This layered casserole combines the decadence of lasagna with the spice of tacos. It is easy to prepare and makes great leftovers. Package and freeze for a quick lunch or dinner.

7 eight-inch tortillas (Use high quality tortillas from a bakery or farmer’s market. Or make your own using Homesick Texan’s recipe.) Cut 1 tortilla into 6 wedges

1/2 pound ground beef

1 tablespoon all natural taco seasoning (Make your own here.)

1 can (14 ounce) black, kidney or white beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2  cups spaghetti sauce (Use all natural “original” or “traditional” with garlic, onion, oregano, basil flavors.)

1 1/2 cups chunky salsa (Use just the chunky vegetables, not the watery juice. Drain with a slotted spoon or in a colander.)

8 ounces of your favorite shredded cheese (Cheddar, co-jack and taco blends are good choices.)

Preheat your oven to 350*.

Over medium high heat, brown the ground beef in a skillet and season with taco seasoning.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the spaghetti sauce and salsa.

Spread 2 tablespoons salsa mixture in the bottom of an 8″x11″ glass casserole dish. Place 2 tortillas in the bottom and fill the side gaps with 2 tortilla wedges. Top with 1/3 of the salsa mixture, half of the ground beef, half of the beans, 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat layers.

Top with the last 2 tortillas, filling gaps with wedges. Top with last 1/3 of salsa and 1/3 of cheese. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Servings: 6 – 8 depending on how you cut it.

Tips: Omit the beef to make this recipe vegetarian.

Top with lettuce, tomato, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, sliced black olives, etc.

Fresh Tomato Soup

For this recipe, you will need to search out the very best tomatoes you can find. Go to a local farmer’s market, sign up for a co-op or grow your own. In a pinch, use very high quality canned tomatoes, but it won’t be quite the same. If you use the rock hard, flavorless tomatoes from the convenient Mega Mart, you will be gravely disappointed. This recipe can be halved, but why would you? After the first taste, you will never buy canned tomato soup again. Freeze the leftovers (if there are any) in individual or meal sized portions.

5 pounds fresh tomatoes (or equivalent in canned)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, peeled and diced

1 large potato, peeled and diced

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

1 – 2 cups all natural vegetable or chicken stock OR all natural bouillon

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 – 2 teaspoons of sugar

salt and pepper to taste

First, peel your tomatoes. [To peel a tomato, first use your paring knife to cut out the stem. Then slice a shallow X in the bottom (blossom) end. Using a slotted spoon, plunge the tomato into boiling water for a few seconds, then plunge it into a bowl of iced water. This will stop the tomato from cooking and further loosen the skin. Remove the cooled tomato and peel away the skin.] Seed them if desired, then chop.

In a large pot, over medium heat saute the onion, potato and carrot in the olive oil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the tomatoes and simmer another 10 minutes. Then add the garlic and sugar. If the mixture isn’t very juicy, add the broth. If it’s already pretty juicy, just add a teaspoon or two of bouillon. Simmer for 10 more minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust sugar as needed.

Let cool slightly and blend until smooth using a blender, food processor or immersion blender. If serving immediately, reheat gently. If not, cool, pack and refrigerate or freeze.

Servings: It’s hard to count because I could drink half the batch with a straw, but this recipe does make about 12 cups of soup or the equivalent of 5 cans of soup.

Tips: You can add a touch of cream or butter for richness. Basil and/or oregano add an herbal flair.

Serve with artisan bread and sweet cream butter or a grilled cheese sandwich made on wheat bread with sharp cheddar cheese for a complete meal.

This is the best homemade bread I’ve ever made. The interior is dense and chewy. This is achieved by letting the wheat gluten develop slowly overnight. The crisp, toothsome crust comes from the unusual covered baking method. Even if you’ve never baked bread before, the results will be perfect.

2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting

3/4 cup whole wheat or oatmeal flour*

1/4 cup cornmeal

1/2 teaspoon instant yeast

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

wheat bran, cornmeal or flour, for coating crust

1 5/8 to 2 cups water, as needed

In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended. Add water a little bit at a time if needed. Dough should be sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12-18 hours, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

The dough is ready when surface is bubbled. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat plastic wrap (or waxed paper) with wheat bran, cornmeal or flour; put dough seam side down on plastic wrap and dust with more wheat bran, cornmeal or flour. Cover with a clean cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not spring back when poked.

Thirty minutes before dough is ready, heat oven to 450°F. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot, bowl or round casserole (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under plastic wrap and turn dough over into pot, seam side up. Jiggle the pot or bowl to try to even it out. Any imperfections will make the bread look more rustic. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is golden brown and delicious. A finished loaf sounds hollow when you tap on it. Place on a cooling rack.

Yield: one 1 1/2 pound loaf

Tips: *To make oatmeal flour, grind quick cooking oatmeal in a food processor until it becomes a rough powder.

If white bread is desired, use 3 cups all purpose flour.

This bread should be eaten within a few days. If there’s any left over, slice, place in airtight zip bags or a storage container and freeze for up to three months.

This brilliantly colored soup of Russian origin utilizes fresh beets, potatoes and chunks of stew beef. You may already have many of the ingredients on hand. If not, take a trip to a farm stand or farmer’s market for the freshest produce.

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This soup is hearty and full of healthy vegetables, but not too filling for summer. It makes great use of leftover chicken and vegetables withering away in your crisper drawer. I made this in a pressure cooker for ease of preparation, but you could cook this in a soup pot, as well.

8 cups chicken broth

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

1/2 cup dry navy beans

3/4 cup dry great Northern beans

3-4 small potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch dice

10 baby carrots or 2 small carrots, cut into 1/4 inch thick coins

1/4 cup diced red onion

1 cup diced celery

2 cups shredded zucchini

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon Mrs Dash Original Blend

1 teaspoon parsley

all natural chicken soup base or bouillon, as needed

Combine all ingredients in a 6 quart pressure cooker. Cover and bring to a boil. After regulator begins rocking, cook for 6 minutes. Cool immediately. Remove bay leaves and check seasoning before serving.

Servings: 6-8

Tips: There is no need to soak these beans when using a pressure cooker. If cooking on stove top, follow package directions for soaking and precooking beans. If you insist, use one 14-16 ounce can of each kind of bean, thoroughly rinsed and drained.

For preparation in a regular soup pot, cover and simmer soup for 30-40 minutes or until beans and vegetables are tender.

I prefer homemade broth, but if you don’t have any, use four 14-16 ounce cans of all natural, low sodium broth.

Freeze in individual portions for up to 3 months.