Kale and Kielbasa Soup Recipe

Image: Chrlstle 

Quick and easy to make, this tasty kale and kielbasa soup will give your taste buds something to talk about! This soup is full of flavor and tickles the senses while simmering on the stove.






Serving Size: 6 - 10          

Ingredients 

1 lb. Kielbasa cut into slices

2 Medium Yellow Onions, chopped

2 Carrots, sliced

5 Cups Kale, ribs removed and ripped into bite-sized pieces

2 Cans (28 oz.) Cannelloni Beans, drained

2 teaspoons Minced Garlic

7 Cups Chicken Stock

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

¼ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

1 Bay Leaf

Directions 

1. In medium pot, sauté kielbasa till slightly browned (about 5 minutes), remove & set aside

2. Add olive oil and sauté onions & carrots for 5 minutes. Add garlic & sauté 1 minute. Turn heat to low & add kale. Cover and let steam until wilted (about 4 minutes). Add Salt & pepper, stir.

3. Add broth, beans, kielbasa, & bay leaf

4. Turn heat to high & bring to a boil. Cover & let simmer on low about 20 minutes stirring occasionally 

Easy Green Beans w/Bacon Recipe



Image: Gnawme/Flickr

Looking for a tasty side dish to make? Then try this easy green beans with bacon recipe. Using 6 ingredients, this recipe is quick and simple to make.

Green Beans with Bacon Recipe

Ingredients

1 Pound Green Beans Frozen or Fresh
6 Slices Crispy Bacon, Crumbled
3 Tablespoons Water
2 Tablespoons Butter
½ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Chicken Bouillon Granules

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients except bacon
2. Cook green beans until tender
3. Sprinkle with bacon

Additional Recipes

Zucchini Pickle Recipe
How to Cook Acorns
Hungarian Green Bean Soup
Ground Beef and Vegetable Soup
Vegetable Terriyaki Wraps
Garden Vegetable Fried Rice
Baked Apples Recipe
Pumpkin Pecan Butter Recipe
How to Fry Pumpkin Seeds
Popcorn Ball Recipe
Make Your Own Pumpkin Pie Filling Recipe

How to Cook Acorns

Image: Dakota/Wikimedia Commons

Recently I stumbled upon a recipe on how to cook acorns while perusing the internet. This past weekend I decided to give cooking these abundant and free nuts a try. They actually came out pretty good so I thought I’d pass along the recipe to you.

Ingredients

Acorns

Salt

Tap Water

Supplies

Bucket for Gathering Acorns

2 Stock Pots

Colander

1 Cookie Sheet

Instructions for Cooking Acorns

1. Rinse the acorns so they are clean

2. Fill the sink with cold tap water and let acorns soak for 1 hour

3. Pick and discard any acorns that float in tap water - floaters may contain worms

4. Shell acorns (I used lobster crackers and a pick)

5. Fill 2 stock pots with tap water, about 3/4 of the way

6. Bring 1 pot to a boil, dump in acorns, and bring second pot to boil

7. Let acorns boil until water turns brown, strain and transfer to second pot of boiling water. In the beginning, it takes about 15 - 20 minutes for the boiling acorns to turn the water brown. Acorns contain tannins making the nuts bitter which is why they need to be boiled. Repeat the boiling, straining and transferring process until the tap water remains clear. When you think all the tannins have been boiled from the acorns, let one cool and taste it. If it’s still bitter, continue the boiling process. (This took me a couple of hour to do)

8. Pat dry and bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Let cool, salt to taste

I thought this was a fun recipe to try. Remember, boiling the acorns before cooking them is absolutely necessary to remove their bitterness. I tried a raw one, and let me tell you, it tasted like chewing a couple of aspirin. After they’re toasted, they make a pretty tasty snack. Try adding them to cookies, muffins or salads for an extra special treat.

Have any ideas for adding flavor to cooked acorns besides using salt? Let me know below, I just may try your idea and report back here on how tasty (or not) it was.

Additional Recipes

Zucchini Pickles

Zucchini Pickle Recipe

Image: Simon Speed via Wikimedia Commons

Do you find yourself swimming in a sea of zucchini? I know I did the first year I grew it. I had so much zucchini I didn’t know what to do with it until I stumbled upon a recipe for zucchini pickles. While I don’t usually care for zucchini, the only time I’ve liked it was in my grandmother’s zucchini bread, I can say I do like these zucchini pickles. They are crunchy and great eaten alone or in a sandwich.

Zucchini Pickle Quick Facts

Prep Time: 25 Minutes

Marinating Time: 4 Hours

Makes: 1 Quart Zucchini Pickles

Ingredients for Zucchini Pickles

• 1 Pound Zucchini (about 2 medium-sized)
• 1 Medium Onion
• 3 Cups Water
• 2 Tablespoons Salt (pickling or kosher)
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Mustard Seeds
• ½ Teaspoon Celery Salt
• ½ Teaspoon Turmeric
• 1 ½ Cups Cider Vinegar

Supplies for Zucchini Pickle Recipe

• Paper Towels
• Cutting Board
• Utility Knife
• Mixing Bowl
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Wooden Spoons
• Strainer
• Saucepan
• Pot Holders
• 1 – Quart Jar w/ Sealable Lid

Steps for Making Zucchini Pickles

1. Rinse zucchini and slice thinly discarding the ends. Place slices in mixing bowl.
2. Halve the onion and then cut into thin slices. Place slices in mixing bowl.
3. Add water and salt to mixing bowl and stir. Let sit for 2 hours.
4. Strain zucchini and onion mixture. Return to mixing bowl.
5. Place sugar, mustard seeds, turmeric, celery salt & vinegar in sauce pan. Stir to mix. Bring to a boil over medium heat. When mix comes to a boil, pour over zucchini and onions. Let stand for 2 hours.
6. Pour content of mixing bowl into sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Ladle zucchini pickles into quart jar. Pour hot pickling liquid into jar leaving ¼” of headspace.
7. Remove air bubbles and seal jar with lid. Refrigerate after opening.

Recipe Credit: Coyle, Rena. My First Cookbook. New York: Workman Pub., 1985. Print.

I always give credit where credit is due. This recipe is not my own, you probably deciphered that after seeing the credit. My mother has had My First Cookbook since I was a kid. I remember leafing through it to see what I could make on snow days. I loved it as a kid; it’s full of great recipes and it’s one I’d recommend for your kids. Happy cooking!