Fresh Mango and Lime Ice

Serves 6

The perfect dessert after a big dinner. The recipe calls for rum and you can use whatever you like - but the coconut in Malibu Rum gives it a amazing tropicalness - is that a word?

Ingredients

• 3 mangos, peeled and roughly chopped - save 4 mango wedges for garnish.
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Juice from 3 limes
• 3 tablespoons Malibu Rum (trust me)

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to blender, and blend until smooth
2. Pour into 9x13 baking pan Freeze until solid - 3 to 4 hours.
3. Scrape across the top with a big spoon to make a 'shave-ice' like snow, and put into serving glasses - martini glasses work well.
4. Garnish with lime zest and a mango wedge
5. The other option is to cut the water in half, add more rum and call it a drink with a name like an Island Breeze. But then you'll need one of those little umbrellas...

Black Bean Soup

Serves 4 - 6

This is quick and easy but really good. Just be careful when you use the blender...

Ingredients

• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 - 3 ribs of celery, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• Olive oil
• 4 cans black beans, drained and rinsed well
• 1 quart chicken broth
• 1 Tablespoon cumin
• Fresh lime wedges
• Sour cream
• Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Directions

1. Heat a skillet on the stove and add about 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
2. Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook until softened (but don't let them brown)
3. Add the garlic and continue to cook
4. Add the cumin and heat until it becomes fragrant
5. Add the black beans and chicken broth and simmer for about 10 minutes
6. Place 3 or 4 ladles full of the beans without much of the broth into a blender
7. Cover and hold the top with a towel and puree the beans
8. Add the bean puree back into the soup and mix well
9. To serve put some soup into a bowl and squeeze a fresh lime wedge over the top
10. Add a spoonful of sour cream and sprinkle with a bit of the chopped cilantro
11. Stir it all together and enjoy