Have you ever tried a new recipe, taken a taste, and then had a whole bowl full because it was so delicious? That was how it was with me and this soup. I couldn’t believe how good it was, considering how simple it is to make, and how few ingredients.  I made the soup while I was working on something else, and pretty much added ingredients as an afterthought. It is wonderful! I think it would be a bit heavy to serve as a cup before a meal, but it would make a wonderful lunch with some crusty bread, or a nice dinner with a roll and salad on the side.

Pfaltzgraff “Hadlee Grey” Pasta Bowls

Creamy Tuscan White Bean Soup

Slightly adapted from sprinklesandsprouts

 3 15-oz. cans cannellini beans

2 T. olive oil

2 large Melissa’s shallots

5 cloves garlic

1 T. chopped fresh rosemary

1 t. Italian seasoning

2 c. vegetable broth

½ t. kosher salt

¼ t. freshly ground black pepper

½ c. grated Parmesan

1 c. fresh baby spinach, tightly packed

 Empty the contents of one of the cans of beans (beans and liquid) into a blender and puree until smooth. Drain the remaining two cans and set them to one side.

Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic cloves. Pour the oil into a large saucepan. Add the chopped shallots and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the chopped garlic and cook for an additional minute.

Add the 2 cans of drained beans to the pan and stir to coat in the olive oil. Tip in the pureed beans, then rinse the blender out with the vegetable broth and add this to the soup. Add the rosemary, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.

Bring the soup to a simmer and cook gently for 10 minutes over low heat. Remove the soup from the heat and add the grated Parmesan and fresh spinach leaves. Stir to melt the cheese and wilt the spinach. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper to taste.

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Those of you who follow my page on Facebook will have been made privy to the fact that, while making the cannellini bean spread, I spotted a recipe on the Bush cannellini beans can that I thought sounded good enough to try. Last night I took that opportunity, and really enjoyed it. This is not your typical summer fare (particularly in this intense heat), because it is rich and hearty. But, keep this in the back of your mind because it will be perfect for fall and winter.

 I tend to do my prep work either in the morning of the day I plan to prepare something, or the night before, and I did that here. As a consequence, this took under 30 minutes. I have included a picture of the recipe as it was on the can (above), and my changes in their version below. If you don’t have time to slice and sauté mushrooms, use a jar of them. I had fresh thyme going crazy in my garden, so I threw in a couple cuttings of it, and I was very happy with the end result. If you want more beans, I would think you could easily add another can here. If you want a vegetarian dish, don’t add the chicken. My guess is that this is very versatile. I do know that I was certainly happy with the end result of my experimentation.

Creamy Tuscan Chicken and Mushrooms

1 15.5-oz. can cannellini beans, drained
3 T. olive oil, divided
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1”pieces
1 c. sliced mushrooms
1 Melissa’s shallot, diced
1 sprig fresh thyme (or 1/4 t. dried)
1 10.75-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
½ c. chicken broth
1 c. whole milk
1 t. garlic powder
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ c. shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium high heat until very hot. Add mushrooms, and cook for a minute or two without stirring to get a good sear. Stir in shallot and sauté until translucent. Remove Mushroom/Shallot mixture to a plate. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil; add chicken breast pieces, brown slightly. Transfer mixture to the plate with the mushrooms. Add soup, broth, milk, garlic powder, and beans to skillet; simmer for two minutes. Stir and cream cheese and season with pepper to taste. Return mushrooms, shallots, and chicken (and any juices) to the skillet. Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve topped with cheese.

Serves 4

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