Black Bean Vegetable Soup
-1 tablespoon vegetable oil
-1 onion, chopped
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-2 carrots, chopped
-3 teaspoons chili powder
-1-2 teaspoon ground cumin
-2-3 cups chicken stock
-2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
-1 (8.75 ounce) can whole kernel corn
-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
-1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes

In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion, garlic, and carrots, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until onion is softened. Add chili powder and cumin; cook, stirring, for 1 minutes. Add stock, 1 can of the beans, corn, and pepper; bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, puree together tomatoes and remaining can of beans; add to pot. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minuets or until carrots are tender.

This soup is cramazing! I stewed it up on a Sunday night so that I could have leftovers throughout the week. It's great with some cheddar cheese sprinkled on top, and crackers- or tortilla chips! It reminds me of a cross between Tortilla soup and vegetarian chili. If you wanted to stretch it, you could make a cheese quesadilla to go alongside. Easy, healthy and delicious! Can't go wrong.

Beer Bread

-3 Cups all-purpose flour
-1 T baking powder
-1 t salt
-2 T sugar
-1 C shredded cheddar cheese
-12 oz beer (1 bottle)
-1/4 C butter, melted

Add any herbs you want- basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, dill, chives, garlic (use 1 t dried, 1 T fresh). Mix all the ingredients together except the butter. Spread the dough into a greased bread pan, and brush half the butter (2 T) over top. Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Brush the rest of the butter over top. Let cool for 10 minutes or so and ENJOY.

This recipe was inspired by my dinner treat- a Sam Adams Black (yay!) with my chicken salad. I had about half my beer left and decided to put it to work, and HO-LY COW why is this stuff not better known?! I have never had beer bread before but it is PHENOMENAL! Crusty on top, chewy and spongy on the inside and just amazing... it would be interesting to see what other beers do, particularly something light and/or sweet. This is about the most bang for your buck (both monetarily and temporally) that you can get.
Note: If you make an herb-ier version of the bread, it's fantastic with a sweet cream cheese, like raspberry- the hazlenut cream cheese from Panera comes to mind. If you go with a sweeter version, serve with a garlic-herb cream cheese. The combination of sweet with herb is really great.

Fruit Smoothie

I am a creature of habit. There's nothing I love more than finding something that really works, perfecting it, and running with it. My latest breakfast thing is a fruit smoothie. It took a good while until I could made a smoothie worth drinking, but it was totally worth the time and effort. This is the best breakfast trend I've ever been on. Here's what I use

-3 medium strawberries, frozen (I buy a big frozen bag at Costco)
-1 medium banana, frozen (I buy bananas, cut them into small chunks, put them in a ziploc, and stick them in the freezer)
-1/2 C milk (varies depending on desired consistency)
-4-8 oz yogurt of any kind (my favorite is blackberry! I also like raspberry. Again, the amount depends on the consistency you're going for. Experiment!)
-1 t vanilla
-1 T flax seed (for nutritional purposes- it does change the taste and consistency a bit, so leave it out if you don't care for it)
-1 T sugar- optional- it's good without, too (I use sweetener)

Throw it all in a blender and go to town! I often make the smoothie when I get up in the morning, pour it in a travel mug, stick it in the freezer, then grab it on my way out the door. This gives it a half hour or so (depending on how late I woke up) to chill out and just makes it a little more slushie like. This is a completely mold-able recipe, but I've got a pretty good thing going here.

Southwestern Beef and Veggie Bake

Ingredients:
-1 lb ground beef
-1 small onion, chopped
-2-3 t chili powder
-1-2 t cumin
-1/4 t cayenne pepper
-2 T butter
-3 T flour

-1/2 C chicken or beef broth
-1-2 C chopped peppers
-1 16oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
-1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
-1 can whole kernel corn, drained
-1 can diced tomatoes
-1 4oz can green chilies
-1 tube refrigerated cornbread sticks (I used a cornbread mix package)

In a large skillet, brown meat and seasonings (you can use a package taco seasoning in place of the herbs) and onion. Add flour, stir until well blended (add more flour if necessary). Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat, add beans and veggies. Pour into a 13x9 baking pan. Pour cornbread mix over top. Bake uncovered, 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until cornbread is lightly browned. (In my opinion, it is imperative that the cornbread be sweet- either use a sweet package, or add sugar/honey to your batter)

To start the meal out, I made a little guacamole and it turned out really well. I used 1 avocado, mashed, then mixed in a tsp of lime juice, a minced clove of garlic, a few shakes of cumin, salt and pepper, and half a chopped tomato and maybe a 1/4 C of finely chopped onion. Really good. Keep in mind this doesn't make a lot- TJ pretty much devoured the whole thing in the time it took Alycia and I to do our "hiiii! you look greeeeat!" hug-hug kiss-kiss greeting. It's easy to double.

I made this meal to celebrate Alycia being done with her summer class, and it was delicious. This recipe is courtesy of Patty, our cook at Pi Phi, and I have to admit that I did not do her justice, but it was a good imitation of the real thing. It's good leftovers, and great served over chips with cheese melted on top, and salsa. Gourmet Pi Phi nachos, anyone?

Mocha Smoothie

One thing about South Carolina is that it's hot. Extremely hot. All the talk you hear about the oppressive humidity is, I'm discovering, not a joke. In a climate like this, cool, refreshing treats are an absolute necessity, and this is one of my favorites. Quick, cheap, easy, and relatively good (or at least not bad!) for you.

Ingredients:
1 cup fat-free milk
1 medium banana, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices, and frozen
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar or honey (I use sweetener)
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons instant coffee crystals
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup small ice cubes or crushed ice

In a blender combine milk, banana, sugar, cocoa powder, coffee crystals, and vanilla. Cover and blend until smooth. Add ice cubes. Cover and blend until nearly smooth. (I'll often add a little hazlenut creamer or something like that, to change up the flavor- you could do pretty much anything here).

Makes 2 servings

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (makes 24)
1 cup flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper, foil, or silicone mats

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and set the rack on the lower and upper thirds of the oven.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar until smooth. Mix in the brown sugar, then the egg, applesauce, and vanilla.
4. Stir in the dry ingredients, then the oats and raisins.
5. Drop the batter by rounded tablespoons 2-inches apart on the baking sheets and use a fork to gently flatten the dough.
6. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. Take them out of the oven as soon as they look slightly blond and are no longer wet on the top. Once cool, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

Nobody likes crunchy cookies. You say you do, but trust me, you don't. What brings more comfort to the stomach and the soul (we won't comment its effects on the hips) than a warm chewy cookie with a cold glass of milk? And that's what you get here- a cookie that stretches when you bend it instead of breaks in two. Save a little bit of the dough and put it in the freezer to enjoy as a treat later. The only thing better than cookies fresh out of the oven is cookie dough from the icebox.

Chickpea Soup with Garam Masala and Cilantro

-2 16-ounce cans chickpeas, drained
-1 14-ounce can light coconut milk
-1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
-1/2 cup prepared salsa
-1 1/2 tsps. garam masala*
-1 tsp. ground ginger
-2 Tbs. frozen apple juice concentrate
-1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves
-Garnishes: 1/4 cup plain yogurt and 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Purée all ingredients except garnishes in a blender until smooth. Pour into a large saucepan or Dutch oven, and bring to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered and stirring frequently, to blend flavors, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve, garnishing each portion with 1 Tb. of yogurt and 1 Tb. of green onions. Serves 4 *Garam masala is a blend of many Indian spices (national brands include McCormick and Spice Islands).

This is my first attempt at 'bean dishes' and I'm feeling very much like my brother. At first I was extremely wary of this stuff (especially since I added spinach, which probably wasn't a great change on my part as not only did it give it a bit of a weird flavor, but it turned the whole thing an odd shade of green) but it really grew on me. The best thing you can do for this soup is let it sit for a couple days in the fridge. This give the flavors time to blend, and I promise you this isn't poetic crap, it's the truth- this soup is MUCH better on day 3. Add some water or broth every time you heat up the leftovers. I tore up some pumpernickel bread and mixed it in, which was really good, and gave it a bit more consistency. Not bad for a first try.

Brown Sugar Fridge cookies
-1 C brown sugar
-1 C butter
-1 t vanilla
-1 large egg
-3 cups all-purpose flour
-1 ½ t cinnamon
-½ t baking soda
-½ t salt
-1/3 C chocolate chips

1. Beat brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and egg in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed or mix with spoon. Stir in remaining ingredients except chips. Stir in chips.
2. Refrigerate 2 hours
3. Heat oven to 375 and bake 6-8 minutes or until light brown.

Indonesian Peanut Chicken

-3-3½ pounds cut up broiler-fryer chicken
-3/4 t salt
-½ t pepper
-2 T vegetable oil
-1 medium onion, chipped (½ C)
-1/3 C peanut butter
-1/4 C chili sauce
-½ t cayenne pepper
-1 C water
-1/4 C chopped salted peanuts
-1/4 C chopped red bell pepper

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper
2. Heat oil in 12-in skillet over med heat. Cook chicken in oil about 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides. Cover and cook over low heat about 20 minutes or until juice is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Remove chicken with tongs.
3. Drain all but 1 T drippings from skillet; heat over med heat. Cook onion in drippings, stirring occasionally, until tender; reduce heat. Stir in peanut butter, chili sauce, and red pepper. Gradually stir in water, stirring constantly, until peanut butter is melted.
4. Add chicken. Spoon sauce over chicken. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered about 5 minutes, spooning sauce frequently over chicken, until sauce is slightly thickened. Serve sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with peanuts and red bell pepper. Served over chinese noodles.

Yum, I made this dish on a relaxing Sunday night, and I really liked it. The recipe was easy to half, and I still had enough for 4 or 5 meals. A great way to employ that huge supply of Ramen you're storing beneath the sink.

Chicken Paprikash

-24 oz. (1.5 lbs) boneless skinless chicken breasts
-12 oz. sour cream
-48 oz. chicken broth
-1 onion
-3-4 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
-2 tablespoon garlic
-1 tablespoon salt
-1 teaspoon ground black pepper
-1/2 teaspoon ginger
-2 bay leaves
-corn starch (or preferably potato starch, if you have access to a health food store)
-olive oil

Make spaetzel; put in a bowl. Alternatively, you can buy spaetzel from the store, or prepare any type of noodles you prefer.

Chop up the chicken breasts into small pieces. Put the chicken and garlic in a pot; sautee in olive oil. Chop up the onion into small pieces. Put the onions and some chicken broth into the pot. For now, use just enough broth to keep everything submerged, but don't flood it. You should have some broth left over (maybe around 16 ounces); the remaining broth will be used below. Stir in the other spices (paprika, salt, black pepper, ginger, bay leaves). Simmer to let the chicken and onions cook thoroughly. When the chicken and onions are fully cooked, add the starch as a thickening agent, by mixing it into the remaining broth and pouring it into the pot. (If you're out of broth, use water; but ideally you will have exactly enough broth for this.) Remove from heat and let it thicken. Finally, mix in the sour cream, and it's ready to serve over spaetzel.

Spaetzel

-1/2 cup milk
-1 1/2 cups flour (Sapphire brand is preferred)
-3 eggs

Get a pot of water going at a high boil. Mix the milk, flour, and eggs in a bowl. The resulting batter should be a little thicker than Duncan Hines cake mix: a tiny bit stiff, but definitely not "dough". With a spoon, drop small blobs of batter into the boiling water, and let boil for about 20 minutes. Then you may fish out the spaetzel. Be advised that you need to keep the water at a high boil for this to work: the surfaces of the blobs really need to cook as soon as they hit the water. Then they magically don't stick together. Also be advised that the blobs will expand as they cook, so try not to make them very large. One way or another, you'll probably have to chop them up with a spatula when you're done anyway.

I made this when my parents were visiting for the 4th of July and we really enjoyed it. The spaetzel was a disaster- it burned (you could say it had a 'rich, smoky flavor') and a lot of it ended up a mushy mess that had to be drained out. We still ate it (Miller blood is tough). I found a better recipe in my Betty Crocker cookbook that I'll try next time. Or it's good over ramen noodles, which is how I fixed the leftovers the next day :)