Roasted Vegetable & Sizzling Brown Rice Soup

Mmmm....sounds good right? Well it tasted even better. After the week that I have had, I am ex-haust-ed, but I was so excited that I made something from a recipe...from a cook book.....and it was good...that I just had to tell every all. This is the recipe and could easily feed 6 couples a decent portion. For my vegetarian friends out there, you can substitute the chicken broth for veggie broth and it will come out equally well. Warning: it is a bit spicy and I had to drink it with a glass of milk--I know, too much info.

Ingredients:

6 cups vegetable broth

2 cans (14.5 ox each) diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 medium zucchini

1 medium yellow squash

8 oz asparagus spears, trimmed

2 garlic cloves, pressed

2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided

2 pouches (8.8 oz each) cooked brown rice

Directions:

1. Bring broth and tomatoes to a boil in covered casserole (4 qt.)

2. Dice zucchini and yellow squash into cubes. Cut asparagus into 1-in. pieces. Toss vegetables, pressed garlic and 1 tbsp of oil in mixing bowl (6 qt.). Arrange vegetables in a single layer over large sheet pan. Place pan 2-4 in. from heating element. Broil 4-5 minutes or until crisp.

3. Heat remaining tbsp oil in skillet over medium-high heat 1-3 minutes or until simmering. Separate rice according to package directions. Evenly distribute rice over bottom of skillet; cover with splatter screen--or not, it is much funner that way. Cook without stirring 5-6 minutes or until rice is golden and crisp. Remove skillet from heat; let stand, covered with screen, 1 minute. Remove casserole from heat; add roasted vegetables. To serve, ladle soup into serving bowls; top with rice.