Easy Black Bean Soup Crockpot Recipe

My sweet friend Connie over at Smockity Frocks is hosting a Crockpot Recipe Carnival. I am so excited because I have been using my crockpot like crazy recently. I've used this recipe several times and we LOVE it. Not only is it healthy it is frugal. Healthy Frugal, those two words together just make my heart go pitter patter!

Here it is:

4 (15 1/2 oz) cans black beans

if you use dried beans you've soaked overnight you will need to also add more chicken broth

2 medium onions chopped

6 garlic cloves pressed

1 can chicken broth

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon chili powder

dash of Worcestershire sauce

Throw it all in the crockpot and cook on low for about 4 hours. I like to serve it with some grated Cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream. It is so yummy with a big chunk of cornbread too!

I've made this so many times and sometimes I leave out the tomatoes if I don't have them, or I add a can of dark beer, or a squeeze of lime. You can even add some crisp bacon if you don't wait it to be quite so healthy. I don't think you can hurt this soup! Enjoy:)

And head over to Smockity Frocks for some other great recipes!

Sledding Fun

With another 5 inches of snow last night this is proving to be the best snow we've had for at least 6 years! We are having so much fun, that the thought of living somewhere where this occurs on a regular basis is becoming to grow on me.
WB was home again today so after some Pioneer Woman's scones we were ready to sled. This time WB broke out the huge raft we got for our water adventures in Galveston one year. The whole family fit on it and away we went. I love these times as a family. It just doesn't get any better than this.

Here's a little video I put together of our adventure over the last week. Enjoy!

Sushi Making 101

We love to eat sushi, particularly California rolls, around here. Usually after church on Sundays we stop by the local grocery where they have a sushi station. We can watch the sushi being made and pick some up to take home. It's become sort of a tradition.

My 10 year old Em recently asked if we could try to make our own. Why not? So off we went to World Market to pick up the Sushi rice and bamboo mat for rolling, as well as the seaweed sheets. Then at the grocery after church we picked up the imitation crab meat, cucumbers, avocado, and carrots. If you live somewhere where you could get super fresh sushi grade Tuna etc than try that. But the Panhandle of Texas just really isn't that close to the ocean, so we'll pass on the raw fish thank you:) That night we made our first round of sushi and it was very yummy. Some friends have asked if it was hard to do and the answer is no. To prove it Em made a sushi 101 video to share.