Black Bean and Pumpkin Soup.......

This was so delicious and so easy.  I topped my bowl off with sliced avocado and low fat Greek yogurt.  Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small can diced green chilies
3 cans black beans (15 oz each), drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz) diced zesty tomatoes
1 can (16 oz) pumpkin puree
1 cup roasted corn ( I get mine at TJ's)
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Salt to taste



Instructions
1. In a large pot heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic, cumin, chilies and salt, cook until the onion has softened. About 3 to 4 minutes.

2. In a food processor puree the beans and tomatoes. Add the puree, pumpkin and broth to the pot.

3. Simmer uncovered until thick, add third can of black beans and corn, stirring often while scraping the bottom, about 30 minutes or until desired thickness. Add chopped cilantro and serve.

Cranberry Nut Bars...

If there is one thing I enjoy this time of year its my fireplace.  I have the kettle on and as soon as my tea is brewed I am going to sit down in front of the fire and enjoy my tea and these delicious cranberry bars.  Here's the recipe adapted from Food.com

Ingredients:

2 eggs (beaten)
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 cups cranberries chopped (fresh or frozen)

Orange rind from one orange

Directions:

Beat together eggs, butter, sugar and vanilla.

Add flour and baking powder and mix well.

Fold in nuts, orange rind and cranberries.

Pour into greased 9 x 12 cake pan.

Bake@ 350 degrees 40-45 minutes .

Cranberry Vodka....

Before I buy my fresh bag of cranberries this year I needed to use up the two cups of frozen cranberries left over from last year.  I have wanted to make cranberry vodka for a long time.  It is ridiculously easy and fun to make.   Martinis are also all the rage and I thought I could use it at Christmas time.  Here is the recipe.

1. One 750 ml. vodka ( good quality)
2. 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
3. Rind from 1 large orange
4. 1 cup super fine sugar

Throw all of the ingredients in a large jar with a lid.  Stir until sugar is dissolved.  Let sit for at least a week. When the week is up strain the vodka through a sieve and pour it back into the original bottle.  I am going to keep mine in the fridge until Christmas.  
Before the week was up  I decided to opened the jar and squish some of the cranberries against the side of the jar with a large wooden spoon.  Squishing the cranberries really deepen the color of the vodka.  Enjoy!