Bean Soup

It's freezing in Minnesota today! What perfect whether for soup. I made this a few weeks ago in a crock pot. It turned out great and was so easy since I have been swamped with school work and interning. Here is what you need.

1 cup lentils
1 cup black beans
4 cups water
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup mushrooms
1 cup carrots
1 cup corn
5 bay leaves

Combine lentils, black beans, water, broth and bay leaves. Let simmer on low for several hours. If needed feel free to add more water if the soup is thick. I would recommend if you add more make sure it is equal parts water and broth. This would be great with other veggies as well. I just used mushrooms, corn, and carrots since that is what I had at home. If you are daring feel free to experiment with other spices. Cayenne pepper, cumin and chili powder could give this a southwestern kick.

This soup freezes great. I have been having it for lunch and dinner off and on the last few weeks. Hopefully pictures to come. I have been technologically jinxed this week, so trying to avoid anything breakable at all costs!

Low-fat Pumpkin Spice Bars

Pumpkin Spice Bars, so good we devoured the pan.

My mom has always made these. This weekend while up at our cabin we decided to get a jump on fall by making these delicious bars. They are simple to make.

1 box  spice cake mix
1 can pumpkin pie mix
2 cups Powdered sugar

Heat the oven to 350°F. Spray the bottom of a 13"x9" cake pan. Combine the cake mix and pumpkin. We normally use Betty Crocker Spice Cake mix and Libby's canned pumpkin. But any brand would do. Pour the cake mixture in the pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Use a knife, to see if the center is firm. If it is not put back in for an additional 10 minutes. Essentially, you want to follow the directions on the box. Remove from the oven. Let cool. Once the bars are cool sprinkle with powdered sugar as desired. 

This recipe is versatile. I have modified to make muffins. You can mix in additional items such as raisins, carrots, walnuts, or even apples. This is a great healthy fall dessert that I hope you enjoy!

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

These are healthy and still delicious. I found they have quite a kick to them.

2 cups garbanzo beans
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon cayenne powder

Soak the garbanzo beans overnight. Drain, spread out on paper towels, and let the beans dry for about a half an hour. Heat oven to 400°. In a medium size bowl combine the beans, oil, and spices. Spread the mixture out on a cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Mix the seeds, trying to flip as many as possible. Bake for another 10 minutes. Check the seeds. If needed put in the oven for an additional 5 minutes.

This is a nice pick me up when I am craving something crunchy. If you prefer something not as spicy, the amount of spices could be reduced or substituted. I would also recommend trying this recipe with garlic powder if you want something with less heat. The garbanzo beans have a neutral flavor so any of your favorite spices may be worth a try. The garbanzo bean is your canvas. Happy experimenting!!!



P.S. I will post a picture ASAP.

Pumpkin Bran Muffins

I start class again later this week. Unfortunately my classes are in the morning. Well surprise surprise I am not a morning person. I wanted to make something that would be filling, and I could just grab it and go. I thought a bran muffin may be the trick since it has nutrients to keep me full and I could easily (and quietly) eat it during class.

These may not be the prettiest, but they were still tasty

1 box Hodgson Mill Bran Muffin Mix
1/2 can (around 7 oz) canned organic pumpkin*
1/8 cup skim milk
1/4-1/2 shredded carrots
Cinnamon
Pumpkin Pie Spice

Heat oven to 400º. Line muffin tin with paper muffin cups. Mix muffin mix and pumpkin together. I found my mixture of milk was dry so I added a splash. Ultimately I added around 1/4. It was still thick and could have been thinned out a little more. I shredded a handful of baby carrots and added it to the mixture. Raisins or apples could also be used. I added a few shakes of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice to add flavor. Spices could either be omitted or increased depending on the taste. Bake for 15 minutes. Stick knife in the middle to make sure the muffin is firm. Mine were not. I baked for an additional 10 minutes. These turned out pretty good. Although they may not be the most flavorful muffin (my personal favorite has always been chocolate chocolate chip) they are pretty good.


*I used organic out of preference other types of canned pumpkin would work.

Peanut Butter Reece's Pieces Cookies

Peanut Butter Reece's Pieces Cookies

I made these cookies the other day. I had been craving Reece's Pieces like crazy, so I thought why not incorporate them into a cookie. I turned to my trusty Betty Crocker Cookbook and found my standby peanut butter cookie recipe.

Peanut Butter Reece's Pieces Cookies (modified from Betty Crocker)

1/2      cup sugar
1/2      cup packed brown sugar
1/2      cup creamy peanut butter
1/4      cup shortening
1/4      cup softened butter or margarine
   1      egg
1 1/4   cups flour
3/4      teaspoon baking soda
1/2      teaspoon baking powder
1/4      teaspoon salt
   2      cups Reece's Pieces candies.

Close up of the Reece's Pieces goodness

Heat the oven to 375º.  Mix everything but the candies together. Once the dough is starting to form add the candies. If desired more or less than two cups may be used. Make 1 inch balls. Then with a fork, make a criss-cross pattern flattening the balls. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes. Enjoy!

The Best Pasta Salad Ever!

The finished product

I adapted this pasta salad from one my grandma used to make. It is always pretty popular, it even one second place in a contest!


Italian Pasta Salad
1 box whole wheat penne or rigatoni
1-2 Roma tomatoes
1/2 cup green diced onions
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Green Bell Pepper
Bottle of light Italian Salad Dressing to Taste
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 lb (2-3 cups) diced salami
1 block ( 2-3 cups) of  diced Farmer or Monterey Jack cheese

This is the perfect pasta to ingredient ratio

Boil the pasta. While cooking, dice the tomatoes,peppers, cheese, salami, and green onions. Coat with Italian Dressing. Rinse the cook pasta. Let it cool. Mix with the tomatoes, peppers, cheese, salami, and green onions.  Add Italian dressing to taste. I typically add about 1/2 of the dressing. Add the parmesan cheese. Mix and set in fridge until it is time to serve. Enjoy!


Following this recipe my family of three, who eat this as a main dish, normally get several meals out of it. However, make sure to have extra salad dressing as it can dry out.

This is my personal favorite summer salad. It is excellent to bring to any BBQ, potluck, or other event you may have this summer. Happy cooking!

Ranch Chicken

It turned out better than the picture shows

I keep seeing recipes for Ranch Chicken that require cream of chicken soup. Although I love using cream soups on my meat I have a few issues with it. First, they can add additional categories. Second, during the summer it seems to make meals heavier, which is undesirable in the hot summers. Tonight I tried this recipe in a crockpot. I set the pot to low during the day ( around 8-10 hours). Here is what I put in.

1 lb. Chicken Breast
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1/2-3/4 cup chicken broth
green onions to taste.

It turned out pretty well. Very moist.