What's for Dinner Wednesday!

I actually had a couple requests for last weeks dinner recipe, Tuna Broccoli Casserole...so here it is. It's just a guideline, but don't panic, it's really hard to mess up.

Tuna Broccoli Casserole

1 can tuna, drained

broccoli (about 2 cups chopped, fresh or frozen...fresh is better cuz you get the crunch, but frozen works, too)

Elbow pasta...or any kind of small pasta (not spag noodles, in other words) about 1.5 cups uncooked

1 can cream of mushroom soup

french fried onions

2 cups grated cheese (cheddar or jack)

milk

Cook the pasta just under al dente (it'll finish cooking in the casserole). While the pasta is cooking throw the chopped broccoli, tuna, soup, cheese and about a cup of the ffonions in a bowl. When the pasta is done, drain it and throw it in the bowl with the other stuff. Mix it together...add some milk to this, maybe 3/4 a cup, you want it moist, but not runny. Pour it in a 2 quart casserole dish (Spray it with Pam for easy cleanup, but you probably do this automatically, huh?). Top with more ffonions...or if you're not a fan of those, cheese. I usually bake it at 350 degrees for about 1/2 hour. It's weird, but oh, so good!

Ok, now onto tonight's meal!

Black Bean Soup

This is a recipe I got out of a Cooking Light Magazine and have been cooking since 1997.

Here's the recipe:

Black Bean Soup

1 tbl. oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained (I usually get the low-sodium.)

1/2 c. water

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 (14.5 oz ) stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped

1 (10.5 oz) can chicken broth (I just pour out a cup or so from one of those box thingies.)

1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles, undrained

1 tbl. lemon juice

plain low-fat yogurt

Saute onion and garlic in the oil till tender. Add 1 cup of the beans and mash with a potato masher. Add remaining beans, water and next 5 ingredients; stir well. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and summer 15 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice. Ladle into bowls and top with a dollop of yogurt.

This is real quick to throw together and tastes super good. The soup is tangy and that dollop of yogurt is kinda sweet...great combo. The knit group is meeting at Panera tonight...so you know this is good if I'm passing up Panera soup for this! I do wish I had some of their bread to go with this...hmmm...I might have to make a quick stop for some bread after I go to Target. That's the ticket!