Everything season.......................

This recipe has been a family favorite for many years, getting to make plenty of it this year due to an abundance of sweet potatoes.
As usual , use it as a guide line, almost any vegetable can be tossing in and it'll still turn out great!

                                     Sweet Potato Soup
Sauté together:
1 small bell pepper,chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 cup cabbage, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. olive oil
sauté for five minutes then add:
1 Pt. home canned tomatoes (OR 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes) juice and all
1 qt. chicken broth (water can be used instead, if you prefer)
3 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup green beans, frozen or fresh
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Bring to a boil, then turn heat down and simmer till veggies are soft, about thirty minutes , then add
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup elbow pasta (and variety of pasta you have on hand will work)
1/2 cup sliced kielbasa sausage
Simmer about 10 more minutes or till pasta is tender.

*note this can also be made in the crockpot, combine all ingredients EXCEPT pasta and sausage
cook on low for 6-8 hours. Turn to HIGH and add pasta and sausage during last half hour of cooking time.

**Leave chicken broth and sausage out for an equally delicious vegetarian soup.

***Use cooked bacon or ham instead of sausage if you have it on hand

**** Any vegetable goes nicely in here corn, peas, broccoli whatever sounds good to you!

Pigeon Peeking.................

The long awaited incubating has begun! Amarillo has begun sitting, did you know that in pigeon hatching the male and the female take turns sitting on the eggs?? So far Amarillo is  much more dedicated than Hollywood though :)
We wanted to give you a peek too  and look how she accommodated us. She raised up just enough to show the eggs. If all goes well we think they should hatch on Dec. 28th.

Amarillo and her two eggs- daddy Hollywood in the background

Sweet potato relish

How are you coming on your PILE of sweet potatoes? We still have quite a few to use up around here!

Well, here is a very unusual recipe that we all love. Believe me, every one prejudged this one and said it wouldn't taste right. Such a strange combination of ingredients! Please give it a try, you might be pleasantly surprised!

            Sweet Potato Relish or Dip

 

 2 cups cooked Sweet Potatoes, cut in small pieces

 1 cup cooked black beans, if canned beans are used, rinse and drain

  3 Tablespoons finely chopped sweet onion

  3 Tablespoons finely chopped parsley or cilantro

  5 ounces Rotel tomatoes, drained

  1 Teaspoon taco seasoning

  Juice of 1/2 lime

  Shake of salt (to taste)

 

         Combine all ingredients, and let sit a few minutes to blend flavors.

            Serve with tortilla chips or bacon flavored crackers.