Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Black and White Bean Chicken Chili

I made a recipe tonight that I'm sure I'll try again. It's based on a recipe from The Washington Post, but what I provide here is how I modified it and how I plan to make it in the future. 

Ingredients

• 2-3 TB of olive oil
• 1 medium size yellow or Vidalia onion, chopped finely
• 1 serrano pepper, chopped finely (more if you want it spicy)
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 TB of smoked paprika
• 2 TB of ground cumin
• 2 TB Tastefully Simple Wahoo Chili seasoning
• 6 cups of low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 can of cannellini or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 lb. of chicken breasts or boneless thighs, cooked in a slow cooker and shredded
• 2 4 oz. cans of diced green chili peppers
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 TB of Penzey's Justice seasoning

Process

Some of the modifications I made were amount of chicken stock, the chili seasoning, and the canned green chili peppers. Also, I wouldn't use an immersion blender to half of the cans of the white beans. What's the point? 

Use the slow cooker for the chicken for about 6-8 hours on low. I've been marinating my chicken in pickle brine, so I just marinate it overnight and put the bird parts into the slow cooker. 

Once ready to make the chili, put the olive oil into a pot, add the onions, and sauté on medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add in the hot pepper and cook for two minutes. Then add in the garlic and cook for a minute.

Dump in the smoked paprika, cumin, and chili seasoning. Stir the spices around to coat the aromatics. Add in the chicken stock and scrape the bits off the bottom. 

Get it simmering for ten minutes. During this time shred the chicken. Add the chicken, beans, and green chilis to the broth. Simmer for approximately ten minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add in Penzey's Justice seasoning. 

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

I haven't made gumbo in a long time. My first attempt last week failed because I let the roux go too long. So I learned from my mistake and made it today for supper. 

Ingredients

1 cup of vegetable oil

1 cup of all purpose flour

1 lb. of boneless chicken thighs, with fat trimmed

1 lb. of andouille sausage, cut into half-moon pieces

1 large yellow onion, chopped finely

1 bell pepper, chopped finely 

3 stalks of celery, chopped finely

8 cups of water

Healthy amount of Cajun seasoning

Healthy amount of cayenne pepper

Healthy smidge of roasted garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Process

In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, put a little oil at the bottom and put to medium heat.

With the chicken, I trimmed the fat and cut it up into small, bit-size pieces. Then I sprinkled a good deal of Cajun seasoning to coat the meat. Place the chicken in the pot and brown on both sides. Pull out the chicken and set aside on a plate. 

Add the cup of vegetable oil and flour and continuously whisk the roux for approximately an hour until it gets a nut-brown color. I started at medium heat and backed it down gradually to still medium but a bit on the low side. 

Once you have the color you want (and the roux should smell nutty), add in the aromatics for about a minute and then add the water a cup at a time while whisking. 

When the water is incorporated and the liquid is a thick soup, add the partially cooked chicken and sausage. Add a good amount of seasoning. Bring to a healthy simmer with the lid mostly covering the pot.  

Reduce the heat a bit, so it's a leisurely simmer and simmer for about an hour. Check the seasoning from time to time to make sure you have the right level of flavor and heat you want. 

For example, because my andouille sausage was bought here in Illinois, it wasn't the greatest, so I had to add a strong amount of Cajun seasoning and cayenne. 

Next time I need to get andouille from somewhere in the Deep South.  

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Golden Chicken Vegetable Soup

I found a recipe via "Our 10 Most Popular Recipes of 2022" from The Washington Post, and I modified a bit to fit my tastes. 

Ingredients

1 lb. boneless chicken thighs (I used three of them), cut into small pieces

1 yellow onion, diced

2-3 carrots, cut thinly into full and half moon slices

1 stalk of celery, chopped

1 half of a bell pepper, diced

2 quarts of low sodium chicken stock

1-2 TB of freshly ground ginger

1-2 TB of turmeric

1 can of chickpeas, drained

2-3 cups of baby spinach

1 teaspoon of roasted garlic powder

1 TB of smoked paprika

Extra virgin olive oil for sautéing aromatics

Salt and pepper to taste

Process

In a Dutch oven, season the chicken and brown for ten minutes or so on medium-high heat. Remove the chicken to a plate and let rest. The chicken doesn't have to be cooked thoroughly through. 

Heat the olive oil on medium and dump in the onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper. Add salt and pepper and sweat them down for five to ten minutes. Add the chicken, stock, ginger, turmeric, other seasonings, chickpeas, and half of the spinach. 

Partially cover and simmer on medium low heat for an hour. Then add the rest of the spinach and simmer for another 20 minutes or so. Check on the taste and adjust seasonings as needed. 

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Smoked Duck Soup

The other week I smoked a whole duck in my electric smoker. So this week I decided to make some smoked duck soup. I toured the InterWebs for ideas and really didn't find what I wanted, so I made this up on my own. 

Ingredients

1 smoked duck carcass with legs and wings

Leftover smoked duck breast

1 yellow onion, quartered

2 carrots chopped into chunks

3 stalks of celery chopped up into chunks

5 bay leaves

Handful of whole peppercorns

Enough water to make duck stock

2 carrots, peeled and cut into thin half moons

1/2 of a yellow onion diced

4 cloves of roasted garlic, chopped

2 packages of baby Bella mushrooms, sliced thinly

Salt and pepper to taste

Health smidge of Penzey's Old World seasoning

Leftover wild rice

Process

To make the stock, put the carcass and chunks of onion, celery, and carrots into a large stock pot along with the bay leaves and peppercorns. Use enough water to cover the duck. Set to boil and then reduce to simmer slightly covered for approximately four and a half hours. Skim the duck fat from time to time. 

Once the stock has been created, pour the stock into a different pot using a strainer. Pick out the good pieces of meat from the carcass, legs, and wings. 

Add that meat and the leftover duck breast into the stock. Add in the thinly cut onions, carrots, and mushrooms into the soup pot along with the roasted garlic. Add in some of the Old World seasoning at the start and taste later to add salt and pepper. Simmer for about an hour and serve. I added in some leftover wild rice I had in the fridge to give it a little something more. 

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Sausage and Deconstructed Broccoli Vegetable Soup

I made this soup last week. I wanted to get it all down, so I don't forget what I did. I am calling it deconstructed broccoli because I used broccoli florets, and their structural integrity does not hold up if you put them in early, so they just infuse the liquid with killer broccoli flavor. 

Ingredients

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

3 carrots, finely chopped

Olive oil

2 tablespoons of harissa paste

1 lb. of turkey kielbasa, cut into half moon slices

1 carton of vegetable stock

2 cartons of chicken stock

4-5 cups of broccoli florets

1 package of baby spinach

1 can of dark red kidney beans, drained

1 package of baby Bella mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons of roasted garlic seasoning

2 tablespoons of smoked paprika

1-2 tablespoons of Penzey's Northwoods seasoning

1 tablespoon of ground cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

Process

Coat a stock pot with olive oil over medium-high heat and add onions and carrots. Put in a healthy smidge of kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper. Sauté the aromatics for approximately ten to minutes. 

Add in the sausage and brown it for about ten minutes. Add harissa and cook for roughly five minutes. Dump in the stock and add the vegetables and seasoning. Kick up the heat to boil and then set it to simmer for a couple of hours and enjoy. 

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Slow Cooker Beef Vegetable Soup

I made this savory-ass soup last week, but now I'm getting around to sharing the recipe. I finally got to use the cheap mandolin I picked up from Aldi a while back. 

Ingredients

2 packages of beef soup bones

1 yellow onion, diced

3 carrots, peeled and cut in thin slices using a mandolin

1 stalk of celery, cut into thin slices using a mandolin

1/2 a head of cabbage cut into small thin slices

1 can of fire roasted diced tomatoes

2 boxes of beef broth

2 cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 zucchini, quarter and sliced

1 package of baby bell mushrooms, slice medium width

1 teaspoon of Moringa powder

Healthy doses of Penzey's beef roast seasoning and Chicago steak seasoning

3 bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Process

Trim the fat that you can from the soup bones and marinate them overnight in olive oil, fish (very little of this--it goes a long way), worcestshire, and soy sauce. In the morning take them out and place them in the slow cooker. Add the onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes, moringa, and beef broth. Cook on high for 4-5 hours. 

After that time has elapsed, add the cabbage, and seasoning. Take out the soup bones, cut out the meat and chop finely. Add the meat back into the cooker and set for low for 3-4 hours more. With an hour out of eating time, add in the zucchini and mushrooms.

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Soup

 This is a variation of a recipe I found on the InterWebs. I changed it slightly because I despise corn in soups, and I didn't want to use cream cheese. 

Ingredients

2 large chicken breasts
1 box (32 oz.) of reduced sodium chicken broth
1 large can of mild green enchilada sauce
2-3 4 oz. cans of diced green chiles
2/3 cup of water
2 tablespoons of ground cumin
1 tablespoon of chili powder
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of ground roasted garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Process

Start with the chicken breasts. Trim and place them in a slow cooker and add some of the chicken broth to coat the bottom. Set on low for 4-6 hours. 

After fully cooked, pull the chicken breasts and let them cool on a cutting board. Add the sauce, the rest of the broth, the chiles, water, and seasonings to the cooker. Set on high. 

Shred the breasts and add to the slow cooker. After about an hour on high, set the cooker to low and cook for 2-3 hours. 

I served it with rinsed pinto beans, which I added to the soup. As for garnishes, you could use chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, and jalapeños if so desired. 

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Sausage and Vegetable Soup

I made this soup on the fly today. So I'm sharing.

Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil to coat a Dutch oven
1 medium yellow onion, chopped finely
2 TB of minced garlic
8 carrots, peeled and chopped into moons and half-moons
4 stalks of celery, chopped finely
1 lb. of Polska kielbasa, chopped into half-moons
4 TB of tomato paste
1/2 cup of red wine
2 quarts of reduced sodium chicken stock
1 package of baby bella mushrooms, in slivers
2 TB dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Process
In a large Dutch oven, sweat down the onion on medium-high heat. Add in the garlic and cook for a minute. Throw in the carrots and celery and cook for approximately 10 minutes. Add in the tomato paste and mix until it is coated throughout the mix. Deglaze the Dutch oven with the wine. Cook for a few minutes. Add the kielbasa and cook for another 10 minutes. Dump in the stock and thyme. And then add the mushrooms. Partially cover the Dutch oven with its lid and reduce the heat to low-medium and taste for seasoning. 

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Sausage and Shrimp Soup

I cobbled together this soup today from an assortment of foodstuffs I had in the freezer and about the house. It's pretty damn tasty. 

Ingredients
Olive oil
1 whole yellow onion, chopped finely
2 stalks of celery, chopped finely
3 medium size carrots, chopped into half-moon  slices
2 tablespoons of minced garlic
4 tablespoons of spicy harissa
1 ring of turkey kielbasa, chopped into half-moon slices
3 quarts of reduced sodium chicken stock
2 cans of canellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 package of uncooked frozen shrimp, thawed and shelled
Salt and pepper to taste

Process
Coat a large Dutch oven in olive and heat on medium-high. Add the onion, celery, and carrots, add some salt and pepper, and cook until sweated down substantially. Add in the garlic and cook for approximately a minute. Then add in the harissa and cook for approximately five minutes Then put in the smoked kielbasa and cook until some browning happens.

Add the stock and beans, heat it to high until boiling, and then reduce to medium. Cover with the lid cracked and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for five minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Green Lentil, Roasted Pepper, and Spinach Soup

I adapted this recipe from the most recent issue of Milk Street Magazine. 

Ingredients
1/2 a yellow onion, diced
1 and a half tablespoons of ground cumin
1 and a half tablespoons of smoked paprika 
1 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
3 bay leaves
1 and a half cups of dried green lentils
1 jar of roasted bell peppers, drained and chopped finely
2 cartons (32 oz. each) of chicken stock
1 bag of baby spinach (6-8 oz)
Salt and pepper to taste

Process
Coat a large Dutch oven with olive oil over medium-high heat. Sweat down the diced onions for 5-8 minutes. Add the cumin, paprika, pepper, and bay leaves and cook briefly for about a minute. Add in the lentils, roasted pepper, and the stock. Adjust the heat to high until it boils. 

Reduce the heat to low and cover. Stir occasionally. It'll take approximately 35 minutes for the lentils to soften. Once that time has elapsed, take out the bay leaves and add in the spinach to wilt it. Salt and pepper to taste. 

With the combo of smoked paprika and cumin coupled with the roasted peppers, the soup has a smoky flavor that I enjoy. 

Random Notes from a Crank

I was in the liquor aisle the other day, and on a whim I decided to buy some single malt Scotch, in particular Glenlivet. 

That was a mistake. It's not that's it's bad, but I just prefer bourbon. I should have spent that kind of money on Eagle Rare, Evan Williams Single Barrel, Four Roses Single Barrel, or some other kind of high-dollar, excellent bourbon like 1792. 

With the cursory research I've done on single malt Scotches, if I'm going to shell out some money for that kind of juice, from the description of them, I should invest my booze dollars on Scotches from the Isle of Isley, specifically Lagavulin and Laphroaig. I like whiskey with a lot of character ~ lots of oak or lots of peat. Isley whiskies sound like the type of Scotch that I might prefer. That and Johnnie Walker Black. The smokier the better. 

Which gets me to the idea that I should get a smoker. But now I'm on to food. 

A few days ago I patched together a soup/stew from some ingredients I need to use before they got too far along. I had a half head of cabbage and some cauliflower, so I cut up the cabbage and cauliflower, dumped in some chicken and beef stock, and added a pound of smoked kielbasa. Add in freshly cracked black pepper, granulated garlic, and some bouquet garni, and it's a decent dinner for this here crank. 

Moscow Don's impeachment is an exercise for the GOP putting party over country. What a murder of clowns. 

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Green Lentil Soup

The other week when I was at Aldi shopping I was browsing that aisle Aldi has that is a collection of seasonal items and foodstuffs they're trying to get rid of for whatever reason. As I browsed, I happened upon a bag of green lentils. 

I've had canned Progresso lentil soup many times, but I had no idea there was such a thing as a green lentil. I grabbed the bag for $1.29, and yesterday I made this soup based on the recipe on the back of the bag. As is my nature, I modified the recipe a good bit. 

Ingredients
3 medium carrots, sliced into think half moons
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1/2 of a yellow onion, finely chopped
6 cups of chicken stock
1 cup of green lentils
1 package of baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 bay leaves
Healthy smidge of garlic powder
Healthy smidge of Penzey's Old World Seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
wedge of a lime

Process
In a Dutch oven, heat the oil on medium-high and add the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook for roughly 8-10 minutes so the celery and onions soften considerably. Add the stock, bay leaves, and seasonings. Heat to a boil and then put the lid on and reduce the heat to low. 

Let that percolate for about 20 minutes, so the lentils soften. Then add in the mushrooms and simmer for another 10 minutes. Test for proper seasoning and serve. 

When I had the soup, I added a little Sambal Oleak and chopped cilantro and then queezed a wedge of lime into it. I think I might also try it by adding chopped green olives. 

If you can get past the soup's greenish-brown color (not the most aesthetically pleasing), it's a good soup. 

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Mediterranean Chicken & Bean Soup

I saw a Mediterranean Chicken & Chickpea Soup in an issue of Eating Well, but Mrs. Nasty doesn't like chickpeas, and she doesn't like chicken thighs. So I used some cannellini beans I had in the cupboard and poached some chicken breasts. 

Ingredients
2 large chicken breasts, poached and shredded 
2 cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of fire roasted diced tomatoes with juices
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic or a healthy does of garlic powder
4-5 teaspoons of ground cumin
4-5 teaspoons of paprika 
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
6 cups of water
1 can of quartered artichoke hearts, cut into smaller pieces
sliced green olives
capers
chopped cilantro
Salt and cracked pepper to taste

Process
After poaching and shredding the chicken breasts, pour the water into the slow cooker. Add chicken, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, onion, garlic, and spices. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Reserve the artichoke hearts, olives, capers, and cilantro for toppings  

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Broccoli Cheese Soup

This is a variation on the cheese soup recipe I saw on the aforementioned episode of Good Eats. 

Ingredients
Half of a yellow onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 large stalk of celery, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
32 oz. of chicken stock
1 minced clove of garlic
1 cup of heavy cream
1 bay leaf
7 ounces of gouda, shredded
3 ounces of smoked gouda, shredded
1 package of steamed broccoli
Smidge of tyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Process
Heat a dutch oven to medium and melt the butter. Sweat the onion, carrot, and celery until soft. Coat the mixture with flour and cook for approximately a minute. Add the stock, bring to boil, and then move it back to a simmer. 

Add the garlic and bay leaf. Simmer for 10 minutes.Use a handheld mixer to blend the aromatics. 

Add the heavy cream and continue over a slow simmer. Add the shredded cheese in bunches. In the meantime, steam the broccoli and add into the soup. Simmer for five minutes. 

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Shortcut Lablabi (Chickpea and Harissa Soup)

I got this recipe from the January-February issue of Christopher Kimball's Milk Street Magazine. Unlike my previous post of "Makeshift Lablabi," I had harissa on hand. 

Here's the recipe. I also used a lime instead of a lemon because I like limes better.  

It's called "Shortcut" because I used canned chickpeas and store-bought croutons. 

Ingredients

Olive oil

1 onion, chopped finely

2 shallots, chopped finely

6 cloves of garlic, minced

6 tablespoons of harissa

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

2 tablespoons of ground cumin

3 quarts of chicken stock

2 cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

For serving

Croutons, homemade or store-bought

Wedge of lime

Small handful of cilantro, chopped

Small handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped

Hard-boiled eggs, halved or quartered

Chopped green olives

Capers to suit

Process

Coat a Dutch oven/soup pot with olive oil, heat the oven to medium, and sweat down the onions and shallots. Once they are soft, dump in the garlic and cook it for less than a minute. Put in the tomato paste and cook for approximately five minutes. Add in the harissa and cumin and cook for a few minutes. 

Add the chicken stock and heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the chickpeas and simmer for 5-10 minutes. 

When serving, put the croutons in the bottom of the bowl, ladle the soup over the bread, and top with a couple of hard-boiled eggs. Sprinkle capers, olives, cilantro, and parsley atop the soup and then squeeze the lime on top of the soup.

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Makeshift Lablabi

I got this base recipe from the January-February issue of Christopher Kimball's Milk Street Magazine, but I had to improvise because my grocery store doesn't carry harissa or dry chickpeas. Walmart might have those items, but I hate going to Walmart. 

So instead of using harissa, which I'm going to order by the way, I used Sambal Oelek. That chili pepper paste is not Tunisian (it's Asian), but it's the closest thing I had. I also didn't have capers, and I forgot to chop green olives, so I need to get my @#$% together when I have leftovers tomorrow. 

Anyway, here's the recipe. I also used a lime for serving just because I like limes better than lemons 

Ingredients

Olive oil

1 onion, chopped finely

2 shallots, chopped finely

4-5 cloves of garlic, minced

4-6 tablespoons of harissa or Sambal Oelek

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

2 tablespoons of ground cumin

2 quarts of chicken stock

2 cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

For serving

Croutons, homemade or store-bought

Wedge of lime

Wedge of lemon

Small handful of cilantro, chopped

Small handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped

Hard-boiled eggs, halved or quartered

Chopped green olives

Capers to suit

Process

Coat a Dutch oven with olive oil, heat the oven to medium, and sweat down the onions and shallots. Once they are soft, dump in the garlic and cook it for less than a minute. Put in the tomato paste and cook for approximately five minutes. Add in the chili paste and cumin and cook for a few minutes. 

Add the chicken stock and heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the chickpeas and simmer for 5-10 minutes. 

When serving, put the croutons in the bottom of the bowl, ladle the soup over the bread, and top with a couple of hard-boiled eggs. Sprinkle capers, olives, cilantro, and parsley atop the soup and then squeeze the lime and lemon on top of the soup.

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Green Vegetable Soup

I created/adapted this soup based on a recipe that was in Cooking Light that is called "Minestrone Verde." That recipe uses basil, and I didn't have basil or leeks, and I had other ingredients that I wanted to use. I forgot to add peas, so if I make it again I might use basil, green onions, and peas. 

Ingredients
2 garlic cloves, minced
Half of a yellow onion, chopped finely
Olive oil for sautéing 
2 medium size zucchinis, sliced into half moons
1 head of broccoli
2 containers of chicken stock
3 handfuls of spinach, chopped coarsely
Half a box of tricolor rotini, cooked
Lots of cracked black pepper
Kosher salt to taste
Healthy portion of Penzey's Ozark Seasoning

Process
In stock pot, heat olive oil on medium and dump in the onion and garlic. Sweat those until the onions are tender. Add the zucchini and broccoli and cook for a while. 

Once the zucchini are tender, add the stock and spinach. Simmer for 10-15 minutes and then add the pasta and cook for 5 minutes or so. Add in salt, pepper, and seasoning.  

Fumbling Toward Culinary Soup: Kielbasa-Spinach Immunity Soup

This recipe is similar to both my kale soup recipe and the chicken-based immunity soup. 

Ingredients
1/2 of big bag of spinach 
2 and a half quarts of free range organic chicken broth (Aldi has it at a reasonable price)
1 lb. of turkey kielbasa, halved and sliced into even slices
half of yellow onion, chopped finely
2 cans of cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of diced tomatoes with chilies 
Half a package of button or baby bella mushrooms, sliced relatively thinly
Healthy dose (5-6 cloves) of roasted garlic, chopped (as much as you can chop roasted garlic) 
1 bay leaf
Smidge of thyme
Smidge of basil
Smidge of cayenne pepper
Smidge of smoked paprika 
Salt and pepper to taste

Process
Chop the onion and sausage and brown them in a cast iron skillet with a little bit of oil. Transfer that to a slow cooker. Add in the broth, beans, seasonings, and spinach. Cook on high for at least an hour. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Add in mushrooms near the end, so they don't get too small during the cooking. 

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Kale Soup

It's become almost a cliche to prattle on about how kale is so good for you. By all accounts, it is incredibly healthy. Some people hate it. Other people hate hearing about kale. And yet other people are prone to make jokes about kale ~ how they'd never eat that @#$% and so on and so forth. 

I like kale, but I'm not about to proselytize about the leafy green. 

So if you're someone who likes kale, here's a soup recipe. 

Ingredients
1/2 of big bag of chopped kale 
2 and a half quarts of free range organic chicken broth (Aldi has it at a reasonable price)
1 lb. of turkey kielbasa, halved and sliced into even slices
half of yellow onion, chopped finely
1 can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
Half a package of button mushrooms, sliced relatively thinly 
1 bay leaf
Smidge of thyme
Smidge of basil
Smidge of red pepper
Smidge of smoked paprika 
Salt and pepper to taste

Process
Chop the onion and sausage and brown them in a cast iron skillet with a little bit of oil. Transfer that to a slow cooker. Add in the broth, beans, seasonings, and kale. Cook on high for at least two hours. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Add in mushrooms near the end, so they don't get too small during the cooking. 

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Chicken-Based Immunity Soup

Like I've done before, I made some poultry stock. 

Ingredients, Part I
I used these ingredients:

• 1 carcass of a chicken
• 1 turkey neck
• 10 peppercorns
• 1 onion quartered
• 1 carrot, unpeeled and chopped into chunks
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed

Process

I covered all that with water, got it up to a simmer, and let it ride for approximately four hours while skimming off the goopiness off the top from time to time. I then strained the ingredients into a pot and transferred the stock to a stock pot. 

Ingredients, Part II

Here are the ingredients post-stock making:

• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped finely
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced thinley
• 5 cloves of roasted garlic
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
• 1 can of kidney beans, rinsed
• 1 package of baby bella mushrooms, chopped thickly
• 1 bag of spinach
• 1 package of chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 can of diced tomatoes with chilies
• Olive oil
• Smidge of red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste

Process

I put olive oil into a cast iron skillet and cooked the onion, carrot, and celery till softened. I then added the garlic and mushrooms for a couple of minutes and transferred that all into the soup pot. 

Adding a bit more olive oil to the skillet, I browned the chicken and added some good dollops of the stock, so the meat doesn't get too dry. Once the chicken was done, I transferred that into the pot and added the spinach, beans, and tomatoes with chilies. Simmer for 10-20 minutes and serve. Salt and pepper to taste.

Misstep
I made the soup but forget to use my bag of spinach, so the next time I make this I'll add in either spinach or kale.