Taco Seasoning Mix

This is my own blend that is far better than what you can buy.

Seasoning Mix
1/4 c instant minced dried onion
2 tbs chili powder (I mix 1 tbs generic, 1/2 tbs New Mexico chili powder, 1/2 tbs Arbol chili powder or Chipotle chili powder)
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp crushed hot pepper flakes
2 tsp dried oregano
4 tsp salt
1 tbs cornstarch
1 tbs instant minced garlic
2 tsp ground cumin

Mix all ingredients well using a whisk and store in a tightly lidded jar. Post recipe on jar:

Recipe: Brown 1 lb ground beef. Drain grease. Add 1/2 c water and 2 heaping tbs of seasoning mix. Simmer 10 min. Add additional seasoning if needed.

Tuscan Ribollita Soup

Recipe from Megan Wolfe. Yum!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Serves 4-6

3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, peeled
1 carrot, peeled
1 celery stalk
4 ounces organic chicken sausage (one link from Whole Foods)
½ cup olive oil
1 15-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
2 15-ounce cans cannellini or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups vegetable broth
1 sprig fresh rosemary
½ bunch kale, roughly chopped (will be about ½ lb)
½ loaf of Italian bread, cut into 1-inch squares
grated Pecorino Romano cheese (optional)

• Chop the celery, onion and carrot.
• In a large pot, sauté the garlic, onion, celery, carrot and sausage in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes with their juices, the beans, broth and rosemary.
• Simmer, covered, for about an hour (or until the beans break apart).
• Add the kale and cook for 7 more minutes.
• Stir in the bread and serve, drizzled with the remaining olive oil and sprinkled with Pecorino Romano cheese.

Since this makes alot of soup, I put a handful of bread cubes in the bottom of each bowl and stirred in while serving so I could save the remainder of the soup without the bread.