Caribbean Pumpkin & Black Bean Soup...

1 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin

1 15 oz. can Pumpkin

1 15 oz. can Black Beans, drained

1 14 oz can unsweetened Coconut Milk

1 C. canned Vegetable Broth

4 Tbsp. Cilantro, chopped 

2 tsp. fresh Lime Juice

3/4 tsp. Lime Peel, grated

Stir the cumin in a medium saucepan over high heat for 30 seconds.  Add pumpkin, beans, coconut milk, broth and 3 Tbsp. cilantro.  Bring soup to a boil, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors.  Mix in lime juice and peel.  Season to taste with salt & pepper.  Ladle into bowls and top with remaining cilantro.

(I tasted this at a church dinner spotlighting soups in homemade bread bowls.  It is very different, but delicious.  Serve with cornbread.)

Macaroni & Cheese...

1 lb. Box of Pasta
2 Tbsp. Butter
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup (or any "cream" soup)
1/4 C Milk
1/2 t Tabasco Sauce
1 1/2 C. Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Boil pasta, (I like mostaccioli or bow ties) in lightly salted water per package directions.  Drain.  Return to pan.  Add butter, soup, tabasco and cheese.  Stir over medium-low heat until pasta is well coated and cheese is melted.  Serve immediately.  Salt & Pepper to taste.

(Yummy and Easy.  If you're not a fan of Kraft... Give this a try!)

Chicken Noodle Soup...

4 Large Chicken Breast halves (with skin & bones)
1 Gallon of Water (16 C.)
1 large Onion (diced)
4 large sprigs of Parsley
6 Stalks of Celery (divided)
6 Large Carrots (divided)
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
2 Tbsp. Dill Weed
2 Tbsp. Chicken Bouillon Crystals
1 Tbsp. Cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 C. Cold Water

In a large pot, place chicken, water, and onion.  Use 4 leafy stalks of celery broken into large pieces and 3 of the carrots cut into 6 large pieces.  Add to chicken mixture and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool to handle.  Remove chicken from bone, tear and return to broth, discard cooked parsley, celery and carrots.  Chop remaining (raw) celery and carrots into bite size pieces.  Add to broth.  Add salt, dill weed, bouillon crystals and cornstarch mixture.  Bring to boil stirring constantly.  Add noodles and cook until noodles and veggies have reached desired tenderness.

(Grandma Norma makes the best chicken noodle soup!  I'm not sure how much like her recipe this is... but, it was her recipe that introduced me to dill weed, a favorite addition.  I think the main difference between mine and Grandma's is that I like lots of chunky veggies in mine.  I often add extra carrots, celery, green beans and corn.  The Christensen family likes to eat their chicken noodle soup over mashed potatoes!)

Orange Cream Jell-O Salad

1 Large box of Orange Jell-O
20 oz can of Crushed Pineapple (Or Mandarin Oranges)
2 C. Buttermilk
12 oz tub of Cool Whip

In a large microwave safe bowl, place pineapple or oranges (INCLUDING juice) and microwave for 3 minutes.  Add Jell-O and stir until completely dissolved.  Cool 30 minutes on countertop.  Add buttermilk and whisk in cool whip.  Chill in refrigerator for a few hours.

(From Grandma Norma who got it from Aunt Jenny... I don't tell the masses that it's made with BUTTERMILK.  We just enjoy it!)

Taco Soup...

1 -  1 1/2 lbs of Ground Beef
1 C. Chopped Onion
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
2 1/2 Tbsp Taco Seasoning
1 28 oz can Crushed Tomatoes
1 8 oz can Tomato Sauce
1 15 oz can Rotel Original Diced Tomatoes & Chilies
1 C. Frozen Corn
1 15 oz can Black Beans
1 15 oz can Red Beans
1 15 oz can White Beans
Tortilla Chips

In a colander mix all beans together and let drain while preparing the soup.  In a large pot brown the ground beef, drain.  Add onion, garlic, taco seasoning, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, rotel and corn.  Add in the beans.  Bring to boiling.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes.  (Or... I brown the meat and put everything in a crock pot and let simmer on low for about 4-6 hours.)

Use tortilla chips as "spoons" and garnish with your favorite taco fixin's.  We like shredded cheese, sour cream, cubed avacado and green onion.

(A family favorite for 2 decades... Corn is a recent addition... Most of us like it.  Serve with Cornbread and Honeybutter.)

Pasta Weesie...

Fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp in a garlic - lemon butter - white wine sauce topped with sautéed mushrooms and scallions...

FETTUCCINE ALFREDO:
I Pkg of Linguine
1/4 C Butter
1 C Heavy Cream
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
1 T Fresh Parsley (minced)
1 1/2 C Fresh Parmesan Cheese (grated)

While linguine pasta is cooking...  Melt butter over medium heat, add cream.  Let simmer for 5 minutes.  Add garlic and parsley.  Cook for an additional 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and whisk in parmesan cheese.  Stir until well combined. (This was plenty thick, I added 1/2-3/4 Cup milk to thin it down after adding the cheese.)  Toss with pasta.

SHRIMP:
1 lb of Shrimp
1/4 C Butter
Juice of 1 Lemon
1/4 C White Wine
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)

Melt butter over medium heat, add shrimp - cook halfway through before adding lemon juice, white wine and garlic.  Continue to cook to reduce the liquid down to desired thickness.  Add to Fettuccine Alfredo.

MUSHROOMS:
1 C Mushrooms (chopped)
2 T Butter
2 T Sliced Scallions
1/2 C White Wine

Rough chop the mushrooms, saute in butter with scallions and white wine until desired doneness.  Top the Pasta and Shrimp.

(My favorite meal from Carrabba's Italian Grill... Or at least my imitation of it.  Served with delicious European bread and a Romaine/Parmesan/Kalamata Olive/Caesar Salad...  I fed 6 of us for a lot less than two of us could eat out.  But, we didn't GET to eat out... I don't have white wine on hand, so substitute White Grape Juice or Ginger Ale...  )