Jackson Free Press

Even with all the craziness of life, it's good to try and make time to sit around the table for a family dinner. Your children will never forget those days. Put your phones down and enjoy family conversation. Even if you only make the time one day a week, it's still important to do it.

I have some quick and easy recipes that will help you make family dinners a rousing success, including my 30-minute taco soup. These are recipes you can prepare in advance so when you come home from work, you're not stuck in the kitchen. This is especially important for working moms and dads. The recipes allow you to be fully present for your family and loved ones.

30-Minute Taco Soup

Sometimes we need a recipe that takes no effort and little time to make. This recipe fills those requirements. Essentially, you put canned beans, corn and tomatoes in a pan with a few other ingredients, warm it up and serve it hot. If you don't think you will have time to prepare this soup when you get home, you can assemble the ingredients in the morning, put the dish in the refrigerator and when you get home from work, simply remove it from the refrigerator and warm it up. To make the soup more fun, offer a few different toppings to choose from.

Ingredients

10-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

10-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

10-ounce can corn, drained

10-ounce can diced tomatoes (I use Mexican-seasoned tomatoes)

10-ounce can cream of chicken soup

10-ounce can green enchilada sauce

10-ounce can chicken broth

1/4 cup (1 packet) taco seasoning

3/4 cup water

Topping Options

Sour cream

Tortilla chips, crumbled

Avocado

Shredded cheese

Jalapeno peppers

Directions

Place all soup ingredients in an 8-quart pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes and serve hot. If the soup is too thick, add water or more chicken broth. While the soup is cooking, prepare a few toppings.

Serves four.

Shrimp with Sea Salt and Black Pepper

This dish takes less than 30 minutes to make, and I guarantee that you will love it. With a simple ingredient list and preparation method, you will find yourself craving it. I have experimented making the dish with the shrimps' shells on and off, and I prefer to leave them on because the shells create more flavor. Play around with the amount of salt. I personally like extra salt for this dish, but you can always start out with a little less salt and add more if desired.

Ingredients

1 pound shrimp, shells on or off

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon water

Directions

Put the oil and shrimp in an 8-inch skillet and add sea salt and black pepper. Cover over medium-high heat for three to four minutes.

Remove the cover, toss the shrimp, add the water and cover again. This allows the shrimp to steam and keeps them moist.

Remove the cover and adjust the seasonings.

Serves four.

Find more recipes at mmgood.com.