{Quick Italian Wedding Soup}

I got this recipe from a Paula Deen magazine years ago. I make it every fall and it is delicious. I love having recipes on my blog so that I can refer back to them rather than digging through my stack of sticky, torn up magazine pages.
What you'll need:

2 tblspns butter
1 c. frozen chopped onions
1 c. crinkle cut carrots (I leave these out, not much of a carrot fan)
2 tspns minced garlic
2 boxes of low sodium chicken broth
1 16 oz package of frozen Italian meatballs
, baked according to pkg direction
1 can great northern bean, drained & rinsed
1 c ditalini pasta
6 oz bag of baby spinach
1/2 c. shd parmesan


In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion onion, carrot, and garlic; cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until carrots are tender. Add broth, meatballs, and beans; bring to a boil over medium high heat. Add pasta, reduce heat, and simmer for 6 to 8 min. or until pasta is tender. Add spinach and cheese, cook for 1 to 2 min, or until spinach is wilted.

Serve with french bread and a little parmesan on top!

Yum!

My Favorite Salsa

I love salsa. I wish there was some way to make the chips part of the "chips & salsa" good for you. I love a lot of cilantro in my salsa. I'm serious. No grocery store brand will do. I have to go to a certain Mexican restaurant to get my fix. Until, I came across this recipe. A former co worker gave it to me and the name of the recipe sold me. I made it right away and I have made it every year since! {Yum!}

MUCHO~MACHO CILANTRO SALSA

2 to 3 large cans of diced tomatoes ( I add fresh during the summer)

2 small cans of chopped green chilies

1/2 cup jalapenos

3 cloves of garlic

1 med green pepper

3 ribs of celery

1/2 onion

2 bunches of cilantro

5 tsp white vinegar

2 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin

Chop jalapenos, garlic, green pepper, celery, onion, and cilantro as fine as possible. Mix these and all other ingredients together in a large bowl. spoon mixture into food processor, batches at a time. This makes a ton, but never seems to last that long!

I sometimes eat this with whole grain tortilla chips and convince myslef that it is healthy.

If you like Pina Coladas...

This is the perfect smoothie. I made this for the guys while they were hard at work outside on the yard. I saw it in a Paula Deen mag and had to make it. So Good!!



Pineapple coconut smoothie:



2 cups pineapple sherbet

1 banana

1/2 c coconut milk

toasted coconut flakes


{recipe, Paula Deen April issue}

mix all ingredients in a blender, top with coconut and enjoy!