5 loaves and two fishes?

O.k. Not really. But I did feed 25+ people yesterday with only $15 worth of ingredients. And, since it was a soup, it could have been a meal in itself, although there were other contributions to the meal, both times the soup was served yesterday.

The first group we served the soup to was our missions committee. There were 16 of us because we have the committee members bring their entire family for lunch after church once a month. I guess since Jude really doesn't eat that much, we shouldn't count him, but he ate some soup, so I will.

Then we brought the leftovers to small group where at least another 9-10 people served themselves the soup.

And what is this miraculous soup, you ask? (Or, maybe you don't? Oh, well. I'm tellin' anyway.)
Why, chicken, corn, black bean soup, of course! Once upon a time, I got the recipe somewhere and have tweaked it over time to get it how I like it.

Here's the run down. You can cut the recipe down to suit your needs.
(all cans listed refer to 15oz cans)
8 cans of black beans (rinsed/drained)
4 cans of chicken broth
1 jar (20oz?) of your favorite salsa (I use the Walmart brand Black bean & corn salsa, but the garlic and lime is really good, too)

Mix all in a stock pot, then use an immersion blender to puree it all up. (If you don't have an immersion blender, I guess you could use a regular one, but that's going to be a little more hassle.)

In the mean time, I had browned 2-3 pounds of chicken chunks. Toss that into the mix, as well as 3-4 cans more of black beans (rinsed/drained) and a bag (16 oz) or two of frozen corn. Simmer for a while (until the corn is at the level of tenderness you desire) and voila! It's soup.

Serve with sour cream or grated cheddar cheese. Or, plain if you want. If you like a thicker soup, you can cut back on the chicken broth.

I find this to be a perfect (and quick!) meal for these cold winter days. Now, I think I am going to hit some of the left overs from last night:-)

Mmmmmmmmmmmm!

Fall is just around the corner and soon it will be time to break out the comfort food. (O.k. Who am I kidding? I eat comfort food all year long!)As I read through this month's Kraft Food and Family magazine, I came across a simple, yummy way to have lasagna waiting for you when you get home from work in the evening! You, too, can receive this magazine, for FREE by clicking the link and registering. Sure, it is a lot of advertising for Kraft Foods, but there are always some really nice recipes in there.

So, here's the slow-cooker lasagna:

1 lb. ground beef
1 jar (26 oz) spaghetti sauce
1 cup water
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
1 pk (7 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
2 tbsp chopped parsley
6 lasagna noodles

Brown and drain the meat. Stir in spaghetti sauce and water.

Mix ricotta, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 2 tbsp Parmesan, egg, and parsley.

Spoon 1 cup meat sauce into slow cooker. Top with layers of half each of the noodles, broken to fit, and cheese mixture. cover with 2 cups remaining meat sauce. Top with remaining noodles, birken to fit, cheese mixture, and meat sauce. Cover with lid.

Cook on LOW 4 - 6 hours or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Let stand covered 10 min or until cheese is melted.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm!

CHOCOLATE!!!!!!

Now that I have your attention, you need to check out Ali at The Lazy Dog to find out how to make this OUTSTANDING (!) single desert in only about 5 min (2 min to cook!).

I think I'm in love!