It might sound strange to people who do not like to spend much time in the kitchen cooking or planning meals, but this has always been my favorite part of cooking... planning to cook. Designing menus, researching recipes and choosing ingredients is meditative and relaxing to me and I just love it! My menu planning goes a little something like this: I make a fresh pressing of coffee and pour it into my favorite Beatles mug, set up Ally with some favorite toys on the floor in front of me, surround myself with cookbooks and cooking magazines and a notebook and pen. Sometimes it goes fast after a decide on a few key ingredients I want to use and sometimes I sit there for an hour or more! Here is what I came up with for this week...
Monday- Shrimp and Tomato saute over whole wheat pasta
Tuesday- Grilled steak, corn on the cob and grilled texas toast
Wednesday- Ravioli Salad with a cilantro pumpkin seed pesto
Thursday- Burgers with Gorgonzola cheese and bacon scallion potato salad
Friday- Collard wraps with feta and cranberry quinoa
Saturday- Roasted tomato pasta
Let me just say that every single thing came out fantastic! All of these recipes will be making it into the grand honor of my recipe box because not only were they delicious, they were easy! It turned out that all but one of these recipes came from one magazine, "Everyday Food" a Martha Stuart publication. What a shame that it is not a regular publication! Absolutely there was one recipe in particular I will be using again and again until summer is over- the shrimp and tomato saute. Tomatoes are so yummy right now and I want to take advantage of this one for as long as I can get away with it! Here is my version of the recipe, I made just a couple changes to the original...
Shrimp and Tomato Saute
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
pinch red pepper flakes
2 cups chopped heirloom tomatoes
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
salt
white pepper
In a large saute pan heat 1 Tbsp oil over high heat. season the shrimp with salt and white pepper and add half of it to the pan. Cook until it is opaque all the way through. Transfer to a plate and add 2 tsp oil to the pan then cook the rest of the shrimp. Once cooked transfer to the plate with the rest of the shrimp. Reduce the heat to medium and add your garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds and add the tomato. Cook until the tomato breaks down, about 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, return with shrimp and any collected juices to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute and toss with the parsley and lemon juice. Turn off the heat, serve over pasta or eat it on its own. Surprisingly delicious!
serves 4
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
pinch red pepper flakes
2 cups chopped heirloom tomatoes
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
salt
white pepper
In a large saute pan heat 1 Tbsp oil over high heat. season the shrimp with salt and white pepper and add half of it to the pan. Cook until it is opaque all the way through. Transfer to a plate and add 2 tsp oil to the pan then cook the rest of the shrimp. Once cooked transfer to the plate with the rest of the shrimp. Reduce the heat to medium and add your garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds and add the tomato. Cook until the tomato breaks down, about 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, return with shrimp and any collected juices to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute and toss with the parsley and lemon juice. Turn off the heat, serve over pasta or eat it on its own. Surprisingly delicious!
serves 4
