What’s for dinner??? I had no idea what to make for dinner this evening. So I had to scan the pantry and refrigerator to see what I could pull together. This is what I had in my refrigerator- cooked chicken breasts, Monterey Pepper Jack cheese, sour cream, and 1/2 can of Rotel tomatoes, (the other half I added to my guacamole dip on Sunday), cilantro, and red chili peppers, which were graciously donated from my friend. In my pantry I had cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, cream of tomato soups, and black, red and white beans, barely any noodles, and a few opened bags of tortilla chips. Hmmm… I’m thinking something with a Mexican flare… soooo I grabbed the chicken, cheese, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, beans, and tomatoes, cilantro and chili peppers and turned it into this yummy casserole!

I love it when things aren’t planned yet they still come together. I don’t mean that I always like it when things are unplanned, but when they aren’t planned and they come together – that’s a good thing! It is soo much easier to come home from a day at work and prepare a planned meal. But that was not the case tonight. These ingredients were not purchased to make this particular dish, but with an open mind the recipe idea presented itself.

As I was gathering the ingredients, it made me think about how many things in life aren’t always planned, but they work out unknowingly, by the grace of God. We like our lives to be planned, predictable, and orderly –  we get a sense of security and trust from this. When unplanned events happen to us, it can shake our faith. That is when we need to remember this verse and let God work in our lives.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” Proverbs 3:5-6

Last night, my bible study group discussed the verse above because the topic was about trusting God. It can be very difficult to trust God when we can’t see where he is leading us. Many unplanned and unexpected things happen in this life. But if we can be patient and trust in the Lord, the pieces will eventually come together. There isn’t always a set “recipe” in life, in fact most of our lives are much like that of a thrown together casserole! A concoction of many different people and unplanned circumstances, which in time becomes a unique and beloved story!

I would love to hear about some of the unplanned dinners you created, or unplanned events that came together for you! Please share!

If you make this recipe, let me know how it turned out!

Chicken Tortilla Casserole With Black Beans and Tomatoes

1/2 bag of tortilla chips

2 1/2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded

2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup

1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 can of Original Rotel tomatoes with Green Chilis (the Original can be spicy – there is a Mild if you prefer or 1/2 can of diced tomatoes would work too!)

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup sour cream

8oz of shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalepenos (Cheddar or plain Monterey Jack would be good too!)

Cilantro and Red Chili Peppers (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 casserole dish. Break up the tortilla chips into small pieces in the casserole dish as the bottom layer. In a mixing bowl, mix together the chicken, cream of chicken soup, black beans, tomatoes, milk, and sour cream. Spread on top of the chips. Sprinkle the cheese on top.

Bake for 30-40 minutes uncovered until bubbly and slightly browned. Remove from oven. Sprinkle the cilantro and peppers on top.

Enjoy!

Blessings,

Lori

It is that time of year again! Soup time!

Just like a warm bowl of soup feels on a cool fall day – warming our soul, so does the Word of God! It fills us up and warms us on the inside.

Some days I need something to warm my soul – soup does that for me. It is comforting. I love ALL kinds of soup! Not only do I enjoy eating them, but I enjoy making them too. Chopping all kinds of vegetables and adding special spices and seasonings, this blending and simmering in anticipation of a savory delight!

Psalm 34:8 says “Taste and see that the Lord is good! How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!”

When my heart feels restless and I’m not feeling quite content with life, I need to feed my soul with God’s word, His truths, and His promises. His is my rock and my salvation in which I take refuge in. By reading His Word, I am reassured, because everything in this life is temporary – all situations and circumstances will not last forever… BUT the love of our Lord will last for eternity! Now that is soul warming!

Lentil Soup with Spicy Sausage

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped onion

tablespoon of olive oil

2 cans (14.5 oz) of diced tomatoes with garlic, onion, and oregano

1 can (14.5 oz) of beef broth

1/2 bag of lentils

1 link of cooked spicy italian sausage – chopped small

Saute the carrots, celery, and onions in a tablespoon of olive oil. Add tomatoes and lentils, beef broth, and chopped sausage. Bring to a boil for about 30 minutes, until lentils get soft. Simmer for an additional 45 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add extra water or broth, if necessary, to get the right soup consistency.

Enjoy the soup!

The air is turning brisk, days are shorter, and the leaves are starting to change! My favorite time of year! It is time for comfort food and crockpots, soups and stews, breads and baked goods!

It is always a challenge not to overindulge in all the goodness of these foods…

Being mindful of healthy and satisfying meals, I created this tasty, spicy dish to help warm you up!

Spicy Sausage with Beans and Veggies

1 lb Italian sausage – hot or mild, pork or turkey

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion sliced

1 red pepper, slice

1 green pepper, sliced

1 zucchini, sliced

1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

salt and pepper to season

Start with cooking the sausage in a large skillet, when sausage is no longer pink in the middle and is nice and brown on the outside, remove it from the skillet. Slice into 1/2 inch slices. Set aside. In the same pan, add a little oil and sauté onions, green peppers, red peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, and any other vegetable you prefer! When vegetables are just crisp, not too soft, add a rinsed and drained can of cannellini beans and the sliced sausage back to the skillet. Gently toss together. Season with salt and pepper and you have a healthy, delicious, easy, and SPICY dinner! Of course if you don’t like the spicy sausage you can substitute it with the mild! Serve this with bread (I like the ciabatta bread with lots of sweet cream butter! oops there goes the healthy!) rice, or your favorite pasta. However, it really is satisfying without anything else!

Tasteful Blessings is meant to not only create a physical appetite, but a spiritual one as well – so that we may feel satisfied and have something to nourish our body and souls. It’s all wonderfully connected, thanks to our amazing creator!

I hope you will join me as we journey together enjoying good food and the good Word!

In the book of John chapter 6 verse 35, Jesus declares “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (NIV)

Just as bread sustains us, Jesus and the Word of God sustains us as well!

Blessings to you all!

~Lori