Recipes, please!

If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you’ll know that I have fallen in love with cooking over the past several months. The time has come however, to simplify my week-night meals in the hopes of cutting back on our grocery budget and to have cooking & clean-up take less time out of my evening.
Which has lead me on a hunt for more recipes in the following categories:

•  Chili 
• Soup 
• Crockpot meals 
• Meals easily frozen

Anybody have anything they want to contribute?

But so it’s not all-take-and-no-give, here is a vegetarian chili recipe I made last week which was quite scrumptious.
(My hubby likes meat in his food and said it would be good some ground beef or turkey added.)

Bean Chili

•  5 c. chopped fresh tomato (if you don’t have fresh, or not enough, substitute with canned diced tomatoes) 
• 1 can refried beans 
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained 
• 1 can red beans, rinsed and drained 
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1 zucchini, shredded
• 1 can corn, drained 
• 2 packages taco seasoning 
• 1 package dry Italian dressing 
• 1 tsp. chili powder 
• 1 Tbsp. vinegar 
• 1 c. beef broth 
• 1/4 c. packed brown sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a crock pot
 and simmer on low for 5-7 hrs.

Yes, it’s that easy.

ENJOY!

Zzzzzz......

This is how I've been feeling lately...

At work:

At home:

I need some energy.

Anniversary!

Twelve months have come & gone so quickly. We have learned a lot, changed a little, and our love has grown to depths deeper than I knew was possible. It was an absolutely wonderful year and I treasure the moments & memories it brought us.

Our anniversary wasn’t an extravagant celebration by any means, but it was simple & quiet (like us) and it was a wonderful day. The greatest gift is simply being with each other.

We went to one of those fun restaurants for lunch where they play country music overhead and have a bucket of peanuts on your table...and were you throw the peanut shells on the floor, which is the most fun part! :) 

At home we cut into our year-old wedding cake, a tradition we thought was pretty cool, especially considering we didn't really get to have any cake at the wedding unless you count feeding each other a bite when we cut it (but my bite was all frosting and I ended up running into the bathroom to spit it out...).  Mom had wrapped it up tight and kept it in the deep-freeze all year and it survived surprisingly well.  The cake was moist and the raspberry filling was delicious! 

And last, but certainly not least, we exchanged our very first anniversary cards.  My dear husband always picks out the perfect cards and writes the sweetest things inside...guaranteed to make me cry. :) 

It was a perfectly lovely day and a delightful way to spend the day commemorating our first year together.  I so look forward to spending many happy years with this dear man that God brought into my life. 

How have ya'll celebrated your past anniversaries, or any fun plans for future ones?