white beans

• Learn the correct way to sauce pasta. — Chow
• Does an edible school garden really affect how well kids do in school? — The Atlantic
• Giada De Laurentiis is developing a cookware line for Target. — The Epi-Log
• Must make: white bean bisque with garlic chips. — Serious Eats
• Gail and Padma reveal secrets from behind the scenes of Top Chef. — Grub Street NY
• The mayor of New York City has asked food companies and restaurants to cut salt content by 25 percent. — Eater NY
• The latest trendy diet? Eating like a caveman. — New York Times

Traditionally, cassoulet is a slow-cooked dish that requires duck confit and dried beans. However, this recipe simplifies the technique and streamlines the ingredients. Hearty sausage replaces the confit, and canned white beans stand in for their time-consuming dried cousins. Fire-roasted tomatoes provide a rich thickness and a crispy topping of bread crumbs stirred with parmesan cheese is a flavorful finish. To make this dish the star of a meal that's ideal for Winter entertaining, start with a baked brie and offer gingerbread palmiers as dessert. Look at the recipe and read more

Since the majority of you prefer to stay in on New Year's Eve, I thought you might be looking for a delectable soup recipe. This white bean soup with bacon and goat cheese croutons is elegant and surprisingly easy to make. Serve it in shot glasses as an appetizer to a party or enjoy a large bowl with a green salad for a simple meal. Although it has a creamy texture, there's only a small amount of cream in the soup — the starch from the beans provides the thick richness. To make it vegetarian friendly, ditch the bacon and use vegetable stock instead of chicken broth. Learn how this scrumptious soup is done and read more

With a few affordable ingredients from the grocery store, you can create a rich, warming, and, most important, rapid chili.

This one uses jarred salsa, canned cannellini beans, and boxed corn bread. A heaping teaspoon of chili powder provides a smoky depth that makes this quick chili taste slow-cooked.

Serve with sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, or any of your other favorite traditional chili toppings. Get the recipe and read more

With so much energy going toward Thanksgiving, it's easy to overlook the meals leading up to the big day.

Tonight fix up a simple and delicious dinner that's a cinch to put together. Canned white beans simmered with onions and red peppers serves as a bed for succulent and juicy bone-in pork chops.

It's a hearty, comforting, uncomplicated, and adaptable recipe, so learn how to prepare it and read more

With a little help from the grocery store, you can have a piping hot bowl of healthy and delicious soup on your table in under a half an hour.

This recipe combines potatoes with carrots and white kidney beans. Although it calls for milk, it doesn't require full-fat milk, fat-free is fine.

It's hearty and vegetarian, plus any leftovers will make an excellent lunch tomorrow. To learn how to make it, read more

If you think gnocchi is a dish that can only be enjoyed in restaurants, think again! These days most grocery stores offer packaged gnocchi in the fresh or regular pasta sections. Why not make this staple a part of your busy-cook pantry? Then when you're in the mood for a comforting Italian-style meal, make this dish! The gnocchi is combined with hearty chard, stewed tomatoes, and white beans. The recipe calls for a topping of mozzarella and parmesan cheese, but if you are trying to eat healthy, simply omit them. Sound delish? Wait till you read the recipe.

When it comes to panzanella — the classic Italian bread salad with tomatoes — I love every variation. While I've made it with heirloom tomatoes and arugula, I've never had the filling warm-weather dish with tuna and white beans.

But thanks to this recipe, I plan on doing so tonight! What's not to love about chunky tuna, crispy oil-saturated bread, and tangy pickles? The cannellini beans ensure that this salad is hearty enough to stand alone.

Check out the recipe when you read more