Recently Karen and I stopped at our local Flying J in Stockton. An announcement on the P.A. System drew my attention to these special edition Reese’s Peanut Butter and Banana Creme Cups. They commemorate the 30th anniversary of Elvis’s death. I think he’s enjoying them himself, ’cause he ain’t really dead now, is he?
Tonight I made White Bean and Pasta Soup. Karen chose the recipe, which is on Page 60 of The Best of Country Cooking 2003, published by Reiman Publications. I used our Le Creuset Oval French Oven, which is wonderful for this kind of cooking.
It turned out well. Preparation was speedy with minimal chopping. I substituted canned white beans for the dry great northern beans to speed up preparation. There were two mishaps: I accidentally added dried cranberries instead of dried currants so the soup ended up with both, and I completely forgot the Parmesan cheese before serving. Despite that, Karen liked it!
White Bean and Pasta Soup
Michelle Harbour, Lebanon, Tennessee
1-1/2 cups dry great northern beans
3/4 pound Italian sausage links, casings removed
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
2 tablespoons dried currants
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup uncooked small shell pasta
Grated Parmesan cheese
Place beans in a Dutch oven or soup kettle; add water to cover by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid.
In the same pan, cook the sausage, onion, carrot and garlic over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the broth, water, currants, basil and beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until the beans are tender, stirring occasionally.
Add the tomatoes and pasta; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until pasta is tender. Serve with Parmesan cheese.
Yield: 12 servings (3 quarts)