Paula Deen Dinner - Black Bean Soup and Cheese Quesadillas

I found both these recipes in the "Cooking With Paula Deen" magazine, September/October 2009. I've made almost all the recipes from that issue that I want to. I just got the next one, so I can start on that one next!

Both these recipes were very easy to follow. My son wasn't too keen about the onions in the soup, but I chopped them up small and they werent' noticeable. He really liked both the soup and quesadillas.

BLACK BEAN SOUP

Ingredients:

5 slices bacon, finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 (15.25 oz) cans black beans, drained

2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

Garnish: sour cream, minced chives (omitted both)

Directions:

In a medium Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium-high heat for 3 mintues, or until just beginning to brown. Add onion and garlic; cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until onion is tender. Add beans, broth, cumin and chili powder. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

In the container of a blender, spoon half of the soup; process until almost smooth. Return processed mixture to Dutch oven, stirring to combine.

Garnish iwth sour cream and chives, if desired.

Serve immediately.

4-6 servings

CHEESE QUESADILLAS

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz) package shredded colby-Jack cheese blend

4 oz cream cheese, softenend

1/4 cup prepared salsa

8 (8 inch) flour tortillas

1/4 cup butter, softenend

Garnish: chopped onion, chopped tomato, chopped fresh jalepeno

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine cheese, cream cheese, and salsa. Spread mixture evenly over 4 tortillas. Cover each with remaining tortillas. Spread softened butter evenly over both sides of quesadillas.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 quesadilla, and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn quesadilla, and cook for 1-2 minutes longer, or until golden brown. Repeat procedure with remaining quesadillas.

Cut into wedges to serve.

4-6 servings