TX STEW...

if you find yourself wanting to cook a homemade meal using very little brainpower,

then do as i do and make this yummy, easy, hearty, comfort food.

TEXAS STEW

2 lb lean stew meat

(most places you can buy it already in bite-sized cubes
or you can cut it into smaller pieces before cooking)

14 1/2 oz can mexican style stewed tomatoes

8 oz jar mild salsa

10 oz frozen corn

3 carrots, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 large potatoes, chopped

garlic salt

salt and pepper

1) put all the main ingredients into a crockpot or dutch oven.

2) sprinkle in a little garlic salt, salt and pepper and stir all

(i just add a little seasoning before cooking then anyone can add more after it is cooked according to taste).

3) cook in a crockpot on low 4-6 hours
or in the oven at 215 degrees F for about 4 hours in a dutch oven

(check that the potatoes are tender and the meat is cooked thoroughly before serving).

4) serve with chips and salsa
preferably next to a fire while watching football.

we most recently ate it at our house on halloween night while passing out candy.

pay no attention to the parrot trying to eat a wrapped tootsie roll instead.

SOUP FOR (LET'S PRETEND IT'S) COOL WEATHER...

i keep making this soup, on warm and cool days alike!
*recipe from weightwatchers.com, 1 1/2 C soup is about 6WW points.

INGREDIENTS:
1 medium potato
cooking spray
1/2C chopped celery
1/4C chopped onion
kernels from 4 pieces corn on the cob
 (or a bag of frozen corn, thawed)
1C diced red bell pepper
 (approximately one large bell pepper chopped)
4oz canadian bacon
 (i vary between using canadian bacon, deli ham, or chopped bacon.
 the points are calculated using the canadian bacon.)
2C skim milk
1/2t salt
1/4t pepper
1/8t 

DIRECTIONS:
1) use a fork to pierce the potato in several places,
 then microwave about 8 minutes turning over once.
 the potato should be tender now, set aside to cool.
2) chop the celery, onion, and bell pepper.
 (i use a food chopper to make it go much quicker).
3) spray a large skillet with cooking spray,
and add celery, onion, corn, and bell pepper to it.
cook all over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes,
then put the veggie mixture into a soup pot.
4) remove the peel and mash the potato.
chop the canadian bacon into small pieces.
add the potato and chopped canadian bacon pieces,
milk, salt, pepper and any additional seasoning to the pot too.
 (add to taste whatever you like the flavor of, i use a little tony chacheres).
5) mix all well.
cover and let simmer for 10 minutes (do not let boil).
serve the soup warm with french bread or anything else.

*i get asked from time to time, "do your kids eat the recipes you make?"

the answer to that question is a big fat no. but i learned from sherri poppins (my mom)

that it never hurts to give them a "learning to like portion" of everything we eat,

and maybe some day they will eat additional foods other than fruit, pasta, and grilled cheese.

HOW ABOUT A CUP (OR TWO) OF SOUP...

it's just that time of year! the season when each weekend football games can be found on tv and at every available field. the season that teases you with at least a little cooler weather and slight breezes. and the season that screams that soups be made for dinner. and so i pass along to you two of my favorite soup recipes. both are so easy they require little more than using a can opener, but they taste good enough to pretend you slaved away making them.

#1) TACO SOUP
my family has been making this since i was in high school. we tasted it one wonderful fall night at a church care group and it has been a part of our repertoire ever since. there are many different variations of taco soup, but i especially like this one because it is hearty, seasoned to perfection, the extra portions freeze well, and above all it is foolproof. i like to serve it with the tostitos hint of lime chips (or any other tortilla chips), and shredded cheese as a garnish.

MAKES:
8-10 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS:
2 LB. HAMBURGER MEAT
2 CANS RANCH STYLE BEANS
2 CANS HOMINY OR CORN
1 CAN ROTEL
1 CAN TOMATOES
1 PKG DRY RANCH DRESSING MIX
1 PKG TACO SEASONING

DIRECTIONS:
BROWN HAMBURGER MEAT. DRAIN GREASE. DUMP IN POT. ADD ALL OTHER INGREDIENTS (DO NOT DRAIN JUICE FROM THE CANS, DUMP IN AS IS). SIMMER WITH THE MEAT UNTIL HOT.



#2) SUNNI'S BLACK BEAN SOUP.
it is another lowfat, yet filling soup. i usually get a box of jiffy cornbread, light sour cream, and freshly chopped cilantro to go with it. mix up the jiffy according to the directions but bake the batter in a mini muffin pan so it will be the perfect size for crumbling over the soup or popping straight into mouths.

MAKES:
4 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS:
2 CANS BLACK BEANS, DRAINED AND RINSED
2 C FAT FREE CHICKEN BROTH
1 C MEDIUM SALSA
1 TSP GROUND CUMIN

DIRECTIONS:
LIGHTLY PUREE ONE CAN OF BLACK BEANS WITH BROTH, SALSA, AND CUMIN IN BLENDER. IN MEDIUM SAUCEPAN COMBINE PUREED BEAN MIX, WITH REMAINING BEANS AND HEAT THROUGH.

have a soup-tacular week!