RECIPE: SAUSAGE, WHITE BEAN AND ESCAROLE SOUP

I love soup. There’s hardly anything I like more than a warm bowl of something hearty when it is cold outside. This time of the year, a big pot of soup is the perfect way to feed a big crowd and this recipe for Sausage, White Bean and Escarole soup is not only fast, it is also very affordable. For game day or snow day parties, you can serve this with a salad and some toasty garlic bread and you’re all set. If you can't find Escarole in the veggie aisle, arugula, kale, or other leafy green can substitute.

Sausage, White Bean, and Escarole Soup is hearty, easy, and very affordable for a big crowd! Serve with some toasted bread and a salad and you've got dinner!

SAUSAGE, WHITE BEAN AND ESCAROLE SOUP

Serves 6-8

Prep Time: 10 minutes  Cook Time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds of spicy or mild Italian sausage, removed from casing

1 medium yellow onion, diced

5 carrots, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

5-6 whole canned tomatoes plus 1/2 cup of juice from Italian canned tomatoes

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

splash white wine (or any) vinegar

1 cup white wine (optional)

5-6 cups low sodium chicken broth 

1  tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 bay leaves

2 cans cannellini beans (white pinto beans, Great Northern beans)

2 cups escarole, chopped

Parmesan for garnish

Tabasco-optional

DIRECTIONS:

In a large Dutch oven, over medium high heat, brown the sausage, removed from the casing. Once the sausage is nice and brown, use a slotted spoon to remove it from the pan; drain on paper towels. Reserve. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan. Let the oil get hot and add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook 3 minutes or until softened. Let the vegetables get nice and soft, stirring occasionally, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic. Cook one minute more. Add the sausage back to the pot. Add salt, pepper, and thyme. Add the tomatoes by crushing them with your hands into little pieces. Add the juice from the tomatoes, vinegar, Worcestershire, and the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook and stir for about 1-2 minutes.

Add the chicken broth, beans and escarole. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and cook 10 minutes more. The soup is ready to serve when the escarole is wilted. Serve with toasty garlic bread and garnish with grated Parmesan.

RECIPE: MARTIE'S FIRE ROASTED CHIPOTLE CHILI

This deliciously smoky chili is simple to make for a huge crowd and your slow cooker does all of the work for you. Make this for your first tailgate party and your friends will want you to make it every game day!

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

MARTIE'S FIRE ROASTED CHIPOTLE CHILI

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 15 minutes   Cook Time: 4 up to 8 hours

INGREDIENTS

 2 pounds ground beef

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 bottle of your favorite beer

2-28 ounce cans fire-roasted tomatoes, crushed (or whir canned whole tomatoes in the food processor for a few seconds)

2-15 ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 small can sliced Jalapeno peppers, drained and diced very fine (be careful to wash your hands!)

2 cups fresh tomato salsa (find it at most stores or make your own recipe)

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chipotle powder (find it in the spice aisle; add a bit more if you like that smoky heat)

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon kosher salt 

DIRECTIONS:

Brown the ground beef and onion in a skillet (or use your slow cooker if you have one that browns) until the beef is quite brown and the onions are softened. Drain off the liquid. Return to the heat and pour the beer over the mixture to deglaze the pan. Pour that mixture into your crock-pot. Add the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on your lowest setting for 4 hours for the flavors to develop. Check the salt and seasonings before serving.

Serve with condiments: Sour cream, grated cheese, sliced jalapenos, green onion, hot sauce, or any of your favorite chili toppings.

Yield: 18-(6 ounce) servings or almost 1 gallon of chili

EASY PARTY THEME: HOST A CHILI COOKOFF!

Are you ready for some football? Get the whole gang together and host a chili cook-off!

Bring a “throwdown” to your tailgate or your kitchen as the competition heats up when guests battle for first place with their best chili recipes. You might even make it an annual event with a "traveling" award that goes from winner to winner each year.

One of the easiest parties to host for every occasion from game day to neighborhood get-togethers... a chili cook off can become an annual event with big bragging rights on the line!

THE HOW-TO: Send out invitations or call your guests to issue the “cook-off” challenge. 

Your guests should bring their best chili concoction in a crock pot or slow cooker. Iinclude printed copies of the recipe to share with other guests, if desired.  

When the guests turn in the chili, number or name it for voting and make up a ballot. Ask everyone to taste and vote for their favorite. Award prizes for first, second, and third place.

1. Decorations for can be as simple as football themed plates and napkins. Instead of flowers, get a simple flowering plant at the grocery. Set out bowls, serving spoons, lots of napkins, and have kitchen wipes on hand for drips and spills.
2. Have other munchies to have on hand for snacking.
3. Use bowls and trays for snacks instead of their original packaging.
4. Pass snacks for guests glued to the game.

Make up ballots and award prizes. If it is an annual event, create a trophy that can be passed down from year to year.

Make a condiment station with different types of crackers, Fritos, grated chesses, sour cream, chopped scallions and peppers, chopped onion, Tabasco or other hot sauces, etc.

Set up a condiment station with hot sauces, crackers, and other toppings.

Ham Delights are one of those recipes I've been making for 20+ years and still get requests for all the time. People never get tired of them!

Find a good spot to set up the bar; make sure it is away from the food to avoid congestion. Bloody Marys are a good choice for this party. Ice down some beer or wine and your bar is set.