Recipe review - Country Bean Soup

I was recently challenged to be a Julia wantabee so the book I picked out is Like Grandma Used to Make.  Its a Reader's Digest 1996 cookbook.  This book was given to my mom from her best friend so I cook my way thru in honor of Gloria and in memory of my biggest fan my Mom.

Country Bean Soup

Readers Digest - Like Grandma Used To Make

Ingredients

1 cup dried navy, great Northern, or lima beans, sorted and rinsed

5 cups lower-sodium chicken broth

2 cups shredded cabbage

2 medium carrots – shredded

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 bay leaves

2 tsp dried oregano leaves

1/2 tsp each salt & pepper

¼ cup parsley, minced

 Soak your beans using either the quick or the long methods.

 2. In a large pan, add all ingredients except parsley.  Bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer for 2 to 2 ½ hours or until your beans are tender.  Discard the Bay leaves.  Slightly mash some of the beans against the pan side.  Stir in parsley.

Makes 4 side dish servings

 For Ham & bean soup – use all ingredients EXCEPT the sale.  Adding 1 cup bite size ham pieces with vegetables,

 Now for my changes (you know I have to do it).

I didn’t use dried beans (I can never get them to cook right) so I used a large bottle of cooked beans (approx 26 oz?) and I drained them.  I also did not use the salt.  I chopped my carrots.

 I’ve made both version and we enjoyed them greatly.  In fact its one of those dirty page recipes.