Black Bean Soup with Cumin and Jalapeno

Perfect for a Rainy or Snowy Day

When you want something quick and easy on a winter day, this soup is perfect.  I prepared it last night while it was raining outside and both Greg and I were getting over colds inside.  It’s a perfect warm up meal and you can make it in about 40 minutes.  It’s so delicious that you wouldn’t know that it’s healthy too with lots of fiber and very little fat.

Black Bean Soup with Cumin and Jalapeno

Original recipe from Bon Appetit Magazine

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 chopped jalapeño chiles, seeded (check heat to see how much you want to add in the soup)
• 2 15- to 16-ounce cans black beans, undrained
• 1 15-ounce can petite diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth

Your choice of toppings:

Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour Creme
Chopped fresh cilantro
Chopped green onions
Crumbled feta cheese
Tabasco

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic; sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Mix in cumin and jalapeño. Add beans, tomatoes with juice, and broth; bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until carrots are tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer 3 cups of soup to blender and puree until smooth. Return puree to pot. Simmer soup until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Pass toppings separately.

Chicken with Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

Rich, Flavorful and Delicious Chicken
that you can serve Any Night!

I haven’t written many recipes lately for Quick and Easy Every Night Dishes…this is probably due to the Holidays that entail so much entertaining and big meals that take awhile to cook.  Well…with Super Bowl Sunday out of the way, I’m pleased to present this easy to make yet delicious meal. 

The chicken dish is the type of meal that you can make when entertaining friends, or for just a few.  I make the full recipe for Greg and I and dine on the leftovers the next day for lunch.  Because the dish is so rich we usually go simple and just have a green salad and bread with it – no potatoes or rice.  If I were to serve it for company though, I’d probably add a simple new potato recipe.

If you’re entertaining, you can make the chicken ahead of time and finish the meal right before serving. 

There’s something about cream in a meal when mixed with just the right ingredients.  It really blends well here with the tomatoes, mushrooms and shallots.  Combined with the butter, it also packs a calorie punch so be forewarned!  You could try it with less cream or non fat milk but I can’t guarantee that it will taste as good. 

Chicken with Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

  

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halve, pounded flat, sat and peppered.
• ½ cup coarsely chopped drained oil packed sun dried tomatoes
• 4 large shallots, sliced thinly
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tablespoons brandy
• 10 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon herbes de provence
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh parsley for garnish

 

1. Heat oil and butter over medium high heat.  Add chicken and sauté until cooked through.  Transfer chicken to plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
2. If needed, add more olive oil. Sauté tomatoes, shallots and garlic over medium heat until they’re tender, about 5 min. Add brandy and break up any loose bits of chicken still in pan. Add mushrooms and continue to cook for a few minutes.  Add cream and bring to boil.  Add dried herbs. Simmer until sauce thickens.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. Transfer chicken to plates.  Spoon sauce over and serve.

Crabmeat Deviled Eggs

Adding Crab to your Deviled Eggs gives them more flavor and texture!

I was never a big fan of Deviled Eggs.  What’s to love?  It’s mostly eggs and mayonnaise (which includes egg) with a few seasonings thrown in – a bit boring to me.

Recently though, I tried some different variations of Deviled Eggs that I discovered on my fellow bloggers’ websites.  I added crab to my traditional Deviled Eggs recipe and all I can say is “WOW”!  The crabmeat adds sweetness and texture to what would be an otherwise boring Deviled Egg.

Another variation of this tasty appetizer is my French Deviled Eggs recipe.  You top the eggs bread crumbs and toast them under the broiler.  I’ll prepare those soon and upload the recipe to the website.  Bon Appetit!

Crabmeat Deviled Eggs

• 8 eggs
• 1- 6 ounce Phillips lump crabmeat
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne red pepper
• ¼ teaspoon thyme leaves
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• Sprigs of fresh dill (for garnish)

Place eggs in saucepan; cover with cold water and bring to a boil.  Shut off heat and cover pan for 10 minutes.  Immediately drain; run cold water over eggs to stop cooking.

Peel eggs and cut in half lengthwise.  Scoop the yolks from 4 eggs into medium bowl.  Remove remaining yolks and reserve for another dish if desired.

Add crabmeat, mayo, mustard, pepper, and dried herbs in bowl; mix and mash with fork until well blended.  Mound the yolk mixture into the center of each cooked egg white.  Garnish each with dill.  Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

Blue Cheese Square Appetizers

Sweet caramelized onions and sharp blue cheese blend well in this tasty appetizer.  We served it on New Years’ eve and it was perfect with champagne but is just as delicious with beer or red wine.  Since the appetizer is quite rich, you don’t need to make too much – 1-2 pieces per person is adequate. 

The Bon Appetit recipe calls for a homemade crust but I like my version since it’s easier to make and besides…what’s better than crescent rolls?  They’re sweet, crunchy and chewy and a great combination with onions and blue cheese.

Original recipe from Bon Appetit Magazine

• 1- 8 ounce can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large onions (about 2 pounds), halved, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) crumbled blue cheese

Heat the oven to 350°.  Unroll dough; place on cookie sheet. Separate and press dough into 4 rectangles.  Firmly press perforations to seal. 

Melt butter with oil in large skillet over high heat. Add onions. Cook until onions are soft and beginning to brown, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add rosemary, sugar, and salt. Season the onions to taste with pepper. Reduce heat to medium. Continue to cook until onions are soft and dark brown, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes; cool.

Spread onion mixture evenly over dough. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake until crust is golden and cheese is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let cool. Cut into squares and serve.

Cooking Tip:  Make certain you separate the crescent dough into 4 triangles as the squares are really improved  if each piece has a crust edge.

Super Bowl Party Pork Sandwiches

A perfect dish for your Super Bowl party this Sunday

For a fun and casual party this Sunday let your guests serve themselves.  Making their own delicious sandwiches is just the right approach for you to insure your guests have fun and for you to enjoy the party too.   With the crock pot on warm, my guests on New Years’ eve were able to dine at their leisure and have a fabulous time.

An easy and delicious dish to prepare, you’ll be able to enjoy the game or any other gathering with friends and family.  Enjoy!

Party Pork Sandwich with Crunchy Slaw

• 1 4 ½ lb pork tenderloin
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 2 ½ cups barbecue sauce
• ¾ cup water
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• Prepared horseradish to taste
• Rolls
• Napa Cabbage Cole Slaw

Place tenderloin in a slow cooker.  Lay chopped onion on top and pour 1 ½ cups barbecue sauce and water over roast.

Cover and cook on high 6 hours or until the meat is tender and shreds easily.  Shred meat and add more barbecue sauce.  Cook on low about 1 hour longer.

Mix sour cream, mayo and horseradish and place in a bowl for guests to serve themselves.  Prepare Cole Slaw.  Serve on the side with the horseradish mixture and let guests serve themselves at the party!