Black Bean & Salsa Soup

I was skeptical to try this recipe out...it seemed too simple, if thats possible! Boy-am I ever glad I did! Tony LOVE LOVE LOVES this recipe (his own words!) and I have to agree! It has the perfect flavor and texture, and there are endless possibilities you could use this for. We love to eat ours with tortilla chips....mmmm. So unbelievably good. Tonight I also made some corn muffins to go with it, but they turned out to be a disappointment. But the soup more than made up for that! This is my favorite "busy day" meal..I got home from work, threw this in the blender, warmed up it, and voila! A healthy, easy, DELICIOUS dinner is ready. :)

Black Bean and Salsa Soup

Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

• 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 c. vegetable broth
• 1 c. salsa
• 1 tsp cumin
• sour cream, green onion, and shredded cheese for garnishing

Directions:

Combine beans, broth, salsa, and cumin in a food processor. Blend until fairly smooth. Heat soup in a saucepan over medium heat until thoroughly heated. Put soup in bowls and garnish as desired.

ENJOY!

Tony's (AMAZING) Tuna

What is better than going to church and coming home to dinner right on the table?! I can only think of one thing--having THIS dinner right on the table! My husband used to eat something similiar growing up, and since he couldn't remember the recipe, this is the outcome! It has definitly become a favorite recipe for us! Its fast, easy, healthy, and extremely tasty!!

Tony's Tuna

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 6 cans tuna, drained (chunk light, or your choice)
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 2 medium-sized tomatoes, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 large jalapeno, diced
• Salt (to taste)
• Lime (to taste)
• Hot sauce (optional) We use Tapatio

Directions:

Mix everything except the last 3 ingredients in a large bowl.

Serve with corn tortillas, warmed up.

Other variations: Tostadas, tortilla chips, saltine crackers

Top with salt, lime, and hot sauce. Enjoy!!

Chubby Hubby Cookies

Mm..MM...MMMMMM! Why have I never made these before?! Oh, thats right! Because I eat half a pan of these delicacies right out of the oven!! These babies are irrestistable!!! It mixes my favorite combination; salty and sweet, to make one of my new favorite cookies!! I am so full, yet I can't keep the cookies in my line of vision or I will HAVE to get up and eat one....which is why my laptop is now in my room. :) Seriously-so good. Without further ado...

Chubby Hubby Cookies

About.com; adapted by Joelen, What's Cookin' Chicago?

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c. butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. firmly-packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 c. chocolate chips
• 3/4 c. peanut butter chips**
• 1/2 c. crushed and processed pretzel sticks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla.

Sift flour and baking soda together. Beat into batter on low speed. Stir in chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and crushed pretzels.

Drop using a small scoop onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 11-14 minutes (I baked mine for 8) until golden on the bottom and just set in the middle. Cool on wire racks.

**I didn't have any peanut butter chips, but I added about 1/4 c. peanut butter and it turned out AMAZING! I plan on subing the chips for the actual peanut butter everytime now, so moist and delicious!!

Carmel Apple Salad

This is one of my all time favorite salads! Who doesn't love a good carmel apple??! This salad is even better because it doesn't come with all the guilt! Has the perfect amount of crunch, its sweet, tangy, DELICIOUS! I also like it because it can easily be made into a very low-fat healthy dish!

Carmel Apple Salad

Nancy Pollard

Ingredients:

• 8 oz cool whip (I used Sugar Free)
• Small butterscotch instant pudding (Again, sugar free)
• 8 oz crushed pineapple/undrained
• 3 c. diced apples (fuji, gayla, any) Put in water w/ sprinkle of salt to prevent browning
• 1 c. dry roasted nuts-any kind (My favorite is cashews)
• 1 c. mini-marshmallows

Directions:

Mix pineapple with pudding mix-fold in cool whip. Add the rest of the ingredients. Refrigerate and serve.

I have also made this with only the cool whip, instant pudding, apples, and nuts. I do love the flavor the pineapple adds though! This recipe is great, tons of possible renovations!

The Chewy (AKA-the BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie!!)

The first time I made this recipe, I thought I died and went to heaven. Soooo delicious. Tony and I both agreed that this was THE best chocolate chip cookie we had ever had the pleasure of tasting, hands down! The second time I made them with a friend (it must have been her fault...jk!) it didn't turn out nearly so good. They looked excellent, but the taste wasn't near as good. I still hold this as my VERY favorite recipe for chocolate chips and this just gives me a great excuse to make them again :)

The Chewy

Alton Brown

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 1/4 c. bread flour
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 Tbsp. milk
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 F

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir the chocolate chips.

Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Banana Oatmeal Scotchie Bars

OH.MY.GOSH. Nothing beats these! I LOVE banana bread, but without a doubt-this takes the cake! (literally) A friend and I had an all day baking spree, making baked goodies for the soldiers in Afhganistan (For Baking GALS) and this was our top pick! So delicious and very easy and simple! The perfect way to use up those ripe bananas!

Banana Oatmeal Scotchie Bars

adapted from http://www.epicurious.com/

Ingredients:

• 1 c. all-purpose flour*
• 1 c. whole wheat flour*
• 1 c. quick-cooking oats
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 c. granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 c. dark brown sugar (I used light)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 c. mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 bag butterscotch chips
• 1 c. walnuts, toasted and chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour 15x10x1-inch baking sheet.

Blend first four ingredients in medium bowl.

Beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add both sugars and beat until well blended.

Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas, then vanilla.

Stir in flour mixture, then chocolate and pecans.

Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean and top is golden, about 25 minutes.

Cool in pan on rack. Cut into 3x2-inch bars and serve.

**I only had bread flour so I just used 2 c. of that, turned out great!

Chili-Cheddar Bread

Mmmm...if I could eat bread for every single meal every single day, I would. This bread turned out perfect! Way better than I expected. It was the perfect texture, and the flavor was incredible. You will not be disappointed with this recipe...try it.

Chili-Cheddar Bread

Adapted from Smells Like Home

Ingredients:

• 2 c. all-purpose flour (I used bread flour)
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 oz. extra-sharp shredded cheddar cheese (I used mild)
• 1 c. skim milk
• 1/3 c. vegetable oil
• 1 4-oz. can green chiles
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped jalepeno chile, vined and seeded
• 1/2 c. finely chopped red bell pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375, grease or spray an 8x13 inch loaf pan

Sift together the flour, salt, pepper, sugar, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Add the cheese and gently toss and stir until it is evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

Whisk the milk, oil, egg, green chiles, jalapeno, and red bell pepper in another bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and cheese mixture, and pour the milk mixture in the center. Briefly blend with a spatula, only until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and place in the oven. Bake until the top is golden-brown, and springs back when touched in the center, about 45-50 minutes. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove bread from the pan and cool completely. (I accidently left the oven at 400 degrees, so mine ended up being cooked at about 35 minutes!)

This was such an easy and quick bread to make! I would highly highly recommend it! :)

Roasted Garlic Potatoes

Being from Idaho, I think it would be wrong if I didn't enjoy potatoes so much! My husband calls me Mrs. Potato Head....because I seriously enjoy any form of the delicious vegetable, almost more than life itself. So of course, I love me some good fries! These fries had an amazing flavor and were cooked to crisp perfection!! YUM!

Roasted Garlic Potatoes

recipe from What's Cookin', Chicago?

Originally adapted from Tyler Florence

• 2 lb. small Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, cut into "fries"


• 2 Tbsp. olive oil


• 2 cloves garlic, minced


• 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced


• Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
  

Roast for 30 minutes at 350, or until crispy.

Slow Cooked Pulled BBQ Chicken

We found a new favorite chicken dish!!! This meal was SUPER unbelievably easy....and increbibly delicious! It was one of "those" days at work, I had a busy night ahead of me, and the last thing I felt like doing was cooking. When I walked in the door the sweet sweet smell of BBQ sauce filled the air and filled my heart with happiness. :) Ok-maybe not, but it did make for a WONDERFUL, fast, and easy meal! This is definitly going to be a well used recipe in our home!

Slow Cooked Pulled BBQ Chicken
Adapted from Krista Kooks

(Sorry, I pretty much took a picture of the lovely Sara Evans bun I used...I promise the chicken looks and tastes delicious!!)

Ingredients:

• 1 small white or yellow onion, chopped
• 1 small clove of garlic, minced
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 c. ketchup
• 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar (I just used white vinegar w/ a little Balsamic mixed in)
• 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp. chile powder
• 1/4 tsp. chipotle chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• hamburger buns
  

Sprinkle onion and garlic over bottom of the crock pot and arrange the chicken thighs on top.

In a small bowl, stir together the ketchup, cider vinegar, brown sugar, oil, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, chipotle chili powder, and salt; pour over chicken thighs. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, until chicken is fork-tender and pulls apart easily.

Remove the chicken from the slow cooker. With two forks, pull apart the meat into shredded chunks.

Return to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and leave on the keep warm setting until ready to serve.

I made some roasted oven fries to accompany this and it was the PERFECT easy weeknight meal :)