Rural Missouri - January 2018 - 26

| RECIPES

HOT

SOUP
Chicken & Black
Bean Soup

"Souper" ﬂavorful recipes to warm you from the inside out
by Heather Berry | hberry@ruralmissouri.coop

here's nothing quite so satisfying on a cold winter day than a pot of
delicious soup simmering on the stove. Soup is a perfect slow cooker
entree for today's working person who wants to savor a home-cooked
meal after a long day.
When making soup, anything goes, so don't be afraid to get creative. If you're
not sure how to start a soup you're craving, ﬁnd a recipe you already enjoy and
use it as a guide - then stir in some favorite veggies, cooked and diced meats,
or simply more herbs and spices. After a few tweaks, you're bound to come up
with a version that's a "souper" new favorite.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Olive oil
4 large baking potatoes
12 slices thick-cut smoked bacon, diced
1/2 cup ﬂour
6 cups 2-percent milk, heated
5 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces sour cream
Fresh chives, chopped (optional)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Wipe each potato with a little olive oil, then place
the potatoes on a tray and bake for 45 minutes. The tip of a knife should go
through the potatoes easily when they're done.
Place bacon in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and cook until
crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pot.
Add the ﬂour to the bacon drippings in the pot and stir to combine. Cook,
without allowing mixture to brown, until the ﬂour and fat has combined, about
1 minute. Add the milk while whisking to incorporate. Cook over medium heat
until bubbly and thickened, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes.
Scoop potato pulp from the skins and add to the milk mixture. Mash the
potatoes. The potatoes should be a little lumpy.
Add the cooked bacon, 1 ounce of the cheese and season soup well with salt
and pepper to taste. Stir until the cheese has melted, then remove from the
heat.
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with sour cream and sprinkle with grated
cheese and chives.

RURAL MISSOURI | JANUARY 2018

Chicken and Black Bean Soup
1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
Two 14-1/2-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups frozen corn
15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
10-ounce can diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
3 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Shredded Mexican cheese blend and tortilla chips for serving (optional)
Spray a large saucepan with cooking spray. Place chicken in pan and cook over
medium heat, stirring occasionally for 4 to 6 minutes or until no longer pink.
Set 3 tablespoons of the chicken broth aside, then add remaining broth to pan.
Stir in corn, black beans, tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro, chili powder and cumin.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.
Mix cornstarch and reserved chicken broth until smooth; gradually add into
soup. Bring to a boil again and stir constantly for several minutes until thickened. Serve with cheese and tortilla chips.

Loaded Baked
Potato Soup

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Rural Missouri - January 2018