Vegetable-Pasta Soup

This soup is so simple and delicious. Not much to it. I hope you enjoy!

• 32-oz. box vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 cup medium-size pasta
• 2 cups frozen diced hash brown potatoes with onions and peppers
• 2 cups frozen peas and carrots
• 1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies

1. In a large covered saucepan bring broth to boiling. Add pasta, potatoes, peas and carrots, and undrained diced tomatoes. Return to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until pasta is tender.
2. Ladle soup into bowls. Serves 4.

Nutritional information per serving: 171 calories, 0 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, *1,372 mg sodium, 36 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 7 g protein.

*It's high in sodium, so I wouldn't overdue it with salty crackers.

Shredded Pork Tacos

Yum! If you haven't figured out by now, I love Tex-Mex food, and I'm always looking for fun new ways to make tacos. Who knew that salsa could be so flavorful in a slow-cooker? This will definitely become a monthly favorite. I hope you enjoy!

• 2 lb boneless pork roast
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilis
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• corn or flour tortillas
• toppings: cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, avocados etc.

1. Place pork roast in slow cooker.
2. Top with salsa, chilis, garlic salt, and pepper.
3. Cook on LOW for 8 hours.

Clean-up tip: I used the crock-pot disposable liners to make this meal, and I am definitely not turning back. No more scrubbing! Simply allow the slow-cooker to cool, and throw away the bag.

Easy Grilled Shrimp with Grilled Pineapple

This is a recipe I kind of created after experimenting with different marinades for grilled shrimp. It's one of Tim's favorites. I hope you enjoy!

• 1 1/2 lbs. large jumbo shrimp, peeled and cleaned
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• salt & pepper
• cooked rice
• pineapple slices (see pineapple cutting post by clicking here)
  

Heat grill pan (or grill) over medium-high heat. Coat with cooking spray. Take cleaned shrimp and toss in medium-size bowl with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Skewer shrimp on skewers. Take pineapple slices and place on preheated grill pan. Cook 2-3 minutes per side or until pineapple shows grill marks and is a darker yellow in color. Remove pineapple and place shrimp into grill pan. Cook 4-5 minutes per side or until no longer clear. Serve shrimp over rice.

Clean-up tip: For easy clean-up of the grill pan, immediately rinse off pan with water, scrubbing if necessary. Otherwise, the food will cool and stick, making it nearly impossible to clean.

Pineapple

I know this is not a recipe, but I thought I would share my super, awesome pineapple cutter! Who knew this gadget would work so well? Stay tuned for my grilled pineapple tomorrow night.

Walnut and Rosemary Oven-Fried Chicken

Yum! What a delicious and healthy recipe that's so full of flavor. It's very simple to prepare and can simply be eaten with a bed of leafy greens. Yum! I hope you enjoy!

• 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk (I just used milk)
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 4 (6-ounce) chicken cutlets OR 4 chicken breast halves
• 1/3 cup panko
• 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 2 tbsp grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 3/4 tsp minced fresh rosemary
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Combine buttermilk and mustard in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Add chicken to buttermilk mixture, turning to coat.
3. Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add panko to pan; cook 3 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Combine panko, nuts, and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a shallow dish. Remove chicken from buttermilk mixture; discard buttermilk mixture. Dredge chicken in panko mixture.
4. Arrange a wire rack on a large baking sheet; coat rack with cooking spray. Arrange chicken on rack; coat chicken with cooking spray. Bake at 425 for 13 minutes or until chicken is done.