Black Bean Soup

This one was a huge hit with the DaKids because they got chips for dunking in their soup. Like most of the soups I make this one is bits and pieces of stuff that I wanted to use up.

I sauteed up all the leftover veggies in the veggie drawer which included onion, celery, carrots and peppers. I added some chicken broth, a can of diced tomatoes and a a can of black beans. To spice things up I threw in a little chili powder and cumin and then let the pot simmer until DaGoof got home. While he went off to entertain DaKids I pureed the soup and added some turkey kielbasa that had been hiding in the freezer.

For the kids I added a few frozen peas to their bowls to cool off the soup and then we ate it with tortilla chips. Guessing by DaKids smiles they liked this one. Maybe someday I will write enough notes about how I make my soups that I will be able to duplicate them... probably not!

Spicy Red Clam Sauce & Pudding Parfaits

This meal was so fast to make. I had the sauce done before the water boiled. There was a nice little zip to the sauce. DaGoof was in charge of making the salad. While he was doing that I took some extra cake we had in the freezer topped it with a white chocolate instant pudding and tucked dessert into the fridge.

By the time DaKids had cleaned their plates the pudding was set. A squirt of 'cream' as DaKids call it and of course sprinkles made everyone happy. This was a fast and easy dinner I need to make again.

Weekend Pancakes

Every weekend seems to bring at least one lazy morning when we make breakfast and eat together. For the last several months the typical request is for pancakes and sausage. I follow a very simple recipe in my Fanny Farmer cookbook.

I like this recipe because it is simple and quick to put together, and it takes additions well. I typically add cinnamon and fruit. Sometime apples or bananas but the favorite addition is blueberries. The little frozen wild blueberries.

Maple syrup is the best thing to top pancakes with, but DaKids just gobble up blueberry sauce. I make a very yummy blueberry sauce while the pancakes are cooking. I put about two cups of blueberries in a small sauce pan, add a sprinkle or two of cinnamon and a few tablespoons of maple syrup. I let it warm up over low heat, by the time all the pancakes are cooked, we have warm fresh sauce. What could be better?

Pizza

My parents and siblings were coming over for dinner and I had already promised pizza. I started making my usual pizza crust but in a very distracted moment I poured a cup of water directly into my bread machine. I realized the error almost immediately but water was already dripping out of the bottom. That ment I very quickly needed to find another pizza crust I could make by hand with minimal amount of effort.

In a quick search I found a recipe that looked easy enough, and I prayed that it would be tasty too. I was very pleased with the results.

This pizza had one of the best crusts I have ever made. I followed the pizza crust recipe from King Arthur. Using all the dough to make a thick pizza in my favorite cookie sheet. I did use olive oil on the cookie sheet which gave me the crispiest crust I have ever made. I want to try this recipe again and try some of the other options offered by the recipe.

This particular pizza had very traditional toppings which were requested by the guests. Pizza sauce, peppers, onions, pepperoni and of course mozzarella cheese.

Twice Baked Potatoes with Ham and Cheddar

This was a fun dinner. I microwaved several baking potatoes, and then hollowed out the insides leaving a thick shell. I mashed the potato and added Canadian bacon. Then I stuffed the hallowed out potato shells with the mashed potatoes, topped them with a little cheddar cheese and popped the potatoes in the oven just long enough to melt the cheese. They were served with a side of steamed broccoli with a sprinkling of cheese.

Asisn Shrimp and Vermicelli Salad

This dinner came from "Cooking Light Super fast Suppers". The recipe can also be found online here. I followed the directions for the sauce but I subbed in broccoli and yellow peppers, because that was what I had on hand. I also used a thin whole wheat spaghetti instead of the vermicelli. This was a quick dinner to put together. The sauce was a wonderful sweet and sour flavor that we all enjoyed. I think I may have to make this one again.

The Food We Eat

My wife (DaMom) makes all kinds of wonderful meals for us to eat. Sometimes we never eat the same thing twice even though we liked the recipe. They just get lost. This Blog is to serve as a reminder of the good and bad recipes we eat.

Did I mention a toddler and preschooler eat all of this stuff as well?

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