Quick and Spicy Black Bean Soup

Sometimes a hearty, home-cooked meal that’s been carefully prepared and simmered all day is just what one needs....but then other times you just need to eat! Here’s a quick bean soup that can go from pot to table in about 15 minutes. Last week, I doubled the recipe and threw it into a slow cooker (on Low) and came home 5 hours later to dinner.


Here’s to surviving the season, Friends!

Quick and Spicy Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

2- 15oz. cans Black Beans

1- 16 oz. container medium Salsa (or hotter, if you like)

4- cups chicken broth

Optional Garnishes: cilantro, sour cream, corn chips, cheese.

Directions:

Rinse and drain beans and put all ingredients into a pot. Heat through. Remove ½ of soup to a blender and blend thoroughly. Add back to pot and stir. Serve with a garnish of sour cream and cilantro. Serves 4

Notes: This is a super easy and versatile recipe. I’ve added chopped chicken before. I’ve also skipped the blending and just served it chunkier. My husband spooned his over a bowl of brown rice. My kids ate theirs with plenty of chips and cheese. (oh, and in the picture above, I was short one can of black beans so I substituted some great northern...whatever works!)

Coconut-Cherry Kiss Cookies

I love all things chocolate and cherry, add coconut to it and I'm on it like a stink on fish! Here's a favorite Christmas cookie of mine that incorporates all three of these loves. (And it looks pretty cute, too!)
Happy Holidays, Friends!

Coconut-Cherry Kiss Cookie

Ingredients:

1-3oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/3- cup butter, softened

2/3- cup white sugar

1 tsp.- vanilla

1 -egg yolk

1&1/4- cup flour

¼ tsp.- salt

2 tsp.- baking powder

½- cup maraschino cherries, drained and chopped

1-14oz.- pkg. sweetened, flaked coconut

1-9oz pkg. Chocolate Kisses

Directions:

Cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk and vanilla; beat well. Stir in mixture of flour, baking powder and salt. Gently mix in 3 cups of coconut and cherries. Chill, tightly covered for 1 hour. Shape into 1-inch balls and roll in remaining coconut. Place onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Cool on cookies sheet for 1 minute. Remove to wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 4 dozen

Note: Sometimes I stir in a handful or two of chocolate chips into the dough instead of putting the kisses on top. This way I get uber chocolate satisfaction in every bite!