White Bean & Cumin Soup

Well, the recipe actually says chili, so whichever you prefer. So I did go ahead and get sick, slept most of the weekend and monday, but got a huge amount of work done also. Went for a short run yesterday with Barty at the park because I was starting to feel better. I figured sunshine and fresh air- why not? Those two together should make me feel much better, it was a gorgeous day. Since the temps are falling though I feel like it’s time to start making soups. So this recipe popped into my head the other day so I made it that evening and we ate it with gusto the last couple days. It’s so surprising because I found it on the back of a can of white beans from BUSH. I never even look at recipes on things like that because they are usually no good. But, it just so happened at that time I had been looking for a white chili and hadn’t found one I liked yet. When I saw the ingredients included white beans, chicken, cumin and chili’s I was sold. The soup is comforting, easy, so filling and fabulous if you love white beans and cumin as much as I do. I use cumin in so many things, I just love it.

Bush’s White Chicken Chili (you can find it on the back of one of their cans:)

• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion (I used an entire large one-i love onions in soup)
• 1 can (4 oz.)chopped green chili’s (I used 8 oz.)
• 3 T all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin (I used a tad more)
• 2 cans 15 oz Northern Beans (I used 1 can Northern & 1 can Cannelli)
• 1 can chicken broth (as I have said before, I don’t get the chicken broth thing. Most of it is totally junk with tons of sodium, unless you buy the really expensive stuff. I used water and seasoned it with kosher salt, and, you’re making chicken anyways so that will yield some ‘chicken’ broth to add to the mix)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
• Optional, shredded Monterey Jack cheese  (pepper jack is insanely good in this, but I didn’t have any so I used the rest of my smoked gouda and some parmesan reggiano)

In a large skillet cook onion in the olive oil until transparent, add chilis, add flour and cumin, cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add beans and chicken broth(water) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened. Add chicken near the end cook until hot or chicken is fully done. Garnish with cheese and enjoy immensely.

Also, have it with some good bread. Kroger has this whole grain french bread that we are so addicted too. Bread that you can be addicted to, yes it’s possible. It is so good!