Sausage & Black Beans

This may not make the most attractive presentation on the table, but it is a new addition to the wonderful comfort food category, not to mention being very easy.

Serves 8-12

1 lb bulk sausage -- I used mild or sweet Italian

1 qt chicken broth

2 15-oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained

2 14 1/2-oz cans hominy, rinsed and drained

2 10 1/2-oz cans diced tomatoes with jalepenos or green chilies

4 cups frozen diced hash browns (Southern style)

1 green pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 heaping T minced garlic

1 T oregano

1 t chili powder

Brown sausage in frying pan, breaking sausage into small pieces. Add to crockpot with remaining ingredients. Stir. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, or high for 2-2 1/2 hours. Add more chicken broth if you think it gets too dry.

It is also good with a little Mexican cheese sprinkled on top when serving.

Garden Medley

This was a great side dish, and quick and easy to prepare. I liked it so much it would have been fine for me as a main course! It would also be a great alternative to mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner.

Serves 6

6 small red potatoes, quartered

16 baby carrots, halved lengthwise

1 small onion, cut into wedges

1/2 C chicken broth

1 1/4 t seasoned salt

2 medium zucchini, chopped

2 T minced fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a greased 2 quart baking dish, combine potatoes, carrots, onion, broth and 1 t seasoned salt. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Stir in zucchini and remaining seasoned salt. Continue baking 10-15 or until the veggies are tender. Sprinkle with parsley.

Indian Cauliflower

This was great and a lentil rice pilaf really complimented it.
Serves 4-5

1/4 C butter
1T ground cumin
1 T ground coriander seed
2 T finely chopped fresh gingerroot
2 t minced garlic
1 t turmeric
1/2 t salt
1/2 C chicken broth
1 head (about 6 C) cauliflower, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 15-oz can (2 C) garbanzo beans, drained
1 can chopped green chilies
1 C peas
1/2 C sour cream
2 T chopped fresh cilantro

Melt butter in a 12 inch skillet until sizzling; add spices and salt. Cook over medium high heat 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until spices begin to brown. Add chicken broth, cauliflower, garbanzo beans and chilies. Stir to coat.

Pour mixture into crock pot. Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or until cauliflower is tender. Fifteen minutes before serving, increase heat to high and add peas and sour cream. Continue cooking until peas are heated through. Sprinkle with cilantro when serving.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

A creamy, cheesy, filling soup for a winter day.

Serves 5 or 6

6 Tablespoons butter
1 medium onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half and half
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 pound fresh broccoli
2 cups carrots, julienned
salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese

Saute onion and garlic in butter until onion is tender. Stir in flour; a paste will form. Continue cooking and stirring over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Stirring constantly, slowly add half and half and then the chicken broth. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add broccoli and carrots.
Timesaving tip: If you to not have a mandoline to julienne your carrots, you may be able to find "matchstick" carrots in your grocery store.

Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender and soup has thickened, 25 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. When soup is thickened, add the cheese. Stir until well blended. Serve when cheese has melted.

If soup gets too thick, you can thin it with extra milk or chicken broth.

White Bean, Sausage & Kale Soup

I put this together in just a few minutes this morning before heading out for the day. It cooked in the crock pot all morning, and the house smelled so good when we returned! It was the perfect soup for a cool, rainy day.


Serves 10

16 oz. hot and spicy bulk pork sausage
1 large carrot
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes - plain or with Italian seasonings
8 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 lbs. torn kale
2 14.5 cans great northern white beans

Stovetop directions:
In a medium pot cook sausage well. Add tomatoes, carrot, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Add kale and cook until tender. Stir in beans, and heat thoroughly before serving.

Crockpot directions:
Cook sausage well in a frying pan. Meanwhile, add all the other ingredients to a crockpot. Add sausage. Cover. Cook on high for 3-4 hours.

Broccoli Tuna Bake

Serves: 8

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup chicken broth
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
3 (6 ounce) cans solid albacore tuna in water, drained and flaked
3 cups cooked rice
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (16 ounce) package frozen broccoli, thawed
2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place broccoli in a pot with about an inch of water and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Remove broccoli with a slotted spoon. Save 1 cup of this vitamin rich water.

Combine saved broccoli water with lemon juice, soup, milk, broth and pepper. Stir in tuna and rice. Transfer to a greased 8" square dish.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Top with broccoli, sprinkle with cheese, and continue baking for 5 -10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Serves: 4-6
6 6-inch corn tortillas
1 onion, chopped
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 14 1/2 oz cans chicken broth
1 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 14 1/2 oz can black beans, drained
1 4 oz can chopped green chilies
2 teaspoons dried cilantro
salt to taste
chedder cheese

Preheat the oven 400 degrees F. Cut tortillas into 1/2-strips. Place flat on a baking stone and bake 12-14 minutes until crispy.

Cut chicken into 1/2 inch pieces. Heat oil in a medium sized pot, add chicken. Stir until chicken is cooked through. Add onion, garlic, chili powder and cumin. Cook until onions begin to be translucent. Stir in broth, tomatoes, chilies and beans. Bring to a boil, then add cilantro, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add salt to taste.

To serve, divide tortilla strips into bowls, cover with soup, and sprinkle with cheese. Alternately, serve the soup into bowls, and add the cheese and tortilla strips on top for more crunch.

~ A variation of a Pampered Chef catalog recipe

Tortellini Soup

This is not the best picture of this soup. It would have looked better without the cheese on top. Anyway, I made this fast and easy soup on one of the cooler evenings this week, and Chris and I both enjoyed it. I used to make more meatless dinners, but Chris has missed the meat, so I try to remember to incorporate it a few times a week.

Serves: 8
Ingredients:
1 pound ground chicken/turkey
1 onion, chopped
2 14.5 oz cans Italian diced tomatoes
1 14.5 oz can chicken broth
1 can water - from the sink =)
1 12 oz bag from cut green beans
1 13 oz bag frozen cheese tortellini
1 zucchini, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pot cook chicken and onions until the meat is no longer pink. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook 5 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top when serving.

The next day when I went to serve it again, it had thickened a lot, so I added another can of chicken broth, and it looked and tasted just the same as the previous day.