For some reason, I have always thought that making a lentil soup and having it actually taste good would be difficult. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I made this vegan lentil soup the other day and it was not only easy to make, but it was hearty and delicious–perfect for the cold days of winter.

In case you didn’t know, lentils offer many nutritional benefits that include being high in protein, dietary fiber, folate and vitamin B1. And unlike beans, they do not require soaking before cooking. Yay!

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 large carrot, cut

4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup dry lentils

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp dry thyme

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

In a large pot, sautee carrots and onion until onion looks clear. Add broth, lentils, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until lentils are soft. Serve with your favorite Artisan Bread. Don’t forget to remove that Bay leaf!

I originally came across this recipe in one of my Gooseberry Patch recipe books. I have since made some modifications and have even simplified the recipe from its original form. If you love peanut butter and chocolate, you’re gonna flip over this pie. It has been the rave of many potlucks since its discovery. I have to caution you that this pie is highly addictive. Give it a go and see what I mean…

Ingredients:

1 Oreo Cookie Pie Crust

1 cup Natural Peanut Butter (smooth or chunky can be used)**

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened (low fat versions can be used)

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups Cool Whip, thawed

2 Reese’s Peanut Butter cups, chopped

Directions:

With an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, peanut butter, and sugar. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread mixture into Oreo crust. Garnish with Reese’s cups. Chill for at least 3 hours. Makes 8 servings.

**You can use peanut butter brands that already have sugar in them.

I recently shared my new obsession with Smucker’s Natural Peanut Butter with Honey. To extend on that theme, here are some yummy peanut butter recipes to try…

Banana Cookies With Peanut Butter Filling

Buckeyes

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

Creamy Peanut Butter Squares

Double Peanut Butter Fudge Pie

In my search for some new ideas for using pumpkin, I cam across the Better Homes and Gardens website where they are featuring “28 Yummy Pumpkin Recipes“. Some of the recipes include Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread, Double Decker Pumpkin Bread, Harvest Time Pumpkin Bars, and Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies (I bet their wicked good!).

I am interested in knowing if any one has found a shortage of canned pumpkin at their local grocer. I have not been able to find any and was told that it has been due to the rainy season that we have had here in New England. Is anyone else experiencing this?

I recently made this meal for my husband without using any kind of a recipe and, again, I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out as good as it did. Here is my recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 box linguine noodles (I use whole wheat)
• 1/2 lb. cooked shrimp (I look for the fresh kind at my local fish market when it goes on sale)
• 1 tomato cut into chunks

Procedure:

*The process of making the sauce and sauteing the shrimp should go quickly. Remember that the shrimp are already cooked. Overcooking them will give them that rubbery texture.

Cook noodles according to package directions. While the noodles are cooking, heat a pan on medium heat. Add the olive oil. Once heated, add shrimp to pan (they should sizzle once they hit the pan). Add some salt and pepper to taste. Give it a stir and add garlic, butter, and red pepper flakes. Continue to stir so the shrimp get coated and the butter melts. At this point, add a ladle full of the noodle water (yes, that would be the water that your noodles are cooking in), the cheese and the tomato. Stir and reduce to low. Drain your noodles (I do not rinse mine) and place in a large platter. Turn the heat off of the shrimp and pour over the noodles. As far as servings, my husband and I had no problem devouring this amount. So, I would say you could feed 2-4 depending on your appetite.

The cool summer weather we have been experiencing here in New England has been giving me earnings for Fall weather and food. So, this past weekend I decided to make chicken soup. No, not chicken noodle soup. I decided I would have a grilled cheese sandwich with my soup, so I decided to hold the noodles (not literally!). I did not follow a recipe, but was pleasantly surprised at how tasty my soup turned out. Here is how I did it…

Ingredients:

• 1 precooked rotisserie chicken with the meat pulled off into small strips
• 2 handfuls peeled baby carrots, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 stalk of celery, coarsely chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 32 oz. carton chicken broth
• 1 cup of water
• 2 Tbsp fresh thyme (can also use dried, but use less)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp olive or canola oil

Procedure:

Begin by heating a large cooking pot on medium heat. Once heated, add oil (you will know it’s hot when it looks thinner and more liquified-you can also put a piece of vegetable in the pot and it should sizzle). Pour in chopped carrots and celery. Add salt and pepper to season. As the vegetables become more tender, add the onion and thyme. Again, add salt and pepper to flavor. When the vegetables have softened, add the chicken broth, cup of water, and chicken. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Cook, covered, for one hour. Serve with your favorite salad or sandwich.

This is my favorite dessert! It is super simple and contains all of the wonderful flavors of fall-pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pecans…mmm!

Ingredients:

1 (29 oz.) can of pumpkin

1 1/2 c. sugar

4 eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 box of yellow cake mix

2 sticks of butter

1 cup chopped pecans

Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, beat together the pumpkin, milk, sugar, and eggs. Add the salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour mixture into a 9X13X2 inch pan. Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the top of the pumpkin mixture. Melt 2 sticks of butter and drizzle evenly over cake mix. Sprinkle on the nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Allow to cool slightly. Serve with vanilla ice cream.