Diversity: soup, shrimp or meatloaf

Ninth place on my most prepared meal list was another 3-way tie:  Italian Chicken Vegetable Soup, Garlicky Baked Shrimp, and Meatloaf.  The soup is a wonderfully fresh tasting concoction of (lots of) fresh veggies, canned tomatoes, broth and herbs (fresh or dried).  I either cut up chicken breast meat and saute it or used leftover chicken or turkey. 

Italian Chicken Vegetable Soup

chicken breast, cut up (either fresh or leftover)

olive oil (for browning fresh chicken)

2 cans Italian-style diced tomatoes

 6 cups chicken broth

2 cups kale, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup onion, chopped

2 cups baby spinach, chopped

2 small zucchini, cubed

1 med. red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 tsp. fresh finely chopped thyme (or 1/2 tsp. dried)

1 tsp. fresh finely chopped oregano (or 1/2 tsp. dried)

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves  (or about 1 tablespoon dried)

Place all ingredients in a large soup pot.  Cover and bring to boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to low, simmer for about 10 minutes.  Makes enough for a crowd, but is also good leftover.  (I usually half the recipe.)

*     *     *

I never used to cook shrimp, except on VERY special occasions, until after all the kids left home.  Then I started occasionally buying a package of frozen raw shrimp at WalMart and cooking it for Dennis and myself.  Now I serve it at least once a month, either as shrimp scampi or Garlicky Baked Shrimp.  It is a bit pricier than what I normally spend on a meal, but we love shrimp!

Garlicky Baked Shrimp

1 lb. raw shrimp, deveined and peeled

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. white wine

salt and pepper

2 Tbsp. melted butter

1/4 cups Panko bread crumbs

2 Tbsp. fresh Italian-leaf parsley, chopped (or 2 tsp. dried parsley)

half a lemon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a bowl, combine shrimp, garlic, and white wine.  Stir to combine, then pour into a baking dish and spread out evenly.  Season with salt and pepper.

In another bowl, mix melted butter, Panko and parsley until well combined.  Sprinkle evenly over shrimp in baking dish.   Squeeze lemon juice over all.  Bake until shrimp are pink and opaque, about 15-18 minutes.

 Pr 15:17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.