Moscow-Pullman Daily News Blogs

A new week is starting and alas, it is still cold and gloomy so I guess I’ll continue with recipes to ward off the continued chill in the air.

In my Saturday Cookbook Corner column, I intend to feature the “2007 Wal-Mart Family Cookbook.”  While looking though it, I find a unique recipe for bean soup.  Gay Hawley who at the time worked in the house wares department in Moscow’s Wal-Mart submitted it.

When I interviewed Hawley, she told me she makes this soup often.  It was adapted from a recipe she used years ago when cooking in a Montana school cafeteria.

Hawley said she always serves it with cornbread and offered a simple recipe that starts with Jiffy Mix®:  Put a tablespoon of butter in a smoking hot skillet and then just pour in the batter and bake until done.

Gay’s Bean Soup

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon Enova™ Oil

3 16-ounce cans Bush’s® Best Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups chopped celery

2 cups baby carrots, halved lengthwise

2 tablespoons real bacon bits

1 teaspoon McCormick® California Style Minced Garlic, Wet

1 McCormick® Bay Leaf

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Black Pepper

In a 4-quart Dutch oven cook onion in hot oil until tender.  Stir in beans, broth, celery, carrots, bacon bits, garlic, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Remove and discard bay leaf.  If desired, with a potato masher slightly mash some of the beans.

Serves 6.