“Souper” Bowls

When the weather gets really cold we turn to food to try and warm us. A good bowl of soup is nourishing for the body. In the same way a good book is nourishing for the mind. A good deed is nourishing for the soul. I mentioned yesterday that I like to be happy. I acknowledge though that I have mood swings. I have a large dollop of Irish and Scottish in me and am prone to those Celtic mood swings. It is something that I used in my pursuit of a theater degree. I use it in my writing. I use it in my art. It is an integral part of my artistic temperament. It makes me, me.

A note on the pasta salad. One evening at 10 PM I realized that it wasn’t Friday it was Saturday and I needed a salad for the church choir picnic the next day. The stores were closed so I looked into my refrigerator and pantry to see what I could possibly turn into a picnic type salad. Borrowing a phrase from Indiana Jones I came up with what has since become one of the most requested recipes I’ve ever made. So naturally it is called “I’m Making This Up As I Go Along Pasta Salad.”

Crockpot Baked Beans
Serving Size: 12
Preparation Time: 0:10 - Start to Finish Time: 10:00
"These slow baked beans are delicious!"

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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2 pounds small white beans
½ cup brown sugar -- packed
2 large onions -- cut in chunks
¼ cup dark molasses
¼ cup maple syrup
6 ounces no salt added tomato paste
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
12 ounces cherry cola

Soak beans in water overnight.

Drain beans. Add all ingredients to a crockpot and stir to coat beans. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or until the beans are cooked through.

Per Serving: 346 Calories; 1g Fat (3.0% calories from fat); 17g Protein; 70g Carbohydrate; 20g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 90mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.


Chili Soup
Serving Size: 10
Preparation Time:0:10 - Start to Finish Time: 0:50
"An easy to make but hearty soup."

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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14½ ounces no salt added stewed tomatoes -- drained & diced
32 ounces low sodium beef broth
1 small onion -- diced small
16 ounces fat-free refried beans
16 ounces low sodium kidney beans, drained & rinsed
1 tablespoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound extra lean ground beef
8 ounces no salt added tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
4 ounces diced green chilies
1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Brown the ground beef in a saucepan. Drain fat. Add rest of ingredients and heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Notes: You can put everything in a crockpot and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH 3 to 4 hours. You don't have to brown the meat first.

Per Serving: 242 Calories; 8g Fat (30.2% calories from fat); 18g Protein; 24g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 31mg Cholesterol; 470mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 1½ Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


Potato/Corn Chowder
Serving Size: 8
Preparation Time:0:10 - Start to Finish Time: 6:00
"A delicious soup that you can make in a crockpot."

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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28 ounces frozen potatoes, hashed brown -- with onions & peppers a.k.a. Potatoes O'Brien
30 ounces low sodium canned corn
15 ounces no-salt-added cream-style corn
2 ounces pimientos -- diced
12 ounces evaporated skim milk
8 ounces ham cubes
1 small onion -- diced
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1 tablespoon chives, freeze-dried
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Add all ingredients to a crockpot and mix well. Cook on Low for 5 to 6 hours or High for 2 to 3 hours.

Per Serving: 418 Calories; 15g Fat (31.2% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 62g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 31mg Cholesterol; 538mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 ½ Grain(Starch); ½ Lean Meat; ½ Vegetable; ½ Non-Fat Milk; 2½ Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


I'm Making This Up As I Go Along Pasta Salad
Serving Size : 8
Preparation Time :0:25 - Start to Finish Time: 1:30
"The result of realizing at 10:30 P.M. that I need a salad for a picnic the next day. Using what I had in the pantry and refrigerator I came up with this salad."

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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8 ounces macaroni -- cooked and drained
4 whole hard-boiled eggs -- chopped
4 whole sweet pickles -- chopped
2 ounces pimiento -- diced
4 ounces black olives -- sliced
1 medium sweet onion -- diced fine
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup low-fat mayonnaise
½ teaspoon seasoned salt
½ teaspoon seasoned pepper
1 tablespoon salad herbs
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon paprika

Cook macaroni according to package instructions; drain. Place in large bowl along with eggs, pickles, olives, pimentos, and onion.

In a small bowl mix the vinegar, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, salad herbs, paprika, and mustard. Pour over macaroni mixture and mix thoroughly. Chill for at least an hour.

Per Serving: 265 Calories; 13g Fat (43.4% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 30g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 116mg Cholesterol; 526mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1½ Grain(Starch); ½ Lean Meat; ½ Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 2 Fat; ½ Other Carbohydrates.


Zippy Potato Salad
Serving Size : 8
Preparation Time :0:30 - Start to Finish Time: 4:30
"This recipe proves that potato salad does not have to be boring."

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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6 medium potatoes -- cubed
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 medium onion -- chopped
1 clove garlic -- minced
4 whole sweet pickles -- chopped
4 whole eggs, hard-boiled -- chopped
1 cup low-fat mayonnaise
½ teaspoon seasoned salt
¼ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon seasoned pepper
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 stalks celery -- chopped

In pan with boiling water, place potatoes; cover and cook until tender when pierced, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and cool slightly. Place in large bowl. Add celery, garlic, pickles, eggs and onion.

In a small bowl combine vinegar, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and paprika. Add dressing to potato mixture and mix thoroughly.

Cover and chill 4 to 6 hours or until next day. Makes 8 servings.

Per Serving: 216 Calories; 11g Fat (44.9% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 25g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 116mg Cholesterol; 413mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); ½ Lean Meat; ½ Vegetable; 2 Fat; ½ Other Carbohydrates.