Salsa Bean Soup

Cook beans from a bag, follow directions on the back of the bag.  I used a 15 bean variety bag. (you could also use canned beans which would be way quicker, but this way made me feel like I could actually cook without using canned everything!)
I actually didn't do exactly as it directed on the bag, I rinsed the beans really good, then I put the beans in my crockpot around 4 the day before and set it on high until 8 that evening, then I turned it off and let the beans sit overnight.  The next morning the beans were DONE, all I needed to do was add the rest of the ingredients.  I also used half a bag, a whole bag makes A LOT of beans :)  Drain all the water the beans have been sitting in then I added,

(all of these measurements are "about", then I added a little of what I thought it needed until it tasted yummy!)
about 2 cups of salsa
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 1/2tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 cup taco seasoning
and enough water to make it soupy

You can also add ground or meatballed hamburger, turkey or sausage.
Serve with chips or rolls.
Easy, cheap and Yummy!
Enjoy!!

Easy Tortellini Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

2 14oz. cans chicken or vegetable broth (I'm cheap and just use 3 1/2 c. water and 3 chicken bullion cubes)

9oz pkg. of tortellini (I buy frozen tortellini and just double the recipe or only use half the bag)

4oz. (or half of one tub) cream cheese w/chives and onions

11oz. can tomato soup

Snipped fresh chives (optional)

Instructions:

In medium sauce pan bring broth to a boil. Add tortellini: reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. In a bowl wisk 1/3 c. hot broth with cream cheese until smooth. Return all to sauce pan along with tomato soup. Heat through. Sprinkle with chives (or maybe mozzerella cheese) before serving. Makes 4 servings.

Note: This seems to be pretty high in sodium as I type it out. I imagine if you used low sodium chicken broth, low sodium tomato soup, and low fat cream cheese this would still taste divine. Oh! And if you decide to use vegetable broth you can even call this vegetarian! Not that I'm vegetarian....

Chrissy Parkinson

Wheat Berry Stir-Fry

This is a very healthy, and very delicious recipe:

WHEAT BERRY STIR-FRY
(double this recipe if you want to eat it all week)

4 C. Prepared Wheat Berries (chilled)(see below recipe for wheat berries)
2 T. Butter
2 t. Olive Oil
1/8 t. Pepper
1/8 t. Garlic salt
1/4 C. chopped onion
2 C. Chopped Mushrooms
3 Eggs
1 C. Broccoli cut
1 C. Sliced Carrots
1 C. Corn
1 C. Green Peas
1/2 C. Ham (I used chicken for a healthier protein, but you could also omit this for a veggie meal)
3 T. Soy Sauce

1. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high het.
2. Scramble eggs in small bowl, pour into hot oil, and sprinkle with pepper.
3. Cook eggs until they are firm enoug to flip- flip over and cook the other side.
4. Remove cooked eggs (large pancake shape about 1/4" thick) from pan and cut into 1/2" squares.
5. Saute mushrooms and onions with butter and garlic salt. Drain the liquid and set aside.
6. Heat vegetables in the preheated frying pan.
7. Add Chilled whea berries and mix ingredients together.
8. Combine the egg and mushroom/onion mix with the other ingredients in the pan.
9. Add your pre-cooked protein.
10. Drizle mixture evenly with soy sauce and stir in.
11. Season with salt, pepper and additional soy sauce if needed.

I got this recipe out of the book "Discover Wheat and Other Grains" by Cary Ruggles. The book has about fourteen other recipes, but tells you how to make the wheat berries in other ways, and how to also make creamy wheat berries, which have a cooked oatmeal consistency.

How to make "Wheat Berries":

4 C. White Hard Wheat
8 C. Water
1 t. Salt

Put all of these in a large pan (at least 5 qts).
Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Once you have reached a boil, place lid on pot, and simmer for 1 hour and 5 min. (or until the berries have a soft chewy consistency similar to brown rice. Some may be slightly cracked and open.)

This amount made me about 14 C. of wheat berries!

ENJOY
-Lindsay Kirby (smilelifeaway.blogspot.com)

Whole Grain Penne with Artichoke-Red Pepper Sauce

Ingredients:

1 lb. whole grain pasta (don't try this with regular white or it won't taste right. The whole grain adds a nutty flavor)

2 14 oz. cans quartered artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained (I prefer them packed in water not oil)

12 oz. jar red peppers, drained

2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

4 tsp. lemon juice (or 1/2 a fresh lemon)

1 tsp. dried basil

1/8 tsp. salt

dash freshly ground black pepper

Parmesan Cheese (I use about 2 cups, but I like a lot of cheese)

Instructions:

Cook pasta according to package. Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender combine artichokes, red pepper, olive oil, lemon juice, basil, salt, pepper, and 1/4 c parmesan. Drain pasta but do not rinse. Add sauce to the pasta and toss over low heat until heated through. Add lots of parmesan and serve immediately! Served about 6 for dinner. I usually add a side salad, green beans, or broccoli.

Chrissy Parkinson

Panera Bread's Black Bean Soup

I will give you the doubled recipe, but feel free to half it if you only have two or three people and don't like leftovers.... we on the other hand LIVE for leftovers...

2 onions chopped

4 cloves of garlic (pressed or minced)

4 celery ribs chopped

1/2 red bell pepper chopped (When I don't have this I have used a dash or red pepper spice and a pinch of sugar)

3 chicken bullion cubes

3 c. boiling hot water

5-6 cans black beans (or 1 1/2 bags of dried beans, soaked and cooked)

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

2 Tbsp. Lemon juice

Combine onions, garlic, celery, red bell pepper, bullion cubes, and hot water (if you want to make it totally vegetarian, use 3 c. vegetable broth instead of chicken bullion and water). Let simmer 10 minutes. Add salt, cumin, and 2 cans of black beans (or 1/3 of your cooked beans). Simmer for 5 minutes, then puree together. Add rest of black beans, and lemon juice. Heat through, and enjoy! I frequently serve this with cheese and tortilla chips.

This also could easily go inside a tortilla with rice, salsa, and cheese the next day to make black bean burritos!

Chrissy Parkinson