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!

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.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Here at the NK Hurst Co. we are celebrating the great Irish tradition by putting a “bean twist” on a classic St. Patty’s Day Shepherd’s Pie. The recipe makes enough to fill up the whole family, and tastes great with a tall pint of Guinness. Be safe and enjoy all of today’s festivities!

What you need:

• 1 -Bag Hurst’s HamBeens® Beef 15 Bean Soup®
• 4 Cups cooked mashed potatoes with 1 egg mixed added (homemade is best, but instant will do)
• 1 lb- Ground lamb
• 2 Cups- Chopped white onion
• 1 Cup- Chopped Carrot
• 1 Cup- Chopped Celery
• 32oz. Beef Stock
• 1/2 Cup Red Wine
• 4 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 5 tbsp. flour
• 1 Cup- Frozen Peas
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3 oz (1/2 can) tomato paste

1. Preheat your oven to 375º. Rinse and sort through the bean mix. Check for any unwanted debris or stones and discard. Place the beans in a large bowl and soak in hot water for at least 3-4 hours. Drain the water when ready to cook.

2. In a large dutch oven (or oven safe pot), brown the lamb meat in a couple tbsp. of vegetable oil and butter over med-high heat.When the mixture is almost completely browned (do not drain), add the onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté the vegetables until the onion becomes translucent and softens. After 5 minutes, add the flour and stir continuously (creates a rue to thicken the sauce).

3. Cook for an additional 5 minutes after adding the flour, then add the beef stock and bring the pot to a low boil (be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan after adding the liquid, the browned pieces will add great flavor). Add the soaked beans and bring the pot to a rolling boil. Remove from the heat and bake in the oven for 1.5 hours.

4. Remove from the oven and place back on the stove over low heat. Stir in the Frozen Peas and the Beef seasoning packet. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add red wine, parsley, rosemary, and tomato paste. Turn off the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Spread the mashed potato mixture over the top of the stew. (Use a fork to create a line pattern, if desired) Set your oven to broil and place the pot (not covered) back into the oven. Watch carefully and allow the top layer of potatoes to brown.

Serve hot with a loaf of crusty and a tall pint… ENJOY!

Haspel, Tamar. "10 Things to Know About Beans". Cooking Light. Sept. 2010 48-51

We always keep an eye out for articles about the amazing benefits of eating beans. This months’ Cooking Light has a great piece featured in the “Healthy Living” section. Highlights include:

• No other vegetable has as much fiber and protein
• Navy beans have the most fiber; Lentils the most folate
• “If you can boil water, you can cook dry beans.”
• Dry beans last for years when stored properly
• Beans are one of the most economical health foods

Click HERE to read the full article.

(Courtesy of Susan Wolfe)

It’s hard to believe, but Hurst has now been a sponsor of MLLA for over a year! Started by Susan Wolfe (The Well Seasoned Cook), this monthly contest features some amazing legume recipes from around the food-blogging community. The 26th installment is hosted by briciole and will accept entries through August 31st. We will continue to supply each monthly winner with a 6-pack of Hurst’s products and want to thank Susan for allowing us to be a part of these great events!

Here at the N.K. Hurst Co. we are always on the lookout for recipes that feature dry beans, especially if it is created by someone famous in the culinary world. In a round-about way, this “bean publicity” helps promote the use of our product, and that’s always a positive!

A perfect example: Just last week we discovered “It’s About Bean Season”, an article in the INDYSTAR from world renowned chef Wolfgang Puck. He expounds on the virtues of beans and even goes so far as to say “…my favorite soup ingredient is probably dried beans.” We couldn’t ask for a much better endorsement than that, so I decided to try out his recipe using our HamBeens® Great Northern Bean Soup.

Quick: Name the first restaurant Wolfgang Puck worked at in America?

Answer: La Tour…………….. in INDIANAPOLIS!

Yes, it may be hard to believe, but Puck’s first venture in an American kitchen happened right here in the Circle City!

In the Indystar article, Puck discusses the many positives of cooking with dry beans. Their long shelf life, high nutritional values, and their ability to adapt to all types of cuisine are just some of the reasons he loves them so much. His White Bean Soup w/ Pancetta & Swiss Chard turned out delicious and the perfect meal as the nights begin to cool down.

What you need:

1- Package Hurst’s® HamBeens® Great Northern Bean Soup

3/4 pound unsliced pancetta (If necessary, can substitute cured bacon as I have here)

2- sprigs fresh thyme, tied together with kitchen string

2- tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2- celery stalks, cut into small dice

1- medium-sized yellow onion, cut into small dice

1- medium-sized leek, trimmed, split lengthwise, thoroughly washed, and cut into small dice

4- garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

1- cup dry white wine

3- ounces white wine vinegar

6- cups organic chicken broth

1 1/2- tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

3/4- tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4- pound Swiss chard leaves, cut crosswise into strips 1/2 inch wide

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Rinse and sort through the dry beans, checking for any stones or unwanted debris and discard. Pour the beans into a large bowl and cover with at least 2″ of water. Allow the beans to soak overnight or at least 6 hours. After soaking, drain and discard the water.

2. Place the beans, thyme sprigs, and 1/2 the pancetta into a large soup pot and cover with at least 2″ of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1.5 hours.

3. In a separate pot, add in the olive oil and the remaining pancetta (diced). Saute over medium heat until it browns and begins to crisp. Then add the onion, leeks, celery, and garlic to the pot and cook until the onions become translucent (3-5 minutes). Raise heat to medium-high, add wine and vinegar, and boil until liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes more.

4. Once the beans are cooked through, save a 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Discard the rest. Place 1/2 of the beans in a food processor or blender and puree to a smooth consistency. Use the remaining cooking liquid to help loosen the mixture while blending.

5. Add the whole and pureed beans to the vegetable mixture along with broth, parsley and thyme leaves. Stir well. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the whole beans are tender and soup is thick, about 15 minutes longer. Season to taste.

A few minutes before serving, stir in the strips of Swiss chard. Continue cooking just until they have wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.

6. Ladle the soup into large bowls and top with a small handful of the freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Recipe originally By Wolfgang Puck / Tribune Media Services