Spicy Black Bean Soup

Soup season is in full force around here and it makes me oh so happy.

This is a new favorite of mine. I found it on Pinterest and it's originally from the gorgeous The Novice Chef blog. ( http://www.thenovicechefblog.com/)

It’s filling, it’s healthy, and it warms the insides on a chilly night.

Eat outside by a fire with friends and a glass of wine for additional happiness :)



(borrowed the Novice Chef's lovely picture)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large white onions, chopped
4 large jalapenos, minced
1 large shallot, minced
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons white (or black) pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
6 (14.5 oz) cans low sodium black beans (4 cans drained & rinsed, 2 cans with liquid)
6 cups water, plus 3 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Vegetarian No Chicken Base

*I also add about a half cup of orange juice (thanks for the suggestion, Mom!)

Directions: 

In a large heavy bottomed stock pot, over medium high heat, add olive oil, onions, jalapeno, shallot and garlic. Sauté until translucent.

Add spices and mix until well combined. Cook for 3 minutes more.

Add beans and broth (water + better than bouillon), bring to a simmer. Simmer until soup has thickened slightly, about 40-45 minutes.

Using an immersion blender (or using the transfer 1 cup at a time to a blender method and back to the pot method), blend about half of the soup until smooth.

Serve with avocado, fresh orange slices, and cilantro or a dollop of sour cream and chives.  

Happy Fall, Y’all! 

Enjoy.



peanut butter fudge brownie trifle

hello again. remember me? i have been a total blog failure as of late. i'm not even going to make excuses (insanely busy summer, school year starting, not enough hours in the day, k enough said.)  i have lots of things to share with you....a delicious green bean recipe and lentil soup (yes, soup already) and others, BUT today is about this: a peanut butter fudge brownie trifle. it's from pinterest (originally from this blog: howsweeteats) you may have seen it. yes, it really is as good as it looks and i recommend you make a plan to have lots of friends over  before making it so you're forced to share this divine little treat with others.

this is sinfully rich (and not at allllll good for you) BUT it's so worth it. promise.

ingredients:

1 batch of your favorite brownies, boxed or from scratch, cooled and cut into cubes (i used ghirardelli dark chocolate with chocolate chips)

1 large box (5-ounce) of instant chocolate pudding, prepared and chilled (this will most likely call for 3 cups of milk)

1 bag of peanut butter cups, chopped (I used Recess mini cups)

2 cups heavy cream

3-4 tablespoons granulated sugar, depending on your desired level of sweetness (3 for me and it was plenty sweet!)

1 cup of creamy peanut butter

1 cup of powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk

8 ounces of whipped cream cheese, at room temperature

what to do:

Using a hand mixer (or in the bown of an electric mixer), beat heavy cream and sugar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.

 Transfer the whipped cream to an separate bowl and stick in the fridge until ready to use. I did not even clean the bowl of my electric mixer and just began mixing the peanut butter mixture.

Add the peanut butter and cream cheese to the bowl and beat at medium speed, scraping down the sides a few times until mixture is creamy.

 Add in powdered sugar and mix until combined, then mix in 2 tablespoons of milk.

Remove the whipped cream from the fridge and add 1 cup of it to the peanut butter, folding it in until the mixture turns lighter in color and is mostly combined.

Grab your trifle dish (I got one that I really like from Walmart for $6...score! :) ) and begin to layer your ingredients however you’d like.

 I did a layer of brownies, then peanut butter, then a handful of chopped peanut butter cups, chocolate pudding, whipped cream, and so on. I repeated it until I got to the top, then piped the remaining whipped cream on top and sprinkled the candy on.

You really can’t go wrong with layering – just use a long spoon to serve!

we had some friends over last weekend. we packed on our front porch. the girls drank wine and talked. the guys grilled. it was a lot of fun. then the trifle happened. the most social of the social butterflies were quieted by this dessert. "it's like heaven in my mouth.", "shhh don't talk to me right now, i just want to be alone with my trifle" -emily...i mean anonymous :)

make it, you're friends will love you for it!

enjoy.

vegetarian chili

This recipe says that it makes 6 servings, but I think it made more like 12. We ate chili for lunch and dinner for several days. Next time, I'll half the recipe probably. It was very easy and good!! Enjoy :)

what you need:
1 (12 oz.) package frozen burger-style crumbles (I used Morning Star brand)
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 (15 oz.) cans dark red kidney beans
1 (15 oz.) can light red kidney beans
1 (29 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (12 fl. oz.) can tomato juice
2 onions, chopped
3 T chili powder
1.5 T ground cumin
1 T garlic powder
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste

what to do: 
In a large pot, combine meat substitute, black beans, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato juice, onions, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cover. Let the chili simmer for at least 1 hour before serving.

Top with crumbled tortilla chips and a dash of cheese. Mmm!

smoked gouda sweet potatoes

I tried a different spin on sweet potatoes this Thanksgiving. Instead of the pecan/marshmallow/gooey sweet goodness on top.. I made sweet potatoes with rich smoked gouda and lingering cayenne pepper flavors. Quite tasty, if I do say so myself. 

What you need:
4 T butter
3 T heavy whipping cream, divided
1/2 t coarse salt
1 t sugar
1/8 t cayenne pepper (or more if you like more kick)
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices (cut as thin as you can!)
1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded smoked Gouda cheese
6 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
2 green onions, chopped

What to do:
Heat the butter, 2 T of the cream, the salt, sugar, cayenne and sweet potatoes in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Once the butter has melted, stir to coat the potatoes. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the potatoes are very tender, about 30 to 40 minutes (I had to cook mine longer than the recipe says and I added a little skim milk in the last few minutes of cooking.), stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add the cheese and remaining tablespoon of cream; cover for 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese melts. Mix thoroughly to mash the potatoes. Top with crumbled bacon and onions just before serving.

pumpkin bread pudding with dulce de leche

I'm not traditionally a "bread pudding person". I don't know why. I love bread and I love dessert, but I've just never gotten into the bread pudding thing.  I'm into this one though. It's fun to make, it's festive, and damn...it's just really good!! (oh, there's not a healthy thing about it. we can all splurge once in a while... :) )

what you need for the bread pudding:
1 can (15 oz.) pure pumpkin puree
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup light-brown sugar
1/2 t coarse salt
3/4 t pure vanilla extract
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t anise seed, roughly chopped
10 oz. day-old bread, such as brioche or sourdough, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped

what you need for the dulce de leche:
6 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 t coarse salt
*remove from heat and whisk in:
3/4 t baking soda (mixture will foam)

what to do for bread pudding:
Butter a 2-quart baking dish.
In a large bowl, whisk together the custard: can pumpkin puree, 1 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 2 large eggs, lightly beaten, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon anise seed, roughly chopped.
Arrange bread pieces in a dish and pour custard over bread and top with pecans, roughly chopped.
Bake at 350 until custard is set, 45 minutes. Let cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature, drizzled with dulce de leche. To store, cover and refrigerate, up to 2 days.

what to do for dulce de leche:
In a medium saucepan combine ingredients, then cook over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
Remove from heat and whisk in 3/4 teaspoon baking soda (mixture will foam).
Return to simmer and cook over low, stirring occasionally and skimming off any foam, until sauce is deep golden brown and lightly coats a spoon, about an hour.

favorite salad at the moment

I don't know if it's the ingredients or the dressing or just how pretty it looks, but this salad is an easy crowd pleaser and a very quick healthy dinner. And again, this is one you can add to or take away from or use another dressing if this isn't your thing. Enjoy!

what you need for the salad:
-fresh spinach leaves
-grape tomatoes
-1 avacado, sliced
-almonds
-crumbled feta
-dried cranberries and/or pomegranate seeds

what you need for the dressing:
2 T red raspberry jam with seeds
2 T red wine vinegar
1/3 c olive oil
freshly ground black pepper to taste
salt to taste

what to do:
Combine as much of these things together as you'd like, mix dressing in a jar and shake, add as much dressing as you'd like. Ta-da!

apple cider roasted vegetables

You can alter this recipe and use pretty much any vegetable you choose. I chose parsnips, rutabaga, baby carrots, and mushrooms. mmm!

what you need:
-about 5 parsnips (or 1.5 lbs), peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
-1 lb. bag baby carrots
-about 3 large rutabaga, cubed
-1 lb. baby portabella mushrooms **
-4 T brown sugar
-4 T olive oil
-2 T apple cider vinegar

what to do:
Heat oven to 450. Place vegetables in roasting pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar. Pour over the vegetables and toss to coat well.
Cook until tender, about an hour, stirring halfway. **Add the mushrooms during the last 10 minutes, toss to coat well, and finish roasting. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

our first (married) thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving in North Carolina this year. Ryan had to work so we didn't go to Texas. Thankfully our friends Travis and Laura stayed in town too. So the four of us celebrated together at our house! We got married in March and the Lintners (travis and laura) got married in June...so all of us will always remember our first married thanksgiving together in winston salem :) We had a great time and enjoyed some good food!

On the menu:
-Holiday Brie
-A Smoked Greenberg Turkey (provided by my in-laws..woo hoo!) http://www.gobblegobble.com/
-Spinach Salad
-Stuffing made by Laura!
-Cranberry Sauce made by Laura!
-Smoked Gouda Sweet Potatoes
-Apple Cider Roasted Vegetables
-Pumpkin Bread Pudding and Caramel Yummy Bars

Table setting...simple, but still festive :)

Thanksgiving menu recipes coming soon...

Curried Pumpkin Mushroom Soup

One of my favorite things about cold weather is soup. I really love a good cup of soup!

My husband, on the other hand, doesn't get quite as much joy from a cup of soup for dinner as I do.

What does he mean "soup's not a real meal?" :)

Even he loves this one...

(I'm back to revise this post a year later. I made this soup this weekend for a little "fall party".  It was a  big hit and it's just so easy. I made a few tiny changes.)

Ingredients:

 1/2 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/2 c chopped onion

2 T flour
2 T butter

 3 c organic low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin

2 T honey or agave nectar

1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t curry powder

1/2 t salt

 1 12 oz. can fat free evaporated milk (OR 1 pint half-and-half (fat free organic))
black pepper to taste
cayenne pepper to taste

Directions:

Melt the butter in a stockpot over medium heat; add the mushrooms and onions, and saute for 10 minutes. Stir in flour and curry; add broth and stir for 1 minute.

Add the pumpkin, honey or agave and seasonings, and mix well. Stir over medium-high heat until the soup comes to a simmer. Reduce heat and continue to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the half-and-half and heat through without boiling. Serve immediately.

Top with chives or toasted pumpkin seeds and serve with warm, toasty bread.

It's like Fall in a cup!

pumpkin crunch

This Fall treat is a great snack to have on hand, a great treat if you're having company over, and a sure way to make your home smell like the holidays fast!

The recipe calls for maple syrup...I used Agave Nectar instead...worked great!

Ingredients:

1 cup pumpkin seeks (raw, without shell. I bought mine from Whole Foods in the bulk section)

1 ½ teaspoons canola oil

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons maple syrup (or agave)

1 ¼ cups dried cranberries (or dried cherries if you prefer)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300. Coat baking sheet with canola oil and spread pumpkin seeds evenly over sheet. Roast for twenty minutes or until almost dry. Place pumpkin seeds in a medium bowl and mix in maple syrup until coated. Combine spices in a large bowl and add pumpkin seeds. Place back on baking sheet and return to oven. Roast for fifteen minutes or until dry. Set seeds aside until completely cool – about thirty minutes. When cool, combine seeds with dried cranberries.

it looks so pretty too!

enjoy :)

what's all the fuss about

a lot of people I know LOVE fall. people rave about it!

 i enjoy a good piece of pumpkin bread or a pumpkin latte once in a while. 

but i guess if i'm honest, i've never really considered myself a LOVER OF FALL. now living in north carolina, i am starting to see what all the fuss is about.

the leaves are changing. it's cooling off (scarves, boots, jackets!).

 pumpkin cake has never tasted better. it's absolutely gorgeous here! 

to some of you, that is nothing new and may not seem noteworthy. 

being a houstonian all my life, having 4 seasons is a new and exciting thing for me. i am becoming a true and genuine lover of fall :)  roasted pumpkin seeds. 

lots of hot chocolate on the porch. pumpkins in the house. pumpkin on the porch. fall flowers. fall cookies. my favorite fall thing of all, though, are the leaves....

beautiful, huh??

what do you love about fall?

:)

fall cookies

A few Fridays ago I brought a treat to school for some of my coworkers. 

just a little "we made it to the weekend!" pick me up :) 

I brought s'more cups, a delicious recipe from my friend Sarah that I will share with you soon. 

Today in a meeting, a s'more-cup-loving work friend said, "

Kate, I've been thinking about those s'more cups!! Will you pleaseee bring another treat soon?" 

How could I resist? I came home, looked in the pantry to see what I already had, and was able to make these! They are sort of a hodge podge type of cookie, so if you're 

not into nuts and oats and a party in your mouth, 

you may want to leave out a couple ingredients :)

Ingredients:

1 c. melted butter

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 c. peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. uncooked oatmeal

6 oz. chocolate chips

*1/2 c. chopped pecans

*cinnamon to taste (I used about 3/4 Tbsp)

*ingredients that I added to the recipe

*3 heaping Tbsp. homemade hot chocolate 

(I'll share that recipe soon!) (substitute with a packet of hot chocolate)

Directions: 

Mix all ingredients together and place by spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet. 

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes. 

Cookies will still be soft when done.