Navy Bean and Ham Soup

So, I'm not sure recipes can get easier or have fewer ingredients than this one. Like, for real. There's no spices. There's no added salt or pepper (I know, WHAT?!?) I was skeptical, but this is a deliciously smoky, creamy (thanks to the beans) and slightly sweet (thanks to the glaze on the ham) soup that is even tastier with some bread dunked in it. Try it. It does take some time - completely hands-off time, but plan accordingly. You'll need about 4-5 hours from start to finish.

From Home Made Interest, with a few tweaks by me

Ingredients:

*Ham Hock with some meat attached (we used the hock previously in split pea soup, but still had meat left over, so that's what we used - from a Smithfield ham in the "pretty blue package" - my favorite kind. We also added the leftover glaze that was in the container with the ham)
*16 oz. dried navy beans (or any white bean)
*8 cups chicken stock (the original recipe called for water - Evan will tell you I always use chicken stock instead when a soup or sauce calls for water)

1. Wash and rinse beans.

2. Quick-soak the beans in a dutch oven or soup pot with enough water to cover them with an inch of liquid. Bring to a boil for a few minutes and then turn off the heat. Let them soak for an hour. Then drain and return to the pot.

3. Add hock, ham pieces, and chicken stock to the pot. You want the hock to be completely covered with liquid, so you may need to add slightly more stock (the 8 cups was fine for us since we did not have the hock).

4. Bring to a boil and let cook for 5 minutes before turning the heat to low. Cover with a lid. Cook for at least 3 hours (ours took about 3 and a half), or until beans are soft.

Glazed Buttermilk Donut Cake

Old fashioned sour cream doughnuts are my favorite kind. This cake is very reminiscent of those - not too sweet, slightly dense, and topped with a light and slightly crunchy glaze. We ate it for dessert, but it could easily also be served for brunch as a coffee cake option.

From Southern Living

Ingredients:

*nonstick cooking spray (preferably a baking one with flour added)
* 1 and 1/2 cups granulated (regular) sugar
*1 cup (8oz.) unsalted butter, softened
*4 large eggs, brought to room temperature
*2 tsp. vanilla extract
*3 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
*2 tsp. baking powder
*1 tsp. kosher salt
*3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg (I recommend freshly grated! It makes a huge flavor difference)
*1/2 tsp. baking soda
*1 cup whole buttermilk (make your own with just under a cup of milk and 1 tbs. lemon juice)
*2 cups (about 8oz.) powdered sugar
*1/4 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 12-15 cup capacity Bundt pan with the baking spray.

2. Beat granulated sugar and butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes), stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add eggs one at a time (I recommend cracking them into a separate small bowl before adding so you don't get shells in your batter!), mixing to just combine after each egg. Add vanilla and beat until just combined.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and baking soda. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the flour mixture to the batter, alternating with the buttermilk - starting and finishing with the flour mixture. Beat until just combined after each addition.

4. Spoon the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and gently tap on the counter 3 to 5 times to release any air bubbles.

5. Bake in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack for about 15 minutes.

6. Invert the cake onto a cutting board or platter and then gently flip the cake back over so the rough doughnut-looking side is facing up (this step may or may not have been missed in our house). Let cool completely, about an hour.

7. Whisk together powdered sugar and water in a medium bowl until smooth. Brush or drizzle over cooked cake. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Salsa Verde & Brown Rice Chicken Tortilla Soup

If you know me well, you know soup's my favorite. This one is appropriately spicy, and slightly thicker than your traditional tortilla soup - which I really appreciated. And even though it sounds weird, PLEASE do yourself a favor and top it with fresh mango. You won't be sorry.

From Half Baked Harvest

~1 medium onion, diced
~2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
~1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
~1 tsp. kosher salt
~freshly ground pepper
~3 cups red enchilada sauce
~3 cups salsa verde
~3/4 cup uncooked brown rice (you could also use white)
~3 cups chicken stock
~juice of one lime
~1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for serving

~toppings could include crushed tortilla chips, mango, avocado, cheddar cheese, and crema

You could easily make this in the slow cooker - put all ingredients in the slow cooker except for the lime juice and cilantro. Cook on low for 6-7 hours on low. Stir in lime juice and cilantro before serving. Divide into bowls and add toppings.

For the stovetop:
1. In a large pot or dutch oven, combine onion, garlic, chicken, salt, and a grind or two of pepper. Pour in the enchilada sauce, salsa verde, and chicken stock. Stir in the rice.
2. Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover.
3. Simmer, stirring occasionally until rice is cooked through and chicken shreds easily - about 45 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
4. Transfer chicken to a cutting board. Allow it to cool slightly and shred using two forks or kitchen scissors. Return to the pot and stir in lime juice and cilantro. Taste and season with salt if needed.
5. Divide into bowls and add toppings.