This wonderful soup is both delicious and comforting.  It is easy to make and goes together quickly or can be simmered in a slow cooker.  The best part is you know exactly what is in it.  This soup is hearty enough to be served as a main course or served as a side dish. Have you ever noticed that it is the simple foods that taste best?

2 Tablespoons olive oil or grape seed oil
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 Tablespoon vegetable stock powder (or 1 of the new flavor boost pouches)
3 cups vegetable stock (I used homemade)
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
2 can white beans (3 cups if cooking your own beans)

Directions:

Place oil in soup pot or dutch oven and add onion, carrot, and celery.  Season with a pinch of salt to make vegetables sweat.  Cook for 3 to 4 minutes and add bell pepper and finish cooking until translucent. Add remaining ingredients and simmer slowly for at least 30 minutes.  That’s it!  You’re done!  This soup tastes great reheated too.

If using a slow cooker, just saute the chopped onion, celery, carrots, and pepper in oil on top of the stove and add to slow cooker.  Add remaining ingredients and let cook on low until you are ready to eat.

This wonderful grain isn’t just for soup anymore!  Barley has protein and potassium which makes this not only tasty but good for you.  Try it, you may just be surprised how good it is!  This not only is a great quick side dish, but with protein it could be a good change-of-pace main dish for you vegetarians.

2 scallions chopped – green and white part
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 cup dried barley
1 can vegetable broth, Plus enough water to make 2 cups
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
salt and pepper to taste

In a non-stick skilled, add olive oil and chopped onion.  Saute over medium heat for 2 minutes.  Add dried barley and saute 2 more minutes.  Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Reduce heat slightly and cover with lid to steam.  Cook until most of the liquid is gone, roughly 10 minutes. Serve.

This wonderfully easy side dish tastes as good as it looks!  Everyone loves potatoes and this side dish will become a favorite in your house too.  Seasoned with Parmesan cheese and spices gives these wedges such a wonderful flavor. Crisp outside and tender inside.  Serve them along with your favorite dipping sauce but they are fabulous just as they are.

1 1/2 cups plain fresh bread crumbs
1 cup real Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
4 to 5 medium potatoes scrubbed and cut into wedges
olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the first five ingredients in a zip top bag and shake to combine.  Set aside.  Scrub potatoes and cut into wedges. Place wedges in a shallow dish and drizzle with olive oil.  Toss with hands to be sure they are coated in olive oil.  Add a few wedges at a time to your zip top bag and shake until coated.  Place potatoes on an ungreased sheet pan. Repeat process until all potatoes have been battered.  Bake for 25 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

This dish goes well as a side dish to any meal, but with the protein from the eggs it can easily serve as a main dish.  It tastes great and the best part is that it’s good for you too!

2 cups cooked cooled rice (any kind you like)
1/2 an onion – chopped
2 Tablespoons hemp  or olive oil
3 Large eggs
2/3 cup milk (works well with soy milk too)
1 cup cooked chopped spinach
2/3 cup Romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried Rosemary or Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/176 C.  Cook and cool rice and spinach if necessary.  In a skillet saute onion in hemp or olive oil until tender.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool.  In a large bowl beat eggs slightly.  Mix in milk, cheese, rice, spinach and seasonings.  Stir in cooled onions and place in a baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Bake for 35 -45 minutes or until it’s very lightly browned on top and set.  Let set on top of stove for 5-10 minutes before cutting into squares.

~Marsha Bradford

4 oz white chocolate baking squares (4 squares)
1 stick butter ( at room temperature) plus 1 Tablespoon butter divided
2 Tablespoons shortening
5 to 5 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
2 Tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a double boiler over simmering water melt white chocolate with 1 tablespoon butter. Set aside to cool.  Beat 1 stick of butter plus shortening until smooth. Mix in confectioners sugar and buttermilk until smooth.  Add vanilla and mix until combined.

~Marsha Bradford

Since I have a Vegetarian in my house I came up with this recipe that can server as a main dish or side dish. They are stuffed full of vegetables and seasoned just right. This could be a good way to get smaller children to eat their veggies, but the whole family will love them. The best part is they are easy to put together, a great way to use up left-overs and makes a quick addition to any meal.

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups cooked rice
1  cup cooked broccoli – chopped
1 cup whole kernel corn (I used frozen)
1/4 cup roasted red peppers – chopped
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup butter – melted
3 eggs – lightly beaten (or 3/4 cup egg beaters)
Olive Oil for frying

In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  Stir until combined and set aside.  In a large bowl add remaining ingredients and stir in flour mixture until just combined.  Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat, add 2 Tablespoons olive oil and scoop 1/3 cup of batter into pan and flatten slightly into patty. (I cooked 3 to 4 at a time) Fry over medium heat until both sides are browned turning once.  Serve hot.

6 to 8 asparagus spears
1/2 bell pepper ( I used red a red one)
small onion chopped
1 cup cooked ham – cubed
3 cups shredded swiss cheese
1 Tablespoon fresh or dried parsley
1 pint egg beaters or 8 eggs
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Wash asparagus and cook in a skillet of water for 3 minutes.  Drain in colander.  When cool enough to work with, chop asparagus into one inch pieces and place them in a large bowl.  Add chopped bell pepper, onion, cubed ham, cheese and parsley.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir with spoon until combined.  Place in a 9-inch deep dish pie plate.  Add eggs or egg beaters and milk to a bowl and beat until mixed. Pour over vegetable mix and bake in a 350 degree oven 30 minutes or until knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

This bread is so good!  It has a nice blend of spices along with chunks of apple and ginger that makes this bread something special.  It smells so good cooking and fills the house with a wonderful aroma.  My whole family loved it!

3 2/3 cup bread flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
4 eggs
2 cups cooked sweet potato – mashed
1 cup apple -peel and chopped
1/3 cup canola oil
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup chopped candied ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans(9x5x3 inch), set aside. Stir together dry ingredients, flour, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger with a wire whisk until well mixed; set aside.  In a mixer bowl, beat eggs, sweet potato, buttermilk, applesauce and canola oil until blended. Blend in flour mixture until just mixed. (do not over beat).  Fold in apples and candied ginger.  Divide batter evenly between loaf pans and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

1 Medium head of cabbage
2 lbs ground beef
2 cans red kidney beans
1 small can tomato paste
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 bell pepper – chopped
1 medium onion -chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Brown ground beef in a dutch oven until no longer pink. Drain well. Chop cabbage, onion and bell peppers.  Add all ingredients to pan and simmer slowly all day.  If preferred, you can also add the ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on low setting all day.

-Patsy Givens

I am no expert on Southwest cuisine because I live in the Southeast, but these nachos are good no matter where you live!  The beauty of them is you can add any toppings you like or leave off the ones you don’t like and everyone is happy.  Just put the toppings out and let everyone choose.  Double or triple this recipe and serve at your next casual party.

4 sheets of aluminum foil (12 inches each)
Tortilla Chips
2 pounds of ground beef
1/2 onion – chopped
1 cup whole kernel frozen corn
1 package taco seasoning mix
1/2 cup water
1 small can green chilies (you can leave this out and serve with toppings if you prefer)

Tear off 4 -12 inch pieces of aluminum foil and roll edges up to form a shallow dish.  Place foil dishes on baking sheet and cover the bottom of each with a layer of tortilla chips. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook ground beef and onion until meat is no longer pink.  Drain excess fat from the pan.  Add corn taco seasoning mix, water, and green chilies.  Continue to cook a few minutes longer (about 3 to 5 min) until some of the liquid has evaporated.  Spoon Meat mixture over chips and dot with refried beans.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until chips and refried beans are hot.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese. Serve on a plate and let everyone pick their favorite toppings.  Serves 4.

* Lighten up this recipe by using ground turkey instead of ground beef.  Use light cheese, sour cream and non fat refried beans to save more calories.