Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

I adapted this recipe from one I found in a Thanksgiving Cookbook some years ago.  The original recipe called for Pumpkin Pie spices.  With Black Beans being a key ingredient, I went SouthWest instead.  Top this with Sour Cream, Avocado Slices and Shredded Cheese, and you have a very hearty soup for dinner!

This thick, rich soup is delicious on a chilly fall day or a perfect accompaniment to your holiday turkey – especially if you or someone you love is a vegetarian.

3 cans (43.5 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 can (16 ounces) pumpkin puree
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 Tbs olive oil
4 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
3 Tbs ground cumin
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
3 Tbs balsamic vinegar
Baked pumpkin seeds, for garnish (optional)

1. Place oil, shallot or red onion, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, cinnamon and allspice into a large pot and cook on low-medium heat until the shallot or red onion and garlic begin to brown.

2. Using a food processor, puree the beans and tomatoes with half of the vegetable broth. Add the pureed beans, tomatoes, pumpkin and the rest of the broth to the pot.

3. Simmer the mixture uncovered until thick, about 40-45 minutes. Before serving, stir in the balsamic vinegar. Garnish with baked pumpkin seeds.  Personally, I throw in a little Sour Cream, maybe shredded cheese and a big hunk of bread on the side!

Servings: 6

Tip: You can add less vegetable broth to create a thicker soup and substitute 1/2 stick of margarine for oil, if preferred.

Tip: Use an emersion blender to simplify the process. You can puree the ingredients together inside the pot you’re using to cook the soup, instead of using the food processor.

Colcannon on Chicken and Apple Pie

We just tried this recipe in our house this past week, and it is wonderful.  Once again, I will give it to you as it is printed on the website, without my 'tweaks.'  The tweaked one will be in my cookbook.  

I wanted to cook something that seemed very 'British,' and this one seemed to add the best of the United Kingdom in it!

Colcannon and Chicken and Apple Pie

Colcannon is a simple, warming Irish potato dish, combining mashed potatoes with shredded cooked cabbage and chopped spring onions. Here it is used as a lovely pie topping for chicken cooked in cider with sliced apples and carrots. The pie is a well-balanced meal in itself, needing no accompaniments. 

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp sunflower oil

1 large onion, sliced

450 g (1 lb) skinless boneless chicken breasts (fillets), cut into chunks

3 carrots, thickly sliced

240 ml (8 fl oz) chicken stock

240 ml (8 fl oz) dry cider

1 tsp wholegrain mustard

1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tsp dried tarragon

2 Cox's apples, thickly sliced

1 tbsp cornflour

salt and pepper

Colcannon topping

700 g (1 lb 9 oz) floury potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

200 g (7 oz) Savoy cabbage, shredded

4 tbsp semi-skimmed milk

25 g (scant 1 oz) butter

4 spring onions, finely chopped

Preparation method

1.		Heat the oil in a large, deep, non-stick frying pan. Add the onion and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes or until softened.
2.		Add the chicken to the pan and cook over a moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until it is no longer pink. Stir in the carrots.
3.		Combine the stock, cider, mustard and tarragon, and pour into the pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and cook gently for 10 minutes. Stir in the apples and cook, covered, for a further 10 minutes or until the chicken and carrots are tender, and the apples have softened but are still holding their shape.
4.		Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in a saucepan of boiling water for about 15 minutes or until tender. Cook the cabbage in a separate pan of boiling water for 4–5 minutes or until just tender but not soft; drain well.
5.		Drain the potatoes and return them to the pan. Add the milk and butter, and mash until smooth. Stir in the cabbage and spring onions, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover to keep warm.
6.		Using a draining spoon, transfer the chicken, apples and vegetables to a 1.7 litre (3 pint) ovenproof dish. Set aside. Preheat the grill to high.
7.		Mix the cornflour with 1 tbsp cold water, stir into the cooking liquid in the frying pan and bring to the boil, stirring until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then pour over the chicken mixture.
8.		Pile the potato and cabbage topping over the chicken mixture, spreading it evenly to cover. Place under the grill and cook for 4–5 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/3103/colcannon-chicken-and-apple-pie.aspx