean 6-Pack every month!

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