Black bean soup

I really love the Vegetarian Black Bean Soup at Panera Bread, so when I came across a recipe for BBS on a can of beans, I had to try it. I'm not as concerned with the "vegetarian" part as others might be, but I'm thinking you could substitute a veggie broth for the chicken broth if you wanted to.

2 cans Black Beans (I used Bush's seasoned recipe, which is where this recipe came from. Do not drain the beans)
1 can low/reduced sodium chicken broth (or veg broth if you'd rather)
1/2 cup salsa (any kind you want, I used safeway brand mild, and put in 1cup total)
1/2 tsp chili powder (I didn't have any, so left it out. I am not that into the spicy stuff, so it worked well for me)

Mash contents of one can of beans with food processor or potato masher. Pour into saucepan with other can of beans and can of broth, and heat on stovetop. Add salsa and chili powder, and simmer until heated through. Serve as is, or add what we call "soup stuff" - sour cream, cheddar, onions, etc.

It was very tasty, IMO, and I'm looking forward to trying a bowl of leftovers cold as well.

Apple chicken crockpot stew

I found this recipe online awhile ago and saved it. I decided to try it yesterday because my mother gave me about 2,385 gallons of homemade apple cider. It is very good.

Ingredients:
5-7 red potatoes, cubed (I used I think four large yellow potatoes...they were wicked big)
2-3 medium parsnips or carrots, cut into ¼ inch slices
1 medium red onion, halved and sliced (I used a yellow onion. Sue me!)
1 celery rib, thinly sliced
1½ tsp salt
¾ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp caraway seeds
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 TBS olive oil
2 tart apples, peeled and cubed
1¼ cups apple cider
1 TBS cider vinegar
1 bay leaf

Directions:
1. In a slow cooker, layer potatoes, parsnips/carrots, onion, and celery.
2. Combine salt, thyme, pepper, and caraway; sprinkle half over vegetables.
3. In a skillet, sauté chicken in oil until browned; transfer to slow cooker.
4. Top with apple.
5. Combine apple cider and vinegar; pour over chicken and apples.
6. Sprinkle with remaining spice mixture; add bay leaf.
7. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or until vegetables are tender and chicken juices run clear; discard bay leaf and stir before serving.

This turned out to be wicked good. I generally cook things in my crockpot on low so I don't know if you might be able to cube the chicken then cook all on low without cooking it beforehand...the chicken was just marginally dry when the stew was reheated for lunch the next day...but otherwise wicked good.

Moskva Borshch

Or Moscow Borsch if you please. Or "borscht" if you want me to stab you in the eye. Was just going through my recipe folder. Mmmm borshch.

2 tbs butter
1 onion, chopped
1.5 lbs beets, peeled and cut into strips*
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
2 fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 tsp salt
1.5 qts stock (beef if you're being authentic, veggie if you live in my house)
1/2 lb cabbage
3 tbs snipped parsley
1 bay leaf

* I suppose you could use canned beets and tomatoes but... why? Also, you can add 1 lb ground beef - cooked and drained - and some cubed ham to this if you fancy. I think that's how my Russian boys' mom and baba made it.

1. Saute the onions in butter. Add remaining ingredients except the bay leaf. Bring to a full boil then reduce heat and simmer for about oooohhh let's say 45 minutes. It takes a while. Add the bay leaf, simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
2. Ladle into bowls and serve with smyetana (sour cream) and fresh dill on top.

Mmm, eto horoshee!

Tofu Chili

Mm, "meaty." Complete with quotation marks. I made this for Mason's biodad once, back when I cared whether or not he starved to death. Haley is a fan of it as well. Hey, even my DAUGHTER will eat this! And you know how Rayna is about... you know, eating stuff.

1 package extra firm tofu, in small cubes
1 large can (26 oz?) crushed tomatoes
6 oz tomato paste
8 oz can kidney beans, drained & rinsed
8 oz can black beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 vidalia onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 finely chopped jalepeno peppers
3-4 cloves garlic, pressed
The following spices, to taste:
chili powder, paprika, cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper

1. In a bowl, combine the tofu with the seasonings. Do remember that tofu will take on the flavor of whatever it's cooked in - so add the spices DIRECTLY to the tofu before you start cooking.
2. Transfer tofu mixture to a (lightly greased) pot and add garlic and onion. Cook over medium heat until the tofu and onions are softened and browned, taking care not to burn the garlic.
3. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste, heat through.
4. Add veggies and beans and simmer until cooked through. 20 minutes? Whatever.

I usually serve it with shredded cheddar (soy if you're a better person than I) and a dollop of plain yogurt on top.

Magic Bullet gazpacho

Here's another variation on gazpacho. I sort of invented this recipe yesterday for lunchtime, using stuff I had around the house. I used that handy Magic Bullet we have...it's the perfect size for making a single serving, but of course this could be made in a regular blender as well.

1 vine-ripened tomato
watermelon
approx. 1 tbsp lime or lemon juice
2 tsp diced onion
basil, approx 1.5 tsp dried, or fresh (you may adjust this to taste)
pepper, approx 3/4 tsp (adjust to taste).

Chop tomato into cubes and put in bullet/blender. Use melon baller to put balls of watermelon in bullet container until watermelon nearly reaches top. (If you are using a blender, obviously the container's a lot bigger, but I would say the ratio of watermelon to tomato is about 1.5:1.) Add lime or lemon juice, onion, and spices. Blend until mixture is smooth puree. Pour into bowl and enjoy. The watermelon gives it a little sweetness and I think kids would really go for this.

Experimental Broccoli Soup

**UPDATED** Celery salt was the key ingredient! I figured it out and oh man does this soup ever kick serious butt.

2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped *

1.5 c chopped white mushrooms

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 potatoes, diced

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1.5 c milk

1 c vegetable stock

dash lemon juice

1/2 tsp thyme

1 tsp celery salt

2 tbs fresh snipped parsley

salt and pepper to taste

2 tbs butter

cornstarch

* florets and stems

1. Sautee onion and garlic in butter until soft.

2. Add vegetable stock, milk, and all vegetables. Simmer for 20 minutes or until veggies and potatoes are soft.

3. Add parsley and seasoning and turn heat to med-high.

4. Add cornstarch (between 1.5 and 2 tsp, I'm guessing) and stir vigorously to thicken.

5. Add lemon juice. Bring to a rapid boil and boil stirring constantly for 10-15 minutes to reduce liquid.

To make this broccoli cheese soup, you just have to add cup or so of shredded cheese after you turn off the heat and stir it in until it melts. Swiss would be good.

Gazpacho

I absolutely adore gazpacho. I got the following recipe about four years ago from the Stonyfield Farms website. It comes quite close to what I like my gazpacho to taste like. As a note, you can leave out the yogurt if you wish. I don't always like my gazpacho creamy and it does fine with or without the yogurt.

Ingredients:
1 14oz can tomatoes, skinned & diced
2 cups sliced cucumbers, seeded
1 roasted red pepper, whole, seeded
2 scallions, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 cup plain lowfat yogurt
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup parsley, chopped, garnish
1 cup small diced cucumber, for garnish

Directions:Place all ingredients (except for cucumber and parsley for garnish) in a blender, puree on high until contents are well blended. Serve soup well chilled, and garnish with chopped parsley, diced cucumber and a dollop of plain yogurt.

Garbanzo Bean Stew

A Moroccan recipe I found online with some minor tweaks and adjustments.

1 small acorn squash, peeled and cubed
4 small red skin potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 large carrots, cut into 1/4" coins
1/2 a large vidalia onion, sliced
1 package garbanzo beans, pre-soaked overnight
28 oz canned stewed tomatoes
1 cup golden raisins
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley*
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

* Original recipe called for fresh cilantro. I substituted parsley since my kids don't like cilantro.



1. Sautee the squash, onion, and carrot in a pan with olive oil until the vegetables soften. It takes about 10-15 minutes - I threw a tbsp of butter in the bottom of the pan as well.
2. Add beans, potatoes, stewed tomatoes, raisins, and spices to the pan along with vegetable broth and bring to a full boil. Allow to boil for 15-20 minutes and then reduce heat and simmer until all vegetables are tender and the garbanzo beans are done.
3. Stir in chopped parsley or cilantro and simmer for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Serve over couscous.