Black Bean Soup

Jill Hobbs

1 1/2 cups water
2 cubes beef bouillon
2 cans black beans
1 cup salsa
1 tsp cumin

Blend beans in blender. Simmer all ingredients for 10 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

Tip for kids: This stuff smells and tastes wonderful but LOOKS horrible. I got my kids to eat it by telling them to close their eyes while I gave them a taste. Every one of them liked it but I am positive that none of them would have tried it had they seen it before they ate it.

Spam and Beans

2 - 16 oz cans beans
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup chopped onion
¼ cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp prepared mustard
1 - 12 oz can Spam

Combine beans, ketchup, onion, brown sugar and mustard. Place in 10x6 baking dish. Place spam slices, slightly overlapping down the center of the beans. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

White Chicken Chili

I couldn't get a great picture of this but it is VERY tasty AND healthy (okay, unless you are on a low sodium diet)!!

4 cups water
1 tsp lemon pepper
2 tsp cumin (separated)
2 cubes chicken bouillon
4 chicken breasts, diced
1-2 cloves garlic (can substitute 1/2-1 tsp garlic powder)
1 onion, chopped (can substitute 2 Tbs onion flakes)
1 tsp oil
2 cans white northern beans
2 cans green chilies, chopped
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can shopeg (or white) corn
2-3 tsp lime juice

Combine the water, lemon pepper, 1 tsp cumin, bouillon and chicken and cook for 20 minutes. Saute the garlic and onion in oil (omit this step and the oil if using dehydrated garlic and onions). Combine all the ingredients (do not drain any cans before adding) and add 1 tsp cumin and lime juice and simmer for one hour (or until chili thickens). Serve with grated Monterey Jack cheese on top.

From the kitchen of Jen Miller