Ginger Lime Shrimp n' Noodles

I am always trying to find ways to incorporate more veggies into our meals. But I am not always interested in making multiple side dishes. So when I find a dish that is packed with veggies already, I am ready to try it! I am not a mushroom fan, but Brooks is, so he was diggin' the fact that I made something with them in it! This is also a great dish to eat cold the next day...that is IF you have any leftovers!

Source: adapted from How Sweet It Is
Ingredients:

1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon ginger, grated
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
zest from lime

In a ziplock, combine marinade ingredients and add shrimp. Let marinate for 2-3 hours.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red pepper, sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup snap peas
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
chopped peanuts for garnish
your choice of pasta

Cook pasta as directed on box. While that is cooking, heat olive oil in skillet. Add peppers and mushrooms and saute for about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic, peas and shrimp. Cook until shrimp is pink. Drain pasta from water and add to shrimp and veggies. Add soy, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and mix well. Top with peanuts. Enjoy!

Shrimp Tacos

I am a frequent visitor of Indigo's Sugar Spectrum. I saw this recipe and knew I had to make it immediately. There is nothing like the fresh flavors that are in this meal. If you are a shrimp fan, make this! You will love it! It would be great for Cinco de Mayo...but if you need more ideas, check out this section of the blog! There are plenty to choose from!

Ingredients:

1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups cilantro

3 garlic cloves

1 lime, juiced

salt and pepper

In a food processor (or blender) blend together all ingredients, except the shrimp. Then put mixture in a large zip lock bag and add shrimp. Let marinate in fridge for an hour or two. Then fry in pan over medium high heat until shrimp is pink. 

Tangy Cilantro Lime Sauce

1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt

2 garlic cloves

3/4 cup cilantro

lime juice

1 chipotle pepper with a little of the adobo sauce

cayenne pepper (to taste)

salt 

Blend all ingredients in food processor and mix well.

1 onion, sliced

1 red pepper, sliced

small whole wheat tortillas (we like the Mission Carb Balance Plus)

Saute onion and pepper in a little olive oil until soft. Layer sauce, peppers, onions and shrimp on a tortilla and enjoy! 

Sushi Night...and DownEast Home Review and GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

Sushi is one of those things that I was so intimidated to make. When Brooks' Mom visited us, we had sushi night...and she taught us what to do. We now have regular sushi nights. Sushi is one of those things that you can make simple, with just shrimp and veggies and it tastes amazing. Wouldn't it be fun to have your friends over, and you all can roll your own sushi rolls? We need to do that with our friends! 

Ingredients:

2 cups Sushi rice

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 cups of your favorite fresh vegetables sliced thin (cucumber, carrots, avocado, zucchini, etc)

1/2 lb small shrimp peeled, boiled and de-veined (optional)

1 package of Seaweed paper (or rice paper if you are scared)

1 tube of wasabi

Start by cooking your rice as instructed.  Toss fluff the rice with your hand while adding the vinegar. This is done by pouring it over a large wooden spoon and spreading it evenly over the rice.  On your sushi rolling mat, tear off a piece of plastic wrap that is the same size.  Start with a palm full of rice.  Spread it out over the plastic wrap evenly and thin.  (Tip: moisten the tips of your fingers with water to help spread the rice without it sticking to your hands) Once the rice is spread, place down your seaweed or rice paper (wet your rice paper first) and spread a small amount of wasabi directly on the paper. WARNING not too much!! :) Then place your veggies and or shrimp on top of that.  

Now the roll!!  This is somewhat easy, but does take practice.  Start by rolling it up until plastic touches plastic.  Then, using one hand to keep it tight, pull the mat and plastic and with the other help it roll up so that the rice sticks to the rice.  Do this controlled and slowly until the roll is finished.  Press it all over so that the roll stays tight.  Finish it up by removing the plastic and cutting into 1 inch pieces with a sharp knife.  

That is all.  Serve that with soy, more wasabi, and some pickled ginger to cleanse the palate.  I hope you aren't scared and try this.  I know you will love it.

I don't know about you, but I LOVE DownEast Home. I could spend a few hours there looking at their furniture and accessories. Every time I go in, I pick up something new for my home. They have BRAND NAME furniture...which we have purchased a few pieces for our bedroom from DownEast. We are needing to get a king sized bed...and I will be purchasing one from DownEast Home! 

My most recent trip, it was all about entertaining. I picked up a great serving tray, a cake platter, and a few decor items to spruce up my home.
Having three little kids, getting a babysitter can be expensive (and I feel bad asking my parents all the time:))...so we need to get creative on date nights. We try to have a fun dessert night (with candles) when the kids are in bed. We also like to have friends over for dinner or games. We always need serving trays and plates to entertain our guests with...and you can get them right at DownEast Home!

Win It: Get excited....one lucky person will win a $100 Gift Certificate to use at DownEast Home...the possibilities are endless (new furniture, decor, serving dishes...you will have so much fun!). Sorry friends all over the country....this giveaway is only for Utah and Idaho since you have to pick up your gift certificate at a store near you!

And one more thing....if you either print out this post, or bring your phone in (showing this post) to DownEast Home, you will get 20% off your home goods purchase (clothing not included)!!! Now that could really help you get a new dining room table, or couch! Offer is only available once per person, for the next two weeks. 

(MANDATORY) Tell us how you are going to entertain at home this year!

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Details:
Make sure to leave separate comments for each entry. Open to Utah and Idaho only! Contest ends February 2nd at 11:59 PM and winner will be chosen by Random.org generator. When winner is announced you will have until Sunday to claim your prize, or a new winner will be chosen.  

Garlic Lime Shrimp

There is something about shrimp that I just love. It was always so intimidating for me to buy. I would make Brooks stop at the store to pick up some every time we made it. However, this time I actually went to the butcher and asked for my own! I felt so "grown up!" I just never have known how to buy it. This recipe is super easy, and the shrimp takes in a great lime flavor. It is delish!

PS...today is a big day in our family...it is Brooks' birthday! Happy Birthday babe! To celebrate we will be going to our favorite restaurant for dinner! I can't wait. And if that wasn't enough, our boys start school today. We have one in FIRST GRADE, and one in preschool. I am struggling today...but Bella and I will have have some girl time while the boys are at school!

Ingredients:

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined 

1/4 cup olive oil

3 limes (or 1/4 cup lime juice)

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons fresh dill weed

salt and pepper

I always like to marinate my meat in a zip lock bag. It is perfect to just throw it away when you are done...less clean up! Put olive oil, garlic, dill, salt and pepper in bag. Zest limes, then cut in half and juice them. If you don't have fresh limes, just use lime juice. Then saute over medium high heat until pink. Enjoy!   

  

Crab and Shrimp Boil

This is the best activity for a family to gather around together over some good food and good conversation.  Growing up on the Gulf Coast allowed us to enjoy delicious shrimp, and fresh blue crab.... all we could catch.  This recipe is a tribute to all of you who are suffering with the horrific oil spill that has effected the most beautiful place I have ever been.  I love you Pensacola, and I patiently await when you and all other Gulf Coast cities will be able to offer us such abundance again....

Ingredients:
Feeds 10-12 people

2-5 lbs of medium shrimp (depends on your shrimp eaters as I can eat a pound myself)
2 lbs crab legs and claws (frozen or fresh if you can catch em, and any kind of crab you want)
10 ears of corn peeled and cut in half
5 lbs red potatoes cut in half
4 lbs smoked sausage cut into 1 inch pieces
creole seasoning

In a large steam pot, put about 1 inch of water in the bottom. Then layer each ingredient in the following order, being sure to liberally season each layer with the creole seasoning.  Potatoes, corn, sausage, shrimp and crab.  Then on a large burner (outside if you can on a propane burner) boil on high for 20-25 minutes.  Once the shrimp are all pink, you are good to eat.  Pour out on a table with some newspaper or plastic down and dig in.  Serve this with some melted butter, and cocktail sauce on each corner of the table, and you'll have a party that you'll never want to be over.  

Jerk Shrimp and Sausage Skewers

One of my favorite things to do, is go to the grocery store and let the creative juices start to flow.  This recipe was a combination of wanting seafood, hearing "jerk" and thinking barbecue.  This has to be one of the best "winging it" recipes we have ever tried, and enjoyed.  This is part one of the meal. So get ready, the rest is coming...... 

Ingredients:

1 package of smoked sausage

2 lemons

1 lb of 16-20 shrimp (the number is the amount of shrimp per pound, in this case go for big ones)

1 tsp of the following spices:

  all spice

  ground ginger

  paprika

  cumin

  salt

  pepper

  garlic powder

  turmeric

  cinnamon

1/4 cup of olive oil

So, the jerk seasoning is really up to you.  It's all about deep spice flavor.  Perhaps the only necessity is the all spice ginger and cinnamon.  The rest you can do what you like.  What you want to do is marinade the shrimp (de-shelled and de-veined) in the jerk seasoning.  So mix all the spices and the olive oil into a freezer bag and coat the shrimp by tossing them around in the bag.  Let the shrimp marinade as long as you can even overnight.  When ready, slice the sausage into 1 inch pieces, and the lemon into wedges.  Skewer them putting the lemon in between the shrimp and sausages until you are out.  Grill then on medium heat until the shrimp are pink and done, about 3 minutes per side.  Serve.  That's it, easy, tasty and inspiring.  Stay tuned......  

Jambalaya

All my relatives come from the Gulf Coast.  I lived there for a major portion of my life, and so my palate is very "Creole".  Jambalaya is a classic dish that I had been wanting to make for a long time.  Well one of my old high school buddies popped in for a visit with his wife, 2 kids and 3 on the way (Good luck guys).  This dish was so easy, and tasty that all were pleased (at least all who could speak for themselves).
  

Makes 6-8 servings:

Ingredients:
1 tblsp olive oil
1 red pepper chopped
1 yellow onion chopped
1 green pepper chopped
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 medium cloves of garlic minced
1 can crushed tomatoes (14 oz)
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)
2 cups of chopped smoked ham or smoked sausage
1 tsp bay leaves (dried and crumpled)
1/2 tsp crumbled thyme
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 1/2 lb medium shrimp
1 3/4 cup uncooked rice (long grain)
1 3/4 cup cold water


In a large pan, dutch oven with lid works best, heat up the oil and saute all the vegetables.  Once thy begin to soften add the ham, tomatoes and spices.  Cook over medium heat for another 2-3 minutes then add the rice.  Stir until the rice is coated in the sauce, and add the water.  Stir quickly and cover.  Let cook for 25-30 minutes covered on medium heat stirring on occasion.  Remove lid and check the rice to see if it is done.  If necessary add more water and continue to cook until rice is done.  Once done, mix in the shrimp cover and let steam for 10 minutes or until shrimp is bright pink.  Taste the rice and add more cayenne if you like more heat (Hint: you can always use a creole seasoning if you want more heat).  Serve with some hushpuppies, or cornbread, or better yet with some beignets.  You'll be in the big easy in no time.      

Asparagus and Shrimp Risotto

Risotto used to scare me.  When in Italy we used to just devour it, but when I moved back I was frightened to even give it a try.  I am ashamed to say that it took 10 years for me to try it, because this was my absolute favorite.  It is a little labor intensive, and takes a minute to make but it was worth it. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.  

 

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

Asparagus (as much as your family likes)-cut into 2 inch strips

1 pound shrimp

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

3 cans vegetable stock

1 onion-chopped

1 garlic clove-chopped

fresh basil

salt and pepper

Parmesan cheese

Bring vegetable stock to boil in a large sauce pan. Add the asparagus to boil for about 2-3 minutes. Remove asparagus, and shock with cold water. Put the vegetable stock back on the heat.

In a little bit of olive oil saute the onion until translucent. Then add the garlic. Add rice and stir for a few minutes rice. Then ladle one half cup at a time, the vegetable stock into the rice. Stirring in between ladles. Keep adding and stirring until stock has been absorbed. You might need another can of vegetable stock, so keep one on hand just in case. It usually takes about 20-25 minutes. Add the shrimp and the asparagus when there is about 5 minutes left in cooking. Then add salt pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, basil and parmesan when ready to serve.   

Shrimp Orzo

My husband has been saying for forever that we need to make some sort of orzo...to be honest, I had never even seen it at the store, and it always seemed a little bit intimidating to me. But it was so easy, and really good. It is really similar to rice, but better:)

4 cups chicken broth

1 pound orzo

1 pound shrimp

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 lemon-squeezed

1 teaspoon Turmeric

olive oil

salt and pepper

Bring 4 cups of chicken broth and turmeric to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and add the orzo. Stir occasionally. While that is cooking, cook shrimp until pink-about 2 minutes or so on each side. Once orzo is cooked-should be tender, add olive oil (I used about 2 tablespoons), juice from a lemon, parsley, shrimp and salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy!