Archives for “slow cooker”
Black-Eyed Pea Soup (with Ham and Chicken)
This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, What can I eat that’s gluten free?, Crockpot Wednesdays, Pennywise Platter, Simply Hot Recipes, and Friday Foodie Fix–Carrots.
One of my favorite people and, also, one of my favorite gluten-free bloggers is Stephanie of A Year of Slow Cooking. For a year, she literally cranked out crockpot recipes day after day—without fail. Now she stays busy with so many other things including two other blogs (that makes three in total), a new baby (that makes three children), a hubby, and so much more. However, she still gives us, her loyal readers, enough recipes on her slow cooking blog to keep us happy. All of her recipes are gluten free, but I love that so many of them are naturally gluten free. That’s a large part of the gfe approach. For one thing, it just makes life easier not to have to remember to order a case of gluten-free X or to have to run out to get gluten-free Y, particularly since there are no gluten-free specialty items in my grocery store. So, in my opinion, cooking with real food just makes sense for convenience. That may seem contradictory to many, but it’s true. But let’s get to my latest favorite recipe of Stephanie’s.
Stephanie posted a Black-Eyed Pea Soup recipe for New Year’s Day. I have loved black-eyed peas long before they were the name of a hip musical group. Give me some black-eyed peas and I’ve got a wonderful meal. So, this recipe has been in the back of my mind. With a support group meeting coming up, I wanted a dish that would serve many, but I wanted to use mostly what I had on hand. Stephanie’s recipe calls for spiced sausage, but I didn’t have any. My mom and my sister always save the ham bones from holiday meals for me so I can use them to make soup from scratch. Sometime that’s potato soup, but more often than not, it’s a soup that combines veggies and other meat, like chicken or turkey (or sometimes small amounts of several meats, like in my Everything Soup). My sister had given me a nice big ham bone, with a decent amount of meat left on it. The freezer yield two chicken carcasses. I also had a big bag of carrots and package of celery in the refrigerator just waiting for some action.
I added a few inches of water to my big stockpot and brought it to a boil and then added my frozen chicken carcasses. I let them simmer for a while as I did other things in the kitchen. Occasionally, I’d stir them, and finally I turned the burner off and left the lid on a while. Once I was sure the meat was ready to be picked off the bone, I put a colander inside another stockpot and poured the whole pot through the colander. My lovely broth was in the pot and the chicken—bones and all—remained in the colander. Once that cooled a few minutes, I picked the chicken off the bone and set it aside. This is really a great way to get the most from a chicken and not have waste. Even if I buy a rotisserie chicken at the store, I know we will eat a few meals from the chicken before I freeze it and it eventually gets turned into great broth and other meals. So even at a price of $6.99 for a rotisserie chicken, I can end up with several meals and at least a quart of chicken broth. That sounds like a bargain when you look at it that way. So imagine what a savings, roasting your own chicken could be. I often make broth from my chicken carcasses; then I use the “found” chicken for soup or other favorites like chicken pot pie and chicken and rice casserole. However, feel free to use safe packaged chicken broth and chicken from cooked chicken breasts, etc. for this recipe.
Black-Eyed Pea, Ham, and Chicken Soup
(Click here for a printable version of this recipe.)
1 pound dried black-eyed peas (I don’t recommend using canned as a substitution, but fresh or frozen would work well)
1 ham bone (ideally, with some meat remaining on it)
2 cups, cut-up chicken
2 diced onions
2 cups diced or sliced carrots (I prefer slices, but I halve the larger slices)
1 cup diced celery
6 cloves garlic (I used 3 tbsp minced garlic)
6 – 8 cups of chicken broth (I used my homemade broth and just kept adding until my crockpot was almost full)
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp coarse sea salt (any salt will work though)
Soak your beans overnight. Drain and pick out the undesirables (e.g., discolored beans) in the morning.
Use a 5- to 6- quart crockpot. (I used my 6-quart oval programmable crockpot.) This recipe will serve a lot. It served at least a dozen folks at my support group meeting. (We had about 25 folks, but not all ate soup. Those who did enjoyed at least one full mug.)
Dice the veggies, and add them to the crockpot with the black-eyed peas that have been soaked and drained.
Pour in broth, and stir in Italian seasoning and salt.
Add ham bone. You can also add the chicken at this point, or save it until closer to the end of cooking time. As your chicken is already cooked, it’s your preference on when you want to add it. I did add mine at the beginning and the soup was great, but adding it at the end would have also worked and kept the chicken in nice little chunks.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for about 6. About a half hour to an hour before serving, use an immersible blender to smash up about 1 cup of beans. If you don’t have an immersible blender, scoop out 1 cup of beans, blend them in a traditional blender, and add back to the soup. You will really only need to blend for a few seconds. Stir after blending. The soup will thicken and have the most wonderful color.
Adapted from Stephanie O’Dea at A Year of Slow Cooking
Shirley’s Notes: If you don’t want to use ham, but would like the flavor, Better than Bouillon makes a ham base that could be used. Probably a teaspoon or two would add some nice flavor. If you’d like fewer servings or would like to use a smaller crockpot, don’t just halve this recipe. You’ll want the same amount of black-eyed peas, 2 cups of meat, 4 cups of broth, and about the same amount of seasonings. Be sure to take a look at Stephanie’s recipe, too, which serves 8. Stephanie suggests adding Tabasco sauce to taste after you’ve ladled your soup into your bowl. We enjoyed it without, but if you like to add a little zip to your soup, that might be an option for you. Any time, we want a little taste of hot at our house, we tend to add some Texas Pete hot sauce. Many of the peppers used in Texas Pete are grown locally.
I have two cooking confessions. Confession #1—This is the very first time I’ve ever soaked black-eyed peas. I’ve always used canned black-eyed peas before, although one has to be careful to find good ones. (Some canned black-eyed peas are very mushy and come in a thick unappetizing broth. Other brands contain just black-eyed peas in salted water and taste pretty good.) These dried black-eyed peas are far better than any of the canned varieties and almost seem dainty in comparison, even after soaking. As Alta added in comments, fresh black-eyed peas are the very best when you can get those. She said that frozen black-eyed peas come in a close second. As both Alta and Stephanie said, black-eyed peas offer a wonderful, earthy flavor. I’ll definitely be using more dried black-eyed peas. I’ve never even seen frozen black-eyed peas before, but I’ll look for those, too. One benefit of using dried black-eyed peas is that like other dried beans, they are very inexpensive.
Confession #2—I’ve never used an immersion or “stick” blender before. I’ve had one stashed in a cabinet for years. Son had received one as a gift for dorm life for making milkshakes and such. That involved what he considered to be work, so he left it behind for me to use instead. When Steph’s recipe called for this type of blender, I pulled it out and was delighted at how well it worked. I’ll be using that blender a lot more for soups, sauces, etc.
Several readers commented on Stephanie’s post that they didn’t even like black-eyed peas, but loved this soup. So, if you’re not a black-eyed pea lover, you still might want to give this soup a try. Several of my members commented on how much they enjoyed this soup the other night. I heard the words “comforting” and “homey.” On a cold evening with alternating rain drops and snow flakes, this soup was indeed very welcome. Even those who didn’t comment must have enjoyed it, because there was little left from the full slow cooker. I served this soup with mini-corn muffins and that made for a great combination.
Because soup always thickens in the refrigerator overnight, I added some leftover chicken broth to make my mug of soup for lunch yesterday. For dinner with these leftovers though, I’ll just reheat the thickened soup and serve it over some mashed potatoes. The thickened soup would also be great over rice over or noodles. If you’re looking for some other great soup recipes, be sure to head over to Linda’s What can I eat that’s gluten free? roundup where soup is the theme this week. I already took a peek and there are some terrific, new recipes … like Diane’s West African Chicken and Peanut Stew and Jenn’s Osso Buco Stew. I love it when there are so many recipes that make your mouth water, that you’re not sure which one to try next. Linda had a great idea with her soup challenge!
What else is happening?
Chaya is hosting her first giveaway over at her Sweet and Savory blog … a Paula Deen cooking ensemble. Check it out here.
Diane’s Friday Foodie Fix tomorrow features rice recipes. If there’s something most of us who are gluten free know about, it’s rice! Be sure to link up your favorite rice recipe and check out others here. Diane is also doing a survey and soliciting input right now on eating out gluten free.
This Sunday is the Academy Awards show where those golden Oscars get presented. If you hadn’t had time before, take a few minutes to check out our Gluten-Free Progressive Oscar Dinner Party. You can see all the links at my two posts for this event: Veronica’s Pumpkin Soup or Southern Fried Oysters.
Ginger hosted The Gluten-Free Lifestyle Blog Carnival this month. See all the entries at her site, Ging Recommends. Created by Kim, The Food Allergy Coach, this carnival features recipes, tips, reviews, and so much more. Take the time to read what’s been submitted here and consider adding your own links next month.
I enjoyed seeing the tropical vacation meals in this month’s Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten Free! carnival over at Bean’s Without Adornment. Anything associated with the tropics is very appealing to me right now. There are some fabulous meals and even a few drinks that are so worthy of those cute, colorful little umbrellas. Get tropical here.
Next month’s Go Ahead Honey is being hosted by Amy over at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free. Her theme is Guiltless Pleasures. Being the Slightly Indulgent queen on Tuesdays, she’s now going to take us to the next level! (Check out this week’s Slightly Indulgent entries here.) Fellow bloggers, start planning your post now. (You can read the rules here.) Readers look for Amy’s roundup at the end of the month. I have enough guilty pleasures already, so some guiltless ones will be very nice!
Shirley
Not just gf, but gfe!
- Catch up with me on Twitter.
- “Like” gfe—glutenfreeeasily on Facebook to see updates/more content.
- Get gfe posts (including recipes) by email.
- Looking for a gfe recipe?
- Local to Fredericksburg, VA area? Check out Support Group & Events page.
The Gluten-Free Lifestyle Blog Carnival
First, I’ve made my gfe readers wait too long for the announcement on the winner of Stephanie O’Dea’s Make It Fast, Cook It Slow cookbook giveaway. You’ll want to head over to my Out and About page momentarily to see who was selected by random.org (the True Random Number Generator)!
Now, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the February 1, 2010 edition of The Gluten-Free Lifestyle Blog Carnival! This monthly event is the creation of Kim Hopkins, The Food Allergy Coach. The focus is “tips, recipes, health information, and support for people adjusting to life with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or gluten sensitivity.”
Product Reviews
Ginger Carter Miller presents An App-propriate iPhone App posted at Ging Recommends!.
Shaunta Alburger presents Review: Gluten-Free Baking Classics by Annalise G. Roberts posted at Live Once Juicy.
Tips
Linda presents Managing Gluten in Your Kitchen posted at The Gluten-Free Homemaker.
Recipes
Amy Green @ Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free presents Protein Packed, Gluten Free Breakfast Pancakes posted at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free, saying, “A delicious and simple way to start your morning!”
Tamara Duker presents Sweet Potato Pie posted at What I’m Eating Now, saying, “If you’re growing tired of the winter root vegetables, here’s a delicious Sweet Potato Pie recipe to liven things up. Make it without crust to keep it on the lighter side, or try my clever gluten-free, Puffin-crumb crust for an added bit of indulgence…”
Kate Chan presents A slightly more decadent Calas: Cocoa Calas posted at Gluten Free Gobsmacked, saying, “Such a great recipe to make something sweet and tasty with leftover rice! Easily adaptable too!”
I, Shirley Braden, present Flourless Oatmeal Cookies posted here at gfe–gluten free easily, saying, “A recipe with research and tips!”
Debbie Pierce presents Wild Chickweed Foraging and Yummy Raw Dip posted at Rose Goddess Blog.
Debbie Pierce presents Raw Blueberry Chia Pudding Recipe posted at Rose Goddess Blog.
Debbie Pierce presents Raw Superfood Crunch Recipe posted at Rose Goddess Blog.
TaraG presents gluten free Thai chicken soup recipe posted at Go Green Street.
Kathy Hester (GeekyPoet) presents Slow Cooker Vitamin A Blast Black Bean Chili posted at Healthy Slow Cooking, saying, “I will be adding more gluten free recipes to my site.”
Iris presents Tofu And Pinto Bean Soup posted at The Daily Dietribe.
Cheryl Bannon presents Oatmeal Banana Nut Cookies posted at my realistic life.
Renee presents Gluten Free Gifts?!? posted at Who I’m Meant To Be, saying, “Ideas for those who don’t have the gluten allergy to make food gifts for those who do have the allergy with out having to buy special ingredients.”
Support & Advice
Ginger Carter Miller presents Please don’t jump on the gluten-free bandwagon til you know what it means to be gluten free! posted at Gluten Free in Georgia (and Florida).
Kim, The Food Allergy Coach presents Fructose Malabsorption posted at The Food Allergy Coach, saying, “Fructose malabsorption is fairly common in folks with celiac disease.”
Erin Elberson presents Beyond the Gluten Free Label-epiphanies and dog walking | Gluten Free Fitness Nutrition and Wellness with a celiac spin posted at Gluten Free Fitness.
I know everyone will find something helpful in this diverse roundup. Thanks to all who participated! Join in by submitting your blog article to the next edition of the gluten free lifestyle blog carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.
Shirley
Not just gf, but gfe!
- Catch up with me on Twitter.
- “Like” gfe—glutenfreeeasily on Facebook to see updates/more content.
- Get gfe posts (including recipes) by email.
- Looking for a gfe recipe?
- Local to Fredericksburg, VA area? Check out Support Group & Events page.
Make It Fast, Cook It Slow Cookbook Winner
The winner of the giveaway of Stephanie O’Dea’s fabulous book, Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking is Sarah H. Sarah was selected by using the random number generator at random.org. Her comment was: “I LOVE her blog…hope I win the cookbook! Thanks for the giveaway.” Congratulations, Sarah!
Thanks so much to everyone who participated in the giveaway. Stephanie’s cookbook is still available via Amazon (and other sites). And, of course, you will find terrific slow cooker recipes—new and old—over at her blog, A Year of Slow Cooking. Some recent popular recipes have been Chicken Enchilada Chili (Steph says leftovers make great nachos—yum!) and Sweet Mustard Roast (Beef or Pork). As the mom of a new baby, Stephanie recently shared how she prepared for the hectic first days at home by making shredded chicken using her slow cooker. Shredded chicken can be used in so many recipes, so having it in the freezer can be a godsend. Check out Stephanie’s slow cooking site and her other blog, Totally Together Journal, for recipes and guidance, respectively, to make your life a little easier!
Look for another cookbook giveaway on my Out and About page this week. Don’t worry … I’ll give you a heads up on my main page. Plus, if you subscribe to my feed (via email or RSS), you’ll get that post automatically (and any others from my Out and About page).
Have a good week all! Happy February!
Shirley
Not just gf, but gfe!
- Catch up with me on Twitter.
- “Like” gfe—glutenfreeeasily on Facebook to see updates/more content.
- Get gfe posts (including recipes) by email.
- Looking for a gfe recipe?
- Local to Fredericksburg, VA area? Check out Support Group & Events page.
About Me
Gluten free since June 2003, I lead a celiac/gluten intolerance group in Virginia. My passion is educating folks on gluten issues and showing how eating gluten free can be easy if you focus on “real” foods versus processed and specialty foods.
GFE's Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, but rather a volunteer sharing my experiences. Consult your physician for medical guidance. To the best of my knowledge, all ingredients/products that I use are gluten-free (even if I do not indicate that each and every time I mention them; e.g., if I refer to "soy sauce," it's a gluten-free soy sauce). However, I take no responsibility for the accuracy of that information. Always read labels and verify the gluten-free status of any ingredients/products to your own comfort level.
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