Black Bean Soup

For me, soups are like appetizers-- I don't think I've ever encountered one that I didn't like! So when I found a recipe for a black bean soup, I immediately wanted to try it.  Beans are good for you, and cheap, so how bad could it be?  

This recipe did not disappoint, and it is now on the regular rotation for The Mr. and I.

Source:  Cooking Light, March 2009

Ingredients:

1 lb. dry black beans
4 c. chicken broth
1 c. water
2 c. onions (but I only had about 1 cup available)
1 jalapeno-- ribbed, seeded, and minced (This was my first time cooking with a fresh jalapeno, so I had to learn how to work with the pepper. I found this website that was very helpful.)
3 bay leaves
1 T. cumin
1 T. lime juice
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
3 T. sour cream
Cilantro sprigs, optional

Directions:

Soak the beans overnight in bowl of water.  To do this, cover the beans so that the water is at least 2 inches higher than the beans. Let soak overnight (8 hours) Drain when ready to use.

In a CrockPot, combine beans, water, broth, bay leaves, cumin, onion, and jalapeno.  Cook on LOW for 10 hours.

After cooking all day, add lime juice, salt, and chopped cilantro. (Before serving, I pureed the soup using an immersion blender to make it creamier, even though the original recipe did not call for this.)

Serve with sour cream and hot sauce, and garnish with sprigs of cilantro.

Verdict:

It's a keeper!  I'm glad I pureed it a bit, because I really liked the creamy texture.  

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Never have I ever made macaroni and cheese.

I tried to make Baked Macaroni and Cheese one time.  It's been so long ago that I almost forgot about it.  It was a recipe from a Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, and I remember doubting myself (and the recipe) as I was making it.  Tasting it confirmed all my suspicions; neither onion nor breadcrumbs belonged in Macaroni and Cheese.  

Since then, I have been on the lookout for a Macaroni and Cheese recipe that would fit my specific requirements in order to be tested.  Disappointment abounded during those years, since every recipe I found had ingredients that I was hoping to avoid.  Have you ever tried to search Mac and Cheese recipes?  It's harder than you think to find one without onions, breadcrumbs, cottage cheese, ricotta, heavy cream, or cream-of-something-gross soup!

Then one day, I found it.  The one. The ingredients? Pasta. Butter. Cheese. Milk. Salt and Pepper.  Perfect! Thank you, Jesus! Or, more specifically, thank you Melissa from Lemons and Love.

This has been bookmarked for several months-- but today was the day.  It's baking right now, and I can't wait! :)

Source:  Inspired by Lemons and Love (slightly modified)


Ingredients: 

16-oz. box of elbow macaroni
16 oz. Velveeta, cut into cubes
16 oz. Shredded Monteray Jack/Mild Cheddar blend (I prefer to use two 8 oz. bags instead of one big bag)
1 stick butter, quartered (Then, each quarter gets sliced into smaller pieces)
1 c. milk (I used skim because that's what we drink)
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven for 325 degrees.

2.  Cook the pasta according to directions on the box.

3.  In a baking dish (I used a Pyrex 8x10), evenly distribute a quarter of the butter pieces.

4.  Layer in half of the cooked pasta.  Follow with half of the Velveeta, then 8oz. of the shredded cheese blend, another quarter of butter pieces, and salt and pepper. 

5.  Repeat last step.

6.  End the last layer with butter pieces on top. Pour milk evenly throughout the whole dish.  

7.  Bake at 325 for 45-60 minutes, till cheese is bubbly and browned in some spots.

Make-Ahead Tip:  Do everything listed above EXCEPT adding the milk.  Cover and refrigerate.  The day you choose to bake it, let the dish come to room temperature, add the milk, then bake as directed. 

Verdict:
I can barely type.  I'm in food coma.  :)

Upon sampling the new recipe, The Mr. informed me that I will be required to make this at least once a week :)  As much as I enjoyed this, we'll have to see about that...