Amazing Soup

We went over to Hannah & Will's house for dinner a while ago and they made us the most delicious soup. Hannah graciously sent me the recipe and I made it again at home. It is so tasty, you'd never know how good for you it is. Here's the recipe the way I made it:

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed*

1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
1 16-oz can pumpkin puree (i used approx. half a fresh pumpkin that i cubed, steamed, and pureed)
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tbsp olive oil
4 cups vegetable broth
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground pepper
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Place oil, red onion, garlic and seasonings into a large pot. Cook on low-medium heat until red onion and garlic brown. Puree the beans and tomatoes. Add pureed ingredients, pumpkin and broth to your pot. Puree with an immersion (stick) blender. Simmer uncovered until thick, about 40-45 minutes. Before serving, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve with fresh bread.

*In general when I need black beans I cook dried beans in the crockpot on high for about 3 hours. I normally add a half pound of beans and 6 cups of water. It's much cheaper than canned and you don't have to worry about rinsing off added sodium.

Madison, Eden, Neenah, Manitowoc, Milwaukee, Phoenix...

To say that this Christmas season has been busy would be an understatement. I was reflecting the other day on the fact that of the past 10 days, we'd only spent 3 of them at home and the remaining 7 had been spent in 5 cities and 2 states. That doesn't count our 3-week New Zealand trip which ended earlier in December. All that said, I feel that God has been there with me through these past few weeks. I have had a harder time each year focusing on the story of his birth at Christmas, especially right on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day since the hecticness of the Christmas Eve service and all the present opening easily consumes my concentration. And Jesus' birth seems like so distant a happening that it's not real. But I know that He is real and working in my life, despite my incredible human failings.

Cheri's wedding was beautiful. The weather was in the 60's and the bridesmaids wore knee-length black dresses. I played violin at the ceremony (the pianist and I threw in a couple extra prelude pieces for fun!) and Adam was a patient soul throughout. The reception was held at a different church and was beautifully decorated with Christmas trees and lights. Unfortunately, we lost our camera in the Milwaukee airport on the way to Phoenix so we didn't get any pictures of our own (we bought a new camera yesterday). Here's one that Lisa took for us at the reception. The way they had it set up, the spouses of the bridal party got to sit at head tables which was really nice since Adam didn't know anyone there.

Here's another one that was taken at a park near Cheri's house. The photographer was photographing our shoes which is why we're all lined up and not looking at anything in particular.