Black Bean Soup

This is what I had for lunch today and it was yummy! It was my first time making it and it turned out great.

1 can whole black beans
1 can broth (chicken, beef or vegetable)
1Tbs butter
1/2 small onion (chopped)
1 garlic clove (chopped)
sour cream (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onion and garlic in butter. Than place 3/4 of the can of beans and the whole can of broth in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the mixture to the pan with the onions, garlic and remaining beans and than bring to a boil. Salt and pepper to taste.
Optional: Top with shredded cheese or sour cream.

Note: For a thick and creamy black bean soup use less broth, blend all of the ingredients together and stir in a spoonful of sour cream.

Biscuits and Gravy

While the biscuits are a relatively new recipe for me, I've been making this gravy for years. You can use sausage or bacon grease in place of the butter if you want the flavor. And FYI a stand mixer makes the biscuits much easier to make.

BISCUITS:
3 cups flour
1 Tbs baking powder
1 Tbs sugar
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 cup butter
1 cup milk

GRAVY:
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs flour
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

BISCUITS: mix all of the dry ingredients in a bowl than cut in butter with a knife until the mixture resembles crumbs. Than add the milk and mix until it forms into a dough. Roll the dough to about 3/4 inch thick and cut with a biscuit cutter. Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes.
GRAVY: melt the butter in a sauce pan over med/high heat. than add the flour and mix until it's smooth. Continue to heat while you slowly add the milk and whisk until it thickens. Salt and pepper to taste.

Salisbury Steak

1 pound ground sirloin beef
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs flour
2 cups beef broth
1 small onion
mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste

Dice onion and mix with ground beef. Shape into oval patties about 1 inch thick. Cook over medium/high heat until juices run clear. Add a bit of salt and pepper and set aside.
Add butter to the pan and saute mushrooms until tender. Add the flour to mushrooms and than add beef broth. Whisk until well blended than add the beef patties and simmer until the gravy begins to thicken.

Cinnamon Bites

I didn't get this recipe from the internet or from a book...I made it up. And I don't know what to call it. It's not really a cinnamon roll or baked cinnamon doughnuts. I guess it's more like monkey bread or pull apart bread (only you don't pull it apart). I don't know so I will just call them cinnamon bites.

1 can Grands biscuits
1/4 cup butter (melted) or use spray butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp cinnamon
ICING:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cut each biscuit into fourths (an 8pk of biscuits makes 32 bite size pieces). Mix cinnamon and sugar together. Dip each biscuit piece into melted butter and than roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place about an inch apart on a cookie sheet and bake according to  the directions on the can or at 350 for about 10 minutes.
While the cinnamon bites are cooling mix 2 cups confectioners sugar and the milk (1 tablespoon at a time) until you get a desired thickness. Than add the vanilla. Mix and pour over the cinnamon bites.

Bacon Alfredo Sauce

I love chicken and I love alfredo sauce but I'm not real fond of chicken in my alfredo sauce. Instead, I like real bacon bits in my sauce. Here is an easy alfredo sauce recipe I found:

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter (real butter is better)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese (or bagged shredded Italian cheese blend)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)
pepper to taste
real bacon bits

Melt the butter in a sauce pan over low/med heat. Slowly pour in the heavy cream and continually mix with a whisk until it begins to simmer (do not let it boil). Add the cheese in a little at a time and whisk until it's smooth and creamy than add your seasonings. Top with the bacon pieces after it's been mixed with the pasta.
Note: If the sauce is to thin than add a couple tablespoons of flour to a very small amount of milk and than stir it until their are no lumps and than add it to the sauce.

Slow Cooked Apples

Ingredients:
5 cups apples (4 medium apples)
2 Tbs water
2 Tbs melted butter
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup brown sugar

Mix the water, butter and lemon juice and pour over the apples in the crock pot. Than sprinkle with the brown sugar and cinnamon and toss to coat. Cover and cook on low for 2 -3 hours.

Option: pour the sauce into a pan and add about a tsp of corn starch and than heat until it thickens. Than pour over apples.

Black Bean and Bacon Quesadilla's

This is a no fail meal in my house. My family would be happy to eat these everyday. This is my go to recipe when I'm too busy to cook a big meal. Quesadilla's are so easy to make and you can put almost anything on them. My favorite quesadilla is from a local mexican restaurant. It's called a black bean florentine quesadilla. It has spinach and black beans on it...yum! But I'm the only one in my family that will eat spinach so I don't make the Florentine at home.

Ingredients:
1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 pack 8 inch tortillas
1/2 cup real bacon bits
2 cups shredded cheese
butter

Directions:
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Spread a thin layer of butter on one side of a tortilla and than place it butter side down in the skillet. Sprinkle desired amount of cheese, black beans and bacon bits on top. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Use a spatula to fold it in half when it's done.

Cookie Dough

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk

Put all of the ingredients in your mixer and mix it on low. It tastes best after it has been in the fridge for at least an hour.

NOTE: This recipe is not meant to be baked!