White Bean Kale Soup

There are a lot of recipes on Pinterest lately that are some variation of white bean and kale soup.  I've tried a couple and they weren't inedible, they just weren't something I'd make again.  So I went with my gut (which never works out for me in the kitchen) and made up my own.  It turned out surprisingly well.  This recipe for Tuscan Bean Soup from Saveur was my starting point.

1/4 cup canola oil
3-4 ribs celery, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped (I'd go with 4 next time)
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
8 cups vegetable or chicken broth (I mixed mine b/c it's what I had)
1-2 tsp granulated garlic
2 medium red potatoes, cubed
seasoning salt to taste
3-4 handfuls chopped Kale leaves (I used about 1/3 to 1/2 of the bag I bought)

Heat oil in large stock pot over medium-high.  Saute celery, onions, and carrots until onions are translucent.  Add garlic and saute for another 1-2 minutes.  (Be careful not to scorch the garlic.)  Add beans, broth, granulated garlic, and potatoes.  Boil gently until potatoes are done (about 20 minutes).  Turn soup down to a simmer.  Add a few handfuls of Kale and cook for five more minutes.  I took an immersion blender and partially blended the soup to thicken it up and it gave it a perfect consistency.  (You all know how I love my immersion blender!)

The original recipe calls for squash, but I worried that it would add too much sweetness to the perfect savory flavor that it already had.  It also calls for fennel seeds, which I don't love.  And dry beans, which not only could I not find the right variety in the store, but they're a pain in the butt.  It also calls for water instead of broth.  I think my improvement in this particular ingredient is a no-brainer.  I can't compare the two recipes because I never actually Tuscan Bean Soup, but I can say this:  Thanks for the inspiration, Saveur!

I think next time I'll get some crusty bread to serve with it.  Mmmm, bread.

Hope you enjoy.

What's Up My Sleeve?

Last night when I was getting ready for bed, I started thinking about all the things that make my life easier.  The little things.  There are plenty of big things, like my sweet husband, my BFF, and the great schedule at my job.  I'm talking about the things that money can buy.

I think anyone can appreciate most of the items below, but because I am a mom and wife in the South, if you're also a mom and wife in the South, I think you'll find them as amazing as I do.  That is if you haven't already discovered some of them for yourself!

Dry Shampoo  That's right.  Shampoo that requires no water and takes two seconds to use.  If you haven't tried it, give it a shot.  It won't work miracles.  (My son threw an oatmeal-laden spoon at me this morning.  Dry shampoo would not cut it here.  I wouldn't even try.)  But it does save me at least three hours a week on washing, drying, and styling my hair.  I first fell in love with this product almost three years ago.  I used to have to go to a specialty store and pay $10 a bottle for this stuff.  Thankfully, it's gained popularity and can be found in any grocery store for around $3-5.  I've tried about a dozen brands and I can honestly say they all get the job done.  Some smell better than others.  Me?  I buy whatever is on sale.  

Immersion Blender  It's basically a blender on a stick.  You can get one for as little as $15 if you catch a good sale.  It's great for making textured foods that toddlers are not so fond of (read: vegetables) more pleasing to their picky palates.  For instance, when I made broccoli cheddar soup this winter, my son was eating around the broccoli.  Thirty seconds and an immersion blender cured him of that.  He ate every bite.  It's easy to use and can be chucked in the dishwasher (a must for me).  It's also great for emulsifying salad dressings.  We've made a couple of really fantastic vinaigrettes that didn't even separate!  I'm pretty sure it would make perfect baby food for those of you cool enough to make your own (not me).  I do kind of wish I had this one since it would match my stand mixer, but I can't justify replacing a something that already works perfectly.

Waterproof Crib Mattress Pads  I've shared this tip with just about all my new mom friends, but in case you missed out, we "double bag" Dane's crib mattress.  This means that when there's a pooplosion in the middle of the night, I don't have to wrestle with crib sheets, bumper pads, and a screaming toddler at 3am.  I just peel off the offending sheet and the mattress pad beneath it and voila - a new, fresh sheet!  Thanks to Laurie L. for sharing this with me!  It's been a lifesaver many times over.  We have these plain ol' Babies R Us mattress pads and they've been great.  I probably should have shared this in my Top Mommy Tools post but it didn't even cross my mind.

Baby Powder  We're going to the beach in a few weeks and I've considered purchasing this nifty little doo-dad, the Powder Pouch.  It's filled with corn starch and claims to make sand "disappear."  Sandy bottoms and diaper changes don't exactly mix, so this is a genius idea.  But when we had a sandy situation from the playground last weekend, and no Powder Pouch yet, Jonathan wisely suggested we try to dust baby powder on Dane to see if it worked.  It did!  And I don't have to spend $10 plus shipping!  Granted, the Powder Pouch does come in a super adorable case.  My baby powder just comes in a white plastic bottle.  However, I will feel no shame carrying my wholesale-size baby powder in my beach bag come May!  And as much as I hate feeling gritty, I will be dusting myself with a generous post-beach helping every day while on vacation.

Pizza Cutter  Great for cutting pizza... oh yeah, and it's lesser known use, toddler-size bites.  It makes quick work of a tedious task.  It also fantastic for cutting anything that's rather annoying to attempt with a regular kitchen knife.

I hope you all can get something useful out of this.  I'm thinking of making "What's Up My Sleeve?" a regular appearance, adding new tips and tricks as I stumble upon them.  Feel free to share your brilliant ideas as well!