Black Bean Soup

The cold weather is here for some of us and when it is cold there is nothing like a bowl of warm soup. This is so easy and takes only about 10 min of work in the kitchen.

2 cans black beans
2 cans chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
3 cups cooked rice
avacado, sliced
grated cheese
tortilla chips, crushed
sour cream

Blend together the black beans with one of the cans chicken broth. Add mixture, other can of chicken broth, and salt to a large pan. Cook on medium heat. In individual bowls, layer the rice, then the soup, then the other toppings.

Bread Stick Mummy Dogs

I'm going to make these for a Halloween party tonight. I think they look really cute. What kid wouldn't want to eat a Mummy Dog?

Bread Stick Mummy Dogs
1 roll/pkg Pillsbury Bread Stick dough (12 count)
12 hot dogs
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Unroll all 12 bread sticks from package. Cut each into 3 equal strips. Take 3 strips, one at a time and wrap around 1 hot dog starting from the top of the hot dog. (Each hot dog has 3 thin bread stick strips around it). Leave a small space towards the top of the hot dog to make mustard eyes. Continue wrapping all dogs then place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
2. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes. Use mustard or ketchup for the eyes.

Variation:

I found another recipe for this same dish using Rhodes Dinner Rolls.

For each Mummy Dog, cut one dinner roll in half. Roll each half into a 22-24" rope. Wrap one rope around hot dog from bottom up 4 1/2" leaving the top part of the hot dog exposed. Cut a 1 1/2" piece off the second rope and set aside. Wrap the second rope around the hot dog going the opposite direction. Wrap the 1 1/2" piece around the top of the hot dog. Place Mummy Dogs on a sprayed baking sheet and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven, cool slightly and add mustard eyes. Serve warm with ketchup and mustard.

Pumpkin Spice Blossoms

I found this on a great recipe blog, http://www.picky-palate.com/
I haven't tried it, but they sound really good. I think you could use a regular chocolate kiss if you can't find the pumpkin flavor. Yum!

Pumpkin Spice Blossoms
1 Spice Cake Mix 18.25 oz
14 oz can Libby’s Pumpkin
½ Cup sanding sugar
1 bag Hershey’s Pumpkin Spice Kisses
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer beat the cake mix and pumpkin until well combined, about 45 seconds. With a cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll top half in sanding sugar (dough is sticky) then place onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until cooked through. Quickly transfer to a cooling rack and immediately press kisses into the center of each cookie. I immediately place cooling rack into the fridge for 15 minutes so the kisses don’t melt. I tried both ways and it melts down if just left at room temperature. Enjoy!
About 36 cookies

Update:

I tried this recipe and I made a few modifications. The cookies turned out good and everyone thought they were yummy. I used regular sugar instead of the sanding sugar and chocolate kisses instead of pumpkin flavor. I thought the dough was too sticky to handle and roll in the sugar, so I just sprinkled some on the top of the dough after it was on the cookie sheet. I used a greased cookie sheet instead of the parchment paper.