Finally...super healthy, super yummy...:)

We had this for dinner tonight. I've never had Black Bean Soup but I sure liked this one.

Black Bean Soup
Ingredients

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 1/4 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 small chicken bouillon cubes
• 1-1 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, undrained
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 lemon, juice of
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

1. In a pot, combine the first six ingredients; simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Add half a can of beans, salt and cumin; cook for 5 minutes.

3. Puree soup (I would have used an immersion blender if I had one (hint, hint) which makes it easy to do it right in the pot but I used my blender).

4. Add the rest of the beans to the soup.

5. Combine the cornstarch with 1 1/2 tablespoons of water.

6. Add the lemon and the cornstarch to the soup; cook until thickened.

Holy Moly...Great Enchiladas!

Hey, hey, hey....do you love enchiladas? We do chez nous! I've always made them with flour tortillas and stuffed them with chicken, rice, olives, salsa, cheese, and cream cheese and then poured enchilada sauce over them. Super easy...especially with rotisserie chicken! But tonight I wanted to try something new. Of course, my favorite Pioneer Woman, Ree...had some for us to try. Oh my.....they were delicious. Everyone gave them thumbs up (except Emme...who thought they were a bit too spicy). Oh and I think they would be even better with the cilantro like in the recipe....but alas there are a lot of cilantro haters here.....dang!

Here's the recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• FOR THE SAUCE:
• 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
• 1 Tablespoon All-purpose Flour
• 1 can (28 Ounce) Enchilada Or Red Sauce
• 2 cups Chicken Broth
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• ½ teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro
• _____
• FOR THE MEAT:
• 1-½ pound Ground Beef
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• 2 cans (4 Ounce) Diced Green Chilies
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• _____
• FOR THE TORTILLAS:
• 10 whole (to 14) Corn Tortillas
• ½ cups Canola Oil
• _____
• TO ASSEMBLE:
• 3 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• ½ cups Chopped Black Olives
• 1 cup Chopped Green Onions
• ½ cups Chopped Cilantro

Preparation Instructions

Step #1 – The Sauce
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add oil and flour and whisk together to make a paste, cooking for one minute. Pour in the red sauce, chicken broth, cilantro, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30-45 minutes.

Step #2 – The Meat
Brown the meat with onions in a skillet. Drain off fat. Stir in 2 cans diced green chilies and seasoned salt. Set aside.

Step #3 – Tortillas
Heat canola oil in a small skillet over medium heat. One by one, using tongs, fry tortillas in oil until soft, not crisp – about 30 seconds per side. Remove to a paper—towel lined plate. Repeat until all tortillas have been fried.

Step #4 – Assembly
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour ½ cup red sauce in bottom of baking pan. Spread to even out. Dip each tortilla into red sauce, then remove to work surface. Spoon meat, a little grated cheese, a little black olives, and green onions in the center of tortilla. Roll up and place, seam down, in baking pan. Repeat until pan is filled. Pour extra red sauce over enchiladas. Top with remaining cheddar cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle cilantro over enchiladas before serving.

Oh...and with all that leftover sauce...:)

I forgot to mention when you make that killer spaghetti sauce...you'll have A LOT left over...so here's our favorite lasagna to make with all those leftovers. Enjoy...:)

• 6-7 cups our favorite spaghetti sauce
• 1 (16 ounce) box extra wide lasagna noodles
• 1 (32 ounce) carton cottage cheese or ricotta cheese ( you know everyone has their preferences)
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  
• 1 1/2 lbs mozzarella cheese, grated (I think grating it yourself while a pain...makes it better...I don't know why...)

1. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions, drain and cut to fit pan.
2. In small bowl, mix cottage cheese, oregano, salt and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese.
3. Using two deep 9 x 7-inch glass baking pans or one deep 9 x 13-inch casserole dish, make a layer of noodles followed with 1/2 cottage cheese mixture, 1/2 mozzarella cheese and 1/3 sauce.
4. Follow with another noodle layer, remaining cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese and 1/3 sauce.
5. Top this with a final noodle layer covered with remaining sauce.
6. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup parmesan cheese over top.
7. Bake in 350°F oven for 30-40 minutes until casserole is bubbling and slightly browned on top.
8. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving so lasagna can firm up for easier slicing and serving.

Oh my....time to exercise....

Only read this post if you plan to exercise...A LOT. It is so yummy and fattening and really should be worked off after you eat it...:) This is from Pioneer Woman (love that fattening site...:) ).

We had this tonight with the pasta with the not so good sauce (see the BEST sauce below).

Ingredients

• 3-½ cups Grated Cheddar Cheese
• ¾ cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
• ½ cups Grated Parmesan Cheese
• ½ cups (real) Mayonnaise
• 1 dash Salt
• 1 loaf Crusty French Bread
• 1 stick Butter
• 4 cloves Garlic, Finely Minced

Preparation Instructions

Mix cheeses with the mayonnaise and the green onions. Add dash of salt to taste and set aside or keep in fridge until you need it.

Cut loaf of bread in half, then each half into half again.
Working 1/4 loaf at a time, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet and add 1/4 of the minced garlic. Place 1 of the 1/4 loaves face down in the skillet, swirling it to soak up the butter and garlic. Allow bread to toast in the skillet, removing garlic if it starts to get too brown.

Repeat with remaining butter, garlic, and bread.

Spread cheese mixture on warm loaves and bake in a 425 degree oven until cheese is hot and bubbly, about 10 minutes. I put it under the broiler for another 2 minutes to get it really bubbly.

Slice and serve.

The BEST spaghetti sauce

I keep trying different recipes. In fact, I tried one tonight that sounded good but it....wasn't.

So I'm going to quit trying new ones and stick to THE BEST one we have found!! Enjoy!!

1½ hours | 20 min prep

SERVES 10 -14 , 4 quarts

• 2 lbs Italian sausage, casings removed (mild or hot)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
• 2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 2 cups water (for a long period of simmering for flavors to meld. If you don't want to simmer it as long, add less)
• 3 teaspoons basil
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup red wine (a good Cabernet!)
• parmesan cheese

1. In large, heavy stockpot, brown Italian sausage, breaking up as you stir.
2. Add onions and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until onions are softened.
3. Add garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce and water.
4. Add basil, parsley, brown sugar, salt, crushed red pepper, and black pepper.
5. Stir well and barely bring to a boil.
6. Stir in red wine.
7. Simmer on low, stirring frequently for at least an hour. A longer simmer makes for a better sauce, just be careful not to let it burn!
8. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
9. Spoon sauce over drained spaghetti noodles and sprinkle with parmesan cheese

The kids new favorite breakfast!

So I've been making these a lot. They remind me of what my dad made when I was growing up...we called them egg cakes (hey...maybe it's the same recipe). We've been calling them yellow pancakes.

Yellow Pancakes

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla

4 Tbsp flour

2 tsp melted butter

Powdered sugar and lemon juice

In a bowl whisk the egg. Add the milk, vanilla, flour and melted butter. Spray a small frying pan with nonstick spray and place over medium heat. When the pan is heated, pour enough batter into pan to cover the bottom of the pan. Cook until set and no longer runny. Watch carefully not to burn. Turn pancake over and cook 1 minute. Serve with lemon juice and powdered sugar.

DELICIOUS Bread!!!

So if you're looking for GREAT bread to soak up that yummy soup with...this will fit the bill.

Herbed Oatmeal Bread

Bread

2 C water

1 C rolled oats

3 Tbsp butter

3 3/4 to 4 3/4 C all-purpose flour

1/4 C sugar

2 tsp salt

2 pkg. Active dry yeast

1 egg

Herb Butter

1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp dried basil leaves

1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves

1/2 tsp garlic powder

6 Tbsp butter, melted

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan; stir in rolled oats. Remove from heat; stir in 3 tablespoons butter. Cool to 120 to 130 degrees F.

In large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt and yeast; mix well. Add rolled oats mixture and egg; blend at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed.

By hand, stir in an additional 1 3/4 cups to 1 1/2 cups flour to form stiff dough. Continue to mix the dough until smooth and elastic – about 5 minutes. Cover with a towel and let rest for 15 minutes.

Grease 13 x 9-inch pan. *Punch down dough several times to remove all air bubbles. Press into greased pan. Using very sharp knife, cut diagonal lines 1 1/2 inches apart, cutting completely through dough. Repeat in opposite direction creating diamond pattern. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and cloth towel.

Let rise in warm place (80 to 95 degrees F) until light and doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Uncover dough. Redefine cuts by poking tip of knife into cuts until knife hits bottom of pan; do not pull knife through dough

In small bowl, combine Parmesan cheese, basil, oregano and garlic powder; mix well. Set aside. Spoon 4 tablespoon of the butter over cut dough.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes. Brush remaining 2 tablespoons butter over bread. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese-herb mixture. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cool.