It’s National Homemade Soup Day!

Soup has been eaten by us humans for more than 20,000 years! It can by creamy and thick like a chowder, or a simple broth, like good ol’ chicken noodle ^[1].

Each part of the world infuses their b0wls with the spices representative of each culture. And each family adds their own ingredients – from vegetables and meat to tofu and herbs. Even cold soup ^[2]s for a hot summer day!

And soup is so easy to make. With just a few, simple ingredients, you can have homemade soup every day. This time of year we have a lot of soup.

I’ve always loved bean and bacon soup, but often there is so little bacon you wonder why it’s even in the name! Well this one has lots of bacon and ham hocks – full of flavor and satisfaction. Give it a try – homemade – let me know if you think it’s the best too!

Making the Soup

Place the dried navy beans, garlic, dried onions, water and 32 oz of beef stock into a medium soup pot ^[3].

Add the ham hocks and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about and hour to an hour.

While it’s simmering, cook half the bacon. Cut it into chunks

and cook on low until the fat starts to render and the meat begins to brown.

Using a slotted spoon, scoop it out of the frying pan and put it into the soup pot.

Continue simmering, covered, for about 2 hours. At this point, remove the ham hocks and let them cool.

After they are cool, remove the meat and put it all back in the pot.

I also put the skins back in for the added flavor.

Add the canned navy beans and cover. Simmer for about 4 hours on low. The canned beans break down faster than the dried beans and help to thicken the broth a little.

Next add the carrots. Stir and simmer on low for another hour and a half. Make sure the carrots are soft before serving.

Cook the remaining bacon until it’s super crisp.

Serve the soup garnished with the crispy bacon and some chopped chives.

Warm bread or biscuits on the side are the final touch. This soup will warm your belly and your soul!!

© Copyright 2023 The Lazy Gastronome

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We grilled some ribs ^[8] and needed a side dish. As I went through my pantry I found some canned goods and thought, bean salad! And it was so easy. I bet you have everything you need in your pantry.

Here’s How to Make the Bean Salad:

Open the beans and drain them. I used green beans and garbanzos, but you can use any kind of bean you like. Put them together in a large bowl.

Drain the artichoke hearts and cut each quarter into three smaller pieces, then add them to the bowl with the beans.

Add all the remaining ingredients and mix it well. Use salt and pepper to your taste.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to eat. The longer it sits the better it tastes! And that’s all you do.

© Copyright 2020 The Lazy Gastronome

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With these days of staying home, it’s wonderful to have the aroma of food cooking in the kitchen. I went through the freezer and pantry and found everything I needed for some tasty burritos!

Here’s How to Do it:  

Start by mixing up the spices and liquid smoke. Put them all in a bowl and blend them carefully with a wire whisk.

Next, rub the entire roast, top, bottom and sides, with the mixture.

Spray the crock pot with a little bit of oil

(I use a spray pump from Pampered Chef ^[13] that I fill with olive oil).

Put the roast, fat side down and cover. Cook on high for two hours.

Turn the temperature down to low, turn the meat, and cook for another 6 to 7 hours, turning about every two or three hours.

It needs to be so tender you can shred it with a fork.  Note: You do not add liquid to this. The meat will create it’s own.

Prepare the condiments you like on burritos – Cilantro, avocado, cheese, sour cream (to name a few).

Open a can of beans and mix in a little cumin and cheese.

Heat in the oven, covered, for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Warm some flour tortillas

and build your burrito. That’s it! Almost as good as carne asada ^[14]!

© Copyright 2020 The Lazy Gastronome

Here are some things that are perfect to use for this recipe!

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In case you haven’t been following, I’ve been posting foods from one of the U.S. states at the end of each week. We’ve been up and down the East Coast and now we’re moving into the central states. This week we’re tasting Louisiana.

What foods are unique to this state? Quite a few actually. There is a fusion of cultures here. You have the Creole Étouffée (usually with the local crawfish). Jambalaya ^[19] and Gumbo ^[20] have their roots here. And then there’s the spicy Cajun food, like red beans and rice.

Throughout Louisiana, red beans are referred to as the “Monday night meal”. During the 19th century, Monday was laundry day. And back then, there were no electric appliances to make the job quick and easy. It was all done by hand. And it took all day. So while the women were working, the beans were simmering in the pot. By the end of the day, they were ready to serve up with some hot rice. And the tradition still exists, even though Monday is no longer set aside for laundry.

This recipe is great for a modern Monday. The beans are canned so there’s no all day simmering. The whole meal takes about an hour from start to finish to prepare. And it’s a delicious bowl of food! And you don’t need to be in Louisiana to enjoy it!

Here’s How to Do it:

Cut the sausages at an angle and fry them up in a heavy kettle with just a bit of oil. Make sure they are nice and golden brown on the edges.

While the sausages are cooking, cut up the celery, bell pepper and onion. These three vegetables are referred to as “the trinity” in Cajun and Creole cooking and are part of many dishes!

Add the vegetables to the pot and sauté until they are starting to soften. And just in case you aren’t sure what sautéing is, it is a method of cooking foods, especially vegetables, quickly in a little fat over a high heat.

Next add the water, bouillon and spices to the pot. Bring it to a boil.

Some of the beans will need to be smashed to give the dish a little creaminess. Remove about 1/4 of the beans from the can and smash them with a fork. Add the whole and smashed beans to the pot.

Simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes to thicken it all up.

While it’s simmering, cook the rice.

I’ve seen this dish served with the rice on top, the rice on the bottom and the rice off to the side. I guarantee you’ll be mixing it all up anyway, so you choose your serving method. Garnish with some green onions and serve with a bottle of hot sauce on the side.

One bowl is never enough.

© Copyright 2019 The Lazy Gastronome

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It’s slow cooker season! I cleaned out the freezer and pantry and put together this amazingly good soup! Just dump in the ingredients and go. Some light prep when you get home and it’s dinner!

Here’s How to Do it:

Note: I like to use the small tortillas –  

 

 

First, cut the beef into 1 to 2 inch chunks. Toss with a bit of the seasoning and put it in the crock pot.

Top that off with 3 tortillas cut into chunks,

the spices, garlic, onion, broth, beans, tomatoes and corn and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours – or even 12 hours!

Prep the toppings –

Just before serving, heat some oil in a small deep fryer or a deep sauce pan. I like to use peanut oil. It has a pretty high smoke point and a great flavor.

Cut the jalapeño into slices and deep fry them until they start to brown. Remove from the oil and drain.

Next, cut the remaining tortillas into strips and fry them until they are golden. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.

Serve the soup topped with add some sour cream, Avocado and chopped cilantro. Then some fried tortillas and jalapeño. You’ll go back for seconds, guaranteed!

© Copyright 2018 The Lazy Gastronome

Here are some things that are perfect to use for this recipe!

Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links through Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!