Soup of the Day... White Bean and Spinach Soup Mix

Today's recipe... Remember... Disclaimer: Some folks don't always follow updated USDA canning methods, they may live in another country where the standards are not the same, they may use heirloom methods passed down through the generations, they may choose other canning methods not recommended. Use this recipe at your own discretion, or adapt it to your own method. I am sharing these recipes EXACTLY as they were sent to me and take NO responsibility for them.

White Bean and Spinach Soup Mix

Found on freshpreserving

Prepare this cold-weather soup mix and deliver with the recipe card. Make sure you invite yourself to dinner when you do.

Makes about 1 (32 oz) quart

YOU WILL NEED:

* 1-1/2 cups small dried white beans

* 1 cup bow tie pasta

* 3/4 cup dried porcini mushroom pieces

* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

* 1 tsp dried thyme

* 1 tsp dried rosemary

* 2 bay leaves

* Cheesecloth

* White cotton kitchen string * 1 Ball® (32 oz) quart glass preserving jar with lid and band

DIRECTIONS:

1. LAYER beans, pasta, mushrooms and walnuts into a quart jar in the order listed, packing each layer evenly as it is added. Adjust cap.

2. PLACE herbs onto the center of a 4- x 4-inch double layer square of cheesecloth, securing with white cotton kitchen string to create a bouquet garni. Set aside.

3. CREATE recipe card for preparing White Bean & Spinach Soup Mix (see recipe below). Tie recipe card and bouquet garni around the neck of the jar with ribbon or raffia. Makes base for one recipe of White Bean & Spinach Soup Mix.

White Bean & Spinach Soup

Makes about 8 to 10 servings You will need:

4. Cold water

5. 1 cup hot water

6. 7 cups vegetable stock

7. 4 cups water

8. 1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

9. 1 8-oz pkg fresh baby leaf spinach, stemmed and thinly sliced

10. Kosher salt and white pepper, to taste

11. REMOVE walnuts, mushrooms and pasta from jar, setting aside in separate bowls. Cover bowls with plastic wrap. Set aside.

12. PLACE dried beans in an 8-quart saucepan. Cover dried beans with cold water and soak 12 to 18 hours in a cool place. Drain. Return beans to saucepan.

13. POUR 1 cup hot water over mushrooms and let mushrooms steep in water for about 30 minutes. Remove mushrooms from soaking water being careful not to disturb the sediment in the bottom of the cup. Rinse mushrooms under cold running water. Drain.

14. ADD mushrooms, vegetable stock, 4 cups water and bouquet garni to beans in sauce pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender about 1-1/2 hours.

15. ADD pasta, Gorgonzola cheese, spinach, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove bouquet garni. Serve warm.

Tomorrow's Soup of the Day... Zuppa Tuscana Soup