Our weather forecasters here in Colorado have definitely been in for a wild ride lately. Last week, and all through Labor Day weekend, the temeperatures were soaring in the high 90’s. Then the day after Labor Day – BOOM! Winter hit and we had snow. We literally had over a 60* temperature drop in less than 48 hours. We went from salad weather to soup weather overnight. Now all the snow is once again melted and it is supposed to get back into the 70’s today.
With our short, early burst of winter, I made a ham, bean and vegetable soup to help warm us up from the inside out. I used some leftover ham I had, lots of vegetables and butter beans. I served it with hot cheese bread and and a dry white wine and all was good.
Ham, Vegetable and Butter Bean Soup
1 1/2-2 lbs cooked ham, cubed
1 onion, medium dice
2 jalapeno peppers, diced fine
1 1/2-2 TBSP garlic
1 1/2 lbs tomatoes, diced
4 cups spinach, stems removed and chopped
1 1/2 cups diced squash, I mixed mine
8 cups chicken broth
2 cans butter beans, or cannellini beans, or other white beans of your choice
salt & pepper to taste
1 TBSP cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cumin
olive oil for cooking
Cook the peppers, squash, onions and garlic in the olive oil for about 5-7 minutes. Add the ham and the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Add the tomatoes, beans and seasonings. Continue to cook for about 15 minutes. Then add the spinach. Continue to cook for about another 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
The soup is now ready to enjoy. It is a simple, hearty, healthy soup that will help take the chill out of any day.
Stay safe and stay well Everyone. ‘Til next time.
A Jeanne in the Kitchen 
Good ol’ Colorado! Always predictable to be unpredictable. 🙂 The soup looks great! My Mom always made ham and bean soup. Good comfort food. We are in a flood warning down here in Port Charlotte. Beautiful, hot, and sunny right now though. We are supposed to get some heavy tropical rain storms soon. I really hope it doesn’t flood. What in the world does a guy from Colorado know about that?! 🙂 You would love living down here with all the excellent scuba diving opportunities. God bless!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I bet that is quite a change for you. I would love the diving everyday, that’s for sure, but I can’t take all that heat and humidity. I like our unpredictable weather here. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks awesome!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you.
LikeLike
I live in Nashville and two weather channels predicted snow for us for later this week! They have changed that now…but what a crazy year…that is unheard here in September.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was a very early snow for us too. I think 2020 is going to go down as one of the craziest years in modern history.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That I will not argue!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is a crazy difference! I am not sold on the global warming thing. Yes, there are wildfires, but that has happened since the recording of history. It really seems to me, summers were hotter in my state and lasted longer, or felt like they began sooner. Winters seem to barely let loose their grips.
I feel healthier just looking at that yummy soup.
Also, I just saw the “Follow” option … I was certain I already did that a while ago. Tapping it again. Hmmph
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. I have been having problems with my internet provider lately. I have been embattled for over a month now.
I am with you. I don;t really buy into the global warming hype either, especially since we are getting colder and having more snow each year, with the winters starting earlier. Last year, Colorado had a record amount of snowfall. In the Denver area alone, we had almost 60″ of snow, and the mountains had over 300″.
LikeLike
That stinks. I hope the problem is resolved soon. 60 & 300″!!! Oh my! It’s good for looking at, but not for traveling through.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope it is taken care of real soon too, but at the moment CenturyLink is not even answering my emails.
Colorado is a beautiful place to live. All our extremes just make it all that much more interesting. 🙂
LikeLike
Those turds. I’ve been to Costa Rica, but haven’t even travelled to Colorado. I’ve seen so many photos and would love to go one day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am most definitely very unhappy with my internet provider, that’s for sure.
Colorado is certainly a beautiful sate. We love it here. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was watching the BBC weather forecast for the UK the other day and they reported the Colorado weather extremes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We like all kinds of extremes. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person