Baking Day Results

Still left to do:
– Make banana muffins.

We had to run to Krispy Kreme for FREE Inauguration Day Donuts...


The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul...
(Proverbs 13:19)

That's how I felt as I crossed items off my list and then again as I surveyed the results:


– A 2-quart bowl of (whole milk!) yogurt "set" perfectly and is ready to eat!
– The whole-grain rice cooked up beautifully; we had 1 cup for supper and are putting three 2-cup bags in the freezer.
– There are over 2 dozen whole-wheat butter rolls to be enjoyed!
– Including the applesauce made night before last, there are two 5-cup batches for an applesauce-loving little girl who lives at our house!
– The bean and sausage soup was enjoyed at supper. (And there are leftovers for two meals!)

I consulted several cookbooks and then came up with my own modified recipe, based largely on what I had on hand.

My Bean and Chorizo Soup

2 cups dried pinto beans
4 cups water
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp dried onion
1 Tbsp "Roasting Rub" (basically garlic, peppercorns, rosemary, and red pepper – Wow!)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
1/2 chorizo, chopped
(I like the Mild Italian Sausage from Publix because it's the closest to Uruguayan chorizo that I've been able to find here.)

Soak the beans (using the "Quick Soak" method) in a large pan with 6 to 8 cups of water. Bring to a rapid boil on medium-high heat; then boil two more minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand one hour. Drain and rinse beans.

In a large saucepan (or Dutch oven), heat the oil; add onion and spices to the oil and stir together. Add beans, water, and salt. Stir in spaghetti sauce and chopped sausage. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for at least two hours. If desired, mash some of the beans to make soup thicker.

Serving Ideas:
– Garnish with shredded cheese.
– Serve over whole-grain rice.