Lentil Chili

While the sun shines bright, there is still a nip in the air and that equals  "soup weather" as far as I'm concerned.  Also, I'll admit it, I'm lazy.  I love cooking big on the weekend and having a big pot of soup to draw on for lunches and suppers makes the week meal preparation a breeze.  Often at the end of the workday, the last thing I want to do is spent a lot of time in the kitchen!

When I first made this, I was skeptical.  Chili without meat?  That's just not right!  However, with a vegetarian in my life, I have to branch out and try new things!  Adventures in cooking and eating, what can be more fun!  I was very pleasantly surprised in the hearty results of this recipe.  I found that I didn't miss the meat.  Lentils were not a pantry item for me before this recipe, but now they are.  This is easily made with things I generally have on hand and mixes up quickly.

This is a very easy, economical recipe. I vary the veggies from time to time for variety, but always use the red bell peppers, they add a nice sweetness to balance the chili.

I hope you find this thick, spicy chili tasty and that it becomes a staple in your recipe box!

Mexican Casserole

This is a lovely casserole.  It has really nice robust flavors and is very filling.

Someone special in my life is vegetarian, but does eat dairy, so this is a perfect dish to serve for an easy supper with a side salad and there's enough leftovers for lunches too!

I'm sure many of you have heard of "meatless Mondays" as an option of cutting meat out of one supper a week to help relieve some pressure on the grocery bill!  Seriously, while we meat eaters love our steak, chops, etc. meat is getting more and more expensive!  This helps stretch your grocery dollar and gets a good supply of fresh, healthy veggies into your diet!

Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup

Soup for Supper?  Absolutely!  Brrr, it is cold here in Kansas and a nice hot soup that is thick and as smooth as velvet is just the ticket.  I typically don't get very excited about cream or bisque soups, but this one is absolutely yummy.  A bowl of this is perfect for family suppers yet stunning and impressive enough to serve dinner guests.

You can adjust the hot sauce to your taste, but it has a nice "after burn" to it as written.  Serve it with grilled sandwiches made with my Pimento Cheese Spread or make a grown up grilled cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, provolone and bacon on ciabatta bread with a smidgen of mayo and yellow mustard) or simply serve it with some Ritz or your favorite crackers.

I won't lie, this recipe takes a bit of time to make, but I assure you that if you do make a batch, your tastebuds will be tickled pink.  Besides, what's better than spending time in the kitchen on a cold winter day making a tummy warming soup?

Be on the lookout for bell peppers on sale.  My local grocery occasionally has red bell peppers on sale 10/$10 and when that happens, you can guarantee that this will be on my weekly menu.  As written, this recipe is perfect for one or two people.  However, it  is easily doubled, so don't hesitate to double it for a larger batch if you have more mouths to feed or want leftovers (trust me, you will).

I hope you enjoy this recipe and keep warm this winter!