2 -3 C. Chicken, Cooked and Shredded
1 Onion
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Tbsp. Butter
2 cans Great Northern Beans*
4 C. Chicken Broth
1 cans Green Chilies
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Cumin
1 tsp. Oregano
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 C. Cream
Garnish
1 C. Sour Cream
1 C. Shredded Cheese
2 - 3 Green Onions, chopped
Chop onion and garlic cloves. Saute onion and garlic in butter. Add chicken broth (I use 1 chicken bullion to one cup of hot water), chilies, beans, salt, cumin, oregano, pepper and cream. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with sour cream, cheese and green onions.
Beans*
The longer I have cooked, the less intimidated I am about beans. I rarely buy beans in a can to use in a soup. If I am going to make soup, I want to cook my own beans. I get a lot more bean for my buck and I like the flavor so much more.
Method
Overnight - Fill a pot of cold water. Dump a large bag of white beans in the water. Put the lid on and let sit overnight. Dump the water out in the morning and cover with water. (Dumping the water out, makes your beans less magical. Beans, beans the magic fruit. The more you eat the more you toot!)
2 Hour Method
Fill a pot of cold water. Dump a large bag of white beans in the water. Put the lid on and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn off heat and let sit for two hours with the lid on. Pour the water off the beans and then refill with fresh water.
No mater which method you use, after you have poured of the water and refilled the pan with water follow the directions below.
Bring beans and water to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for several hours with the lid on. (Remember, simmer means it is still boiling just at a very low temperature.) Once your beans are about an hour away from being done, add in 1 Tbsp. of salt.
When your beans are done, you have several options. You can drain them or you can begin your soup from here. I like to start from this point to assemble my soup.
If I have cooked 6 cups of beans, I need to double my soup recipe. If I have cooked 12 cups of beans, I need to quadruple my soup recipe. So first thing, determine how many beans you have made and what is the relationship to your recipe.
I add the sauteed onion and garlic to the beans. Then I add chicken bullion since I already have water. I usually still need to add more water. Then I add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until I am ready to serve.