Tomato Rotini 2pts Serves 12 (1 cup servings)
Prep 15 Min cook 9 HR + 20 Min (Slow Cooker meal)

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
4 cups tomato juice
1 TBS dried basil leaves
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp pepper
2 medium carrots sliced (1 cup)
2 medium stalks celery sliced (1 cup)
1 medium onion chopped (1/2 cup)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 cups uncooked rotini pasta (4 1/2 ounces)
Shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired

1. Mix al ingriedents except pasta and cheese in 5 quart slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low heat setting 8-9 hrs.
3. Stir in pasta and increase to high temp, cover and cook for 20 minutes or untill tender. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.

Made some choc mint brownies too but they tunred out way too good.... so I sent them to work with DH...they turned out to be almost 9pts apiece! Gonna try and make a lighter version next time!

Have been having a good time visiting and going around with my friend but...........we have been eating out an awful lot and I'm not good with a menu. I'm hopng to maintain while she's here and then get back OP Tuesday. I brought our scale along so that I can keep track of myself and it has been a motivator for me.

BARB--Congratulations on 38 years!

My parents arrive on Thursday so I hope it warms up a bit for them. I know it will be warmer than MN but I'd like for them to enjoy being outside some. When we first arrived here we were sitting on the balcony for breakfast and lunch but NOT lately. We've had plenty of rainy and overcast days in the 50's. That's too cool for my dad to be outside for very long with his diminished circulation.

CANDICE--How many pts are you alloted per day?

Hi siwa....23 pts on the old vesion and 20 on the new flex system but I have not switched to that since I am at goal. So ou can see why a 9 pt brownie is not a good thing and ten I ate 2..nope not a good thing! But they wee so good I will make them again!

cold and snowy here, haven't been out in awhile..want to get to the craft mall but it will have to wait for better weather, the cat needs her shots too, she is month overdo!

Hello Nothin' new......still eating within pts but getting taht baking urge again!

My friend left yesterday and I was back OP and stayed on it ALL day. Did very well and it made me feel so good. Just 2 more days til my parents arrive. That won't be such a challenge cuz we won't be going out nearly as much. It will just mean that I've someone to talk to all the time. Our outings will be more like walking on the beach and bird watching with an occasional excursion via car.

CANDICE--I like to bake also but haven't done much in years cuz I eat what I make. Christmas is about the only time I bake anymore. I want to do some baking w/my 5 and 7 yr old nieces but then I'll send the goodies home w/them. That will satify my desires in a lot of areas--baking, eating a cookie and being w/my nieces.----I thought I remembered my mom having about 23 pts when she did WW so 9 pts would be a big chunck of the days allotment. Two would put a real damper on your day. Stay out of that cookie jar now!

Sorry I've been missing for so long, but I finally am feeling better, the cold sores are healed, and I think I am really among the living now.

Alice: I guess it is different for everyone, but I don't think we had too much of an adjustment. We used to have some very hot days back in clayton, and no air conditioning for relief. In the summer, you do any outside work in the early morning. You go from air conditioned house, to car to store, and so it goes. We didn't have any problems last summer, and that was the first we didn't go north at all. The summer before when we went, we suffered with heat and humidity for a couple of days. And then the rest of the time I wore a sweater. My DH is much warmer than me, so I think he minds it more, but now there are times he is cold and I am comfortable. So who can say. I don't think you would have a problem adjusting.

Our cruise took us to the Western Carribean. To Grand Cayman, Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, and Belize City, Belize. Belize had such a wide scope from the very well to do, to the poorest of the poor, and we saw examples of each.

I've been having some computer problems, and after the tech got through with me, I couldn't get my msn address, or hot mail or instant messanger. I can't seem to get it corrected, and tonight I went to msntech and was 128 in line so just couldn't wait that long. Will try again tomorrow. What a pain.

Barb: Hope your screening went well. and happy anniversary, even if it is late.

Candice: your brownies sound yummy, but I'm off sweets until I get rid of the cruise pounds.

See you all later. Ann

Ok..on my way to bed (on my medicine that makes me sleep eat) I made those PB rice krispie bars with choc on top to send to my son and others for a treat and I think I ate way too many...at least a days worth of pts ...and I still have some ont he counter! No wonder my stomach is upset!

We are getting up to 8 more inches of snow today...didn't make it to the store either...did way too much exercise yesterday so had to rest up abit!

The snow missed us but we are getting some ice!

Thank you, Candice, for the ice and snow report. I love hearing them this winter as I gaze out on the surf pounding the beach this morning. We've had some "weather" here lately too. VERY humid yesterday and warm (70) Gulf air was clashing w/the cold front over LA was making it ripe for tornado watches in a couple counties--but not right here. My parents arrived last nite with tales of all the snow Minneapolis has had this winter. The ground was nearly bare when we left on Jan 6 but it has snowed lots since then. No tales of ice storms tho. DS has been blowing the snow on a regular basis. Last snowfall was Tuesday but a small one.

We're just all sitting around today eating breakfast and drinking coffee. The day began with a thundershower and now just looks cloudy. That cold front shud arrive any time now and tomorrow shud be about 50. Just letting my parents get settled in and used to the place before we head off to do any site seeing.

ANN--Glad to hear that you're feeling better and getting back to normal life.

Hi Gang, Still nothing much going on except work related stuff and I cry enought about that. As far as I know the screening went well. They took tons of blood, but I haven't heard anything back from it yet. She said as long as it was okay, I wouldn't hear anything. So no news is good news as they say.

It's been a beautiful sunshiney day day here in Dallas. Temp around the mid 30's. Quite plesant really. I only made it to the health club 3 time this week, so I'm planning to go tomorrow. Saturday is usually my sleep in sorta day, but I need the exercise.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Nothin' new here, last two days not too much pain and I was afraid I would overdo so just rested..I need the exercise too Barb! Cleaning day Monday and I have to put the rest of my snowmen away and the requires climbing the stairs several times!

Hi everyone: I have just been lurking, and trying to get my computer problem solved. Finally I got my instant message back. The tech who was trying to solve my other problem, had me delete something that he shouldn't have. GRRR. So after 4 more attempts with on-line techs then I went back to our Staples tech, which we pay for, and this time he got things straightened out. Boy have I been frustrated, but now at least I can chat with friends and family members, once again.

I don't have much exciting happenings around here. Siwa, tell me how you like the Naval Air Museum. I know you said you were saving that to do when your parents are here.

Now I haave to start working on taxes. Ugh. but it has to be done. Talk to you all another day. Ann

It's done nothing but rain here lately. Been difficult to show people around in this weather. Mardi Gras parades have started but a rainy parade is not my idea of a fun time. We did indoor activities today and prob tomorrow too.

ANN--We've not gone to the air museum yet but it's another good indoor activity for a rainy day. We have to be home before 4/1 to do our taxes. We'll be cutting it a bit short this year. We have to check out of the condo on 3/10 and then we're driving home at a leisurely pace but not TOO leisurely.

Well....sounds like we all haven't been up to much..my cleaning help cancelled Monday so nothing got done....take the cat to the vet for check up and shots Friday...that's about it for right now.