Black Bean & Salsa Noodle Soup

I love soup and made this a couple of weeks ago. I've been so busy with Thanksgiving, my birthday, Jack's birthday and now his retirement that I've not blogged as much as I had hoped to. However, I made this like a said a few weeks ago and took pics so I could blog it. You must make this super duper easy and fast soup. I know it's a lot of canned stuff, but that is one reason it's so fast to make. Feel free to load it with some fresh veg instead. As with all recipes you can substitute the type of noodles you have on hand, use frozen corn or canned, This was delicious, just remember that when soup contains pasta the pasta continues to absorb the juice so if you have leftovers you will have big fat noodles and need to add more broth. This was adapted from Betty Crocker.

• 3 cans (14 oz each) vegetable broth
• 1 jar (16 oz) Thick 'n Chunky salsa
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained, rinsed
• 1 cup whole kernel corn, drained (if frozen you don't need to thaw)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 5 oz elbow noodles (or whatever you have, uncooked
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

In 4-quart Dutch oven, heat broth to boiling. Stir in remaining ingredients except pasta.

Return to a boil, add pasta.

Cook according to the length of time suggested on your package of pasta. My elbows required about 6 minutes. 

 Fast, yummy and warms you up from the inside out!

Vegetable Enchilada Casserole

This enchilada dish was really easy to throw together by using canned beans. I know, I know, but sometimes you just have to use up some of your pantry items and shave some time off of dinner prep. This was a delicious deconstructed enchilada casserole and the leftovers reheated well. Give it try!

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 Vidalia onion, chopped
• 1/3 pound baby spinach
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 can (19 oz.) red enchilada sauce
• 12 all-corn taco sized tortillas, quartered
• 1 can vegetarian refried beans
• 1 can black bean, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup Diaya shredded cheddar cheese
• 6 tablespoons chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 375°. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes.

Add spinach and cook, stirring as needed, until almost completely wilted.

Add corn and cook until hot. Set aside.

Using a 9- by 13-in. baking dish spread one-third of the enchilada sauce over bottom.

Top with one-third of tortillas and all of the black beans.

Sprinkle on one-third of cheese and spoon on mounds of the refried beans.

Add another one-third of tortillas.

Top with another third of the enchilada sauce.

Add the mixed vegetables and the rest of the tortillas.

Top with the remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle on the remaining cheese.

Bake enchiladas until bubbling, cheese is melted, and tortillas are starting to brown on edges, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions.

Breakfast Hash

I love a delicious, rustic, filling, hearty breakfast. I like to use potatoes as my base and then see what else is in the frig that needs to be used. Normally I make this on the weekend to clear out the frig and when I have more time. Feel free to use what you have handy, what you enjoy and you can also wrap these in a tortilla if you want to make it a breakfast sandwich. Here's what we had last weekend.

• 2 potatoes (yellow, red, russet, whatever), large dice
• 1 medium to large sweet potato, medium dice
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced or chopped
• 1/2 white onion, diced or chopped
• 1 cubanelle or Anaheim pepper, diced or chopped
• 2 links  Tofurky Italian Sausage, cut into coins or half moons
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/3 bag of fresh spinach
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup Daiya cheddar shreds

I put my cubed potatoes in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 4-5 minutes to cook. I cooked the sweet potatoes about 3 minutes, then added the white potatoes and cooked another 4. Next time I'll just cook it all together for 5-6 minutes.

Heat about a tablespoon oil in a nonstick skillet until shimmering. Add potatoes and let partially brown.

Cut sausages.

Add onions, mushrooms and all peppers to the skillet and let the vegetables soften.

Sprinkle on the cheese and let it start to melt.

Add the spinach and stir well. Let the spinach get nice and wilted, stirring occasionally.

Serve as is or put in a burrito. I ate mine as is, Jack doused his with some ketchup.  Remember you can add whatever you have and enjoy to this hash.