57th Thankful Thursday: more simple delights and a simple chocolate chip spiced pumpkin cookie recipe

Today, I took time to enjoy an hour-long nap (!--really, that never happens), watched cedar waxwings munch on crabapples, and baked cookies (another activity I haven't done in months).  I'm so glad I did--I feel more relaxed and ready to take on tomorrow.

The cookies, chocolate chip and spiced pumpkin, require just three ingredients and are totally yummy.  I just plop the dough on the cookie sheet, hence the rugged appearance, but feel free to make yours smooth.  These cookies are more cake-like than they are chewy.

This week:  What simple delights rejuvenate you?

Gently spiced black beans with baked sweet potatoes

I really, really like this recipe.  It's not very spicy, but is flavorful enough to tickle the taste-buds.  The flavors of the beans and the sweet potatoes complement each other very well.  It's fast and can easily be doubled or tripled depending on how many mouths are around to feed.  It's one I'll make and turn into brown-bag lunches for a week.

I adapted the recipe from EatingWell.  While you could zap the sweet potatoes in your microwave on short notice, as EatingWell recommends, I suggest baking them in the oven.  Baking takes planning ahead, but zapped sweet potatoes don't carmelize like baked ones do.

The sweet potatoes take about an hour and a half to bake (they're super forgiving on time).  About twenty minutes before they're done, start the black beans and you're good to go.  :)  If making a larger batch, allot more time for it to come to a simmer.

Yogurt makes a nice garnish and helps make this a complete protein.  This meal is fairly heavy, so I recommend serving with crackers or flatbread.

Really corny, wheat and honey cornbread--what a mouthful! ;P

Just in time for Thanksgiving...IT'S FINALLY HERE!!!  duh duh-duh duh:  my favorite cornbread recipe!  :D  If you are looking for KFC-like cornbread, check out this recipe (I suggest halving the sugar).  If you are Southern and swear cornbread is not sweet, consider this.  If you'd like a cornbread so good your grandpa eats half the pan for breakfast, keep reading.  ;)

Moist, nearly cake-like, wheat & honey-sweetened goodness, packed with sweet corn kernels.  I like it just how it is without adding extra butter or honey.  I hope you enjoy it too.  :)  

Green chili under 10 minutes

My grandma makes a soup we call "green chili". It tastes so good after working for hours in chilly Wyoming. It has stewed tomatoes, pork, cans of canned chiles, kidney, black and refried beans, and (probably) tabasco sauce.

This is my version of green chili when I need to have dinner on the table in less than 10 minutes. When served with grain, the meal provides all amino acids needed for complete protein. I eat this with toasted tortilla (warmed in an ungreased fry pan, both sides) or cornbread.

Soul-warming & Spicy African Tomato Peanut Soup

Never in my life have I wanted to share a recipe as badly as this one. Good grief. This soup is GOOD. Common ingredients, rich, and filling. The flavor will blow you away.

I made minor changes to this recipe posted by Gourmet on epicurious.com. Gourmet's recipe uses a few more canned ingredients that might make it easier for you to make this.

I enjoyed the texture and am glad I didn't puree it. If you do puree it, you may not want to let it boil down so much, or it may become too thick.

If you want to serve this with grains, I recommend crackers or flatbread instead of bread.

The peanut butter demands to be paired with a glass of cold, whole, milk. Please don't disappoint the peanut butter.