Clean out the pantry minestrone soup (crock pot)

3 c vegetable broth

2 cans beans, drained (whatever beans you have)

1 can tomatoes, diced, undrained

1 can corn, undrained

whatever vegetables you have in the fridge

salt and pepper to taste

1. Drain and rinse beans. Add to crock pot.

2. Add tomatoes, corn, and vegetables.

3. Cover with vegetable broth.

4. Cook low 8 hours or high 4 hours.

Whole wheat waffles

2 eggs

2 c whole wheat flour

1 3/4 c milk

1/2 c vegetable oil

1 TB white sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

sprinkle of cinnamon (optional)

Preheat waffle iron.

Beat eggs with hand beater until fluffy. Beat in flour, milk, vegetable oil, sugar, baking powder, salt, and vanilla just until smooth. (It makes a big difference {think yummier} if you mix all of the dry ingredients in one bowl and all of the liquid ingredients in another bowl and then combine.)

Cook to desired crispiness.

Crockpot Taco Soup

1 can vegetarian chili

1 can corn with liquid

1 can diced tomatoes with liquid

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1 can black beans with liquid

1 package dry taco seasoning

Stir together. Cover and cook on low in the crockpot 6-8 hours.

Jacob's big chocolate chip cookies

2 c all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 c butter, melted

1 c packed brown sugar

1/2 c white sugar

1 TB vanilla extract

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 c chocolate chips

1. Preheat 325

2. Mix flour, baking soda, salt.

3. In medium bowl, cream melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.

4. Beat in vanilla, egg, egg yolk until light and creamy

5. Mix in flour until just blended.

6. Stir in chocolate chips.

7. Drop cookie dough 1/4 c at a time about 3 inches apart.

8. Bake 15 minutes, until edges are lightly toasted.

9. Cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before removing

Crockpot Black Beans

2 cups dry beans (1 lb)

1. Rinse beans under cold water. Remove broken beans and rocks.

2. Soak at least 6 hours or overnight in the fridge.

3. Dump the water and rinse the beans.

4. Put the beans in the crockpot and cover the beans with plus 2-3 inches of water (over the top of the beans).

5. Cook on low 8 hours in crockpot or until soft.

6. Drain and store.

You can add onions and/or other seasonings before cooking the beans, but I usually don't.

Instead of cooking the beans in water, you can cook them in vegetable broth. But water is cheaper. :)

The freezer is a good place to store cooked beans. I store 1 1/2 to 2 cups of cooked beans in containers in the freezer. They easily defrost in the microwave or in the kitchen sick under warm water.

Pizza Crust

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 TB yeast

1 TB olive oil

2 1/2 c flour (white or wheat)

1 c warm water

Mix water, sugar, and yeast. Allow to proof.

Add salt, oil, and flour.

Knead. Cover. Rise 10 mins.

Bake 475 for 5 mins.

Put toppings on.

Bake 425 for 10-15 mins.