Archive for April, 2024

SHRIMP AND VEGETABLES SKILLET

April 16, 2024 · Filed under Recipes · Tagged , , , ,

I really enjoyed the spices and veggies in this shrimp skillet recipe. Super easy and delicious!

ingredients

2 lbs. large shrimp raw, deveined and tail off

1 tbsp. olive oil light tasting

Chopped parsley, optional for garnishing

marinade

3 tbsps. lime juice

1 tsp. salt

2 tsps. fresh ground black pepper

1 tbsp. chili seasoning

1 tsp. paprika

½ tsps. cumin

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 tbsp. olive oil light tasting

veggies

1 small purple onion, diced

1 large zucchini halved and sliced

1 large yellow squash halved and sliced

1 large red bell pepper, cubed

1 tbsp. olive oil light tasting better

directions

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towel and place into a bowl. Add in the marinade ingredients and mix well to coat the shrimp. Set aside.

To prepare the veggies, wash and dry them well. Chop/cube them and set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet, add one tablespoon of olive oil and bring to medium/high heat. Sauté the veggies until they are tender and obtain a golden color. Remove and set aside in a bowl.

In the same skillet, sauté the shrimp with 1 tbsp. of olive oil until they are fully cooked through. This takes about 6-8 minutes, flipping the shrimp pieces over halfway through.

Return the cooked veggies back into the skillet and sauté with the shrimp for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from head and serve. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if you like.

(recipe and photo found on https://www.cookinwithmima.com/shrimp-and-vegetable-skillet/)

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LESSONS FROM THE BUNNY EARRINGS

April 8, 2024 · Filed under You/Mind · Tagged , , , ,

Right before Easter, I travelled on American Airlines. On the plane, I met a young flight attendant, named Kaitlin, who was wearing goofy bunny earrings. Of course I had to comment on them—they were hilarious. She told me that she loved these earrings and was so happy that she could wear them since Easter was the next day. I asked her why she couldn’t wear these on another day. She said, “I guess I can, it must be because I’m somehow putting limits on myself.”

Way too often, we get in our own way thinking that we can’t do something. In doing so, we are limiting ourselves. 

Here is a tangent: I usually get very sleepy in the car. I have had this issue since birth, which is wonderful when I am the passenger (zzzzzzz) but awful when I am the driver, going long distances. Driving after a meal? Forget about it. It is embarrassing what I need to do, to keep myself awake. I listen to loud music and SCREAM the lyrics; I blast the air conditioning while keeping the windows open; I slap myself hard on my thighs. (We will not discuss the welts I have given myself.)  

Years ago, when my kids were planning college visits, I was so full of dread knowing that these college trips meant a ton of driving. I knew I would never be able to do it—I would never be able to stay awake. I was moaning about this to a friend when she cut me off and said, “STOP IT! Why are you putting limitations on yourself? You can do this, and you will.” No surprise, she was right. Since then, when I find myself setting limits, I catch myself, tell myself to CUT IT OUT, and move on. It works!

Pay attention to see if this happens to you. If so, pause and be curious about what’s going on. Does this require simply a stern, “CUT IT OUT”, or do you have to dig deeper to uncover a more problematic underlying issue?  Either way, I know, for certain, that any self-limiting talk is not helpful and I’m sure it is not serving you well. 

And just for the record, I made Kaitlin, that adorable, young flight attendant, promise me that she would wear those goofy earrings another time during the year that had nothing to do with Easter. She said she would.

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STANLEY TUCCI’S ONE-PAN CHICKEN CACCIATORE

April 1, 2024 · Filed under Recipes · Tagged , , , ,

I LOVED Stanley Tucci’s take on chicken cacciatore. This recipe has a lot of steps but it is worth it!! DELICIOUS!

ingredients

¼ cup olive oil

2 red or green bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide

½ lb. mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick

1 free-range chicken, about 3 lb. cut into serving pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

½ cup dry white wine

2 ½ cups coarsely chopped yellow onions (about 2 medium onions) 

2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 cup canned whole plum tomatoes or your favorite marinara sauce

directions

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the bell peppers and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 8 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add to the pan and brown lightly on both sides, about 15 minutes total. Remove the chicken from the pan to a platter and set aside. Pour the wine into the pan and stir to incorporate any cooking juices. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions are slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, crushing them with your hand or the back of a slotted spoon as you add them to the pan. Return the chicken to the pan along with any juices that have accumulated on the platter. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Stir the peppers and mushrooms into the chicken. Return to a simmer, cover and cook to blend the flavors, about 10 minutes. The cacciatore may be set aside at this point for several hours before reheating and serving with bread to dip into the sauce. Serves 4.

(recipe found on https://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/stanley-tucci-chicken-cacciatore.html)

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