Reinvented Leftovers: Bean Soup --> Beef, Bacon and Bean Stoup

Start this dish right after lunch time, just like you would a slow-cooker dish, and while it may take a long time to cook, it is incredibly simple and easy. It is most definitely not vegan or vegetarian, but it is high in protein, delicious, and the perfect comfort food when you need it.

You Will Need:

• Beef stew meat
• Uncooked bacon, cut into tiny slices
• Sausage meat
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 can stewed tomatoes, juice and all
• 3 cups leftover bean puree soup

In the bottom of your large pot, cook bacon and onions. Leave the grease or you lose the flavor. Add sausage, and cook until browned. Now add your beef stew meat, and cook until it is almost completely cooked through. Next add your stewed tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Add your leftover bean puree soup. Bring to a low boil and simmer, stirring occasionally. Then, cover, place in oven on warm, and let cook for about 4 hours. Pull out and enjoy while still warm.

Salt as needed, of course. :)

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

My family doesn't eat much meat. It's not on purpose, we're just really not all that into it. But we do eat a decent amount of bacon, and then there's chicken. Chicken is one of my favorite foods - whether it's in an Italian, Chinese, Mexican or American dish. Chicken is just plain awesome. And it shows its flavor the best in one of the most classic recipes on Earth - chicken noodle soup. Chicken noodle soup is the soup that soothes the soul, warms the body, and brings a family together. It's an unforgettable smell and flavor, and it heats up the whole house while it's cooking. And let me just say the canned stuff doesn't do this - the home cooked kind - justice.


For the best soup, use high quality ingredients with superb flavor. The broth is going to be the most important part, so don't skimp on it. If you can, make your own. If you can't, buy the best you can. But even if you only have access to the bare minimum, a little broth, chicken, noodles and salt still makes a superb soup. So give it a try.

I can promise you this is going to be delicious. :)

Serves 8

You Will Need:

• 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken, cubed
• 4 cups broth (use chicken for best flavor, but beef, turkey, vegetarian and pork also work)
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, sliced (optional - I don't like celery so I don't add this)
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced or minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 oz pasta
• 1-2 handfuls dark greens (kale, spinach, chard, etc.)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

In the bottom of your soup pot add olive oil. Over medium heat, saute onion and chicken until cooked and lightly browned. Add broth, carrot, onion, celery, garlic, bay leaves and dried thyme. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Uncover and return to medium heat. Add in pasta and dark greens. Bring to a low boil, stirring occasionally. Cook until pasta is fully cooked (about 15 minutes). Add salt and pepper as needed.

Serve and enjoy. :) This is a great dish to cook on cold nights, because it fills the house with warmth and yummy smells. For a complete meal, serve with these teff dinner rolls.