Black Bean and Rice Soup

This is super-awesome for when you have absolutely no time, and want something filling. I got it out of Rachael Ray's Express Lane Meals, and changed a few things for my taste. Her recipe said "serves 4" but she has to mean four giants. This is a big pot of soup.

2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 bacon slices, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 (15 oz) cans black beans
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 (15 oz) can stewed tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 quart chicken stock
1 cup white rice

Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until fat renders. Add celery, onion, garlic and bay leaf, and cook for a few minutes more. Add the corn and 1 can black beans, undrained. Drain the other can and add half of the beans. Mash the other half with a fork and add to the soup pot. Season with chili powder, cumin, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce and stock, and bring to a boil. Add rice, cover and simmer until rice is done, about 15 minutes.

Coconut Shrimp

This is really yummy and pretty dang healthy. I forgot to take a photo, but trust me, it looks pretty good as well. This is a slightly-changed version of a recipe from Family Dinners by Janet Peterson.

Coconut Shrimp

3/4 cup flaked coconut
1/3 cup plain dried bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. salt
dash cayenne pepper
1 1/2 pounds shelled and deveined large shrimp, tails on
1/3 cup honey

Sauce:

1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp. horseradish (or to taste)
3/4 tsp lemon juice


Line a large baking sheet with foil. Spray foil with cooking spray. Heat oven to 425.

Put coconut, bread crumbs, salt and cayenne pepper in a food processor and process for 10 seconds. Put mixture into a shallow dish.

Heat honey in microwave until liquid. Dip shrimp in honey, then roll in coconut mixture (the tails make this a lot easier). Place on baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

For the sauce, combine the three ingredients and mix well. It's a sort of homemade cocktail sauce.