Happy Valentine’s Day

Happy Valentine’s Day

smile because it’s monday

and God has given you breath to live yet another day.

This weekend Avi helped Mike chop a heaping truckload of wood.  Here are a few pictures that he took of her “helping.”

 

 

 

 

 

She was caked with mud when she got home, but sleepy for the next 24 hours =)  Totally worth the mud.

finally it’s friday

just to give you a little laugh for the day…

The other morning I was having trouble with my contacts.  I’ve only been doing this for the past 12+ years or so… you would think I would have it down.  After putting them in, both my eyes were really really blurry.  (usually I just try to let them be for a minute to see if they’ll correct themselves.) This morning was no different.  After a few minutes of my self-correction method, I realized my sight wasn’t getting any better, so I took the left one out to clean. 

Upon removal… I realize I had put both contacts in the same eye =) haha that will for sure make everything really blurry. Imagine my surprise when I could actually see again.

Hope yall have a fantastic weekend.

fireplace complete

Well, I wanted to update yall on the status of our “fireplace upgrade.”  We have now completed the heavy lifting portions of the fireplace renovation with the installation of our mantel. Eventually there will be one more major decoration (like a clock or a picture), but I didn’t want to have you hang in limbo for any longer.

 

a standing ovation

 

I tried my hand at making this lovely recipe last night.  It turned out wonderful and even my “less food adventurous” husband said it was good. 

Crunchy Shrimp with Toasted Couscous and Ginger-Orange Sauce

Do not be overwhelmed by the recipe list.  It appears more complicated than it turned out to be.  Feel free to pick and choose what pieces and parts to serve.  I have tried to put in some helpful hints.  While reducing the sauce, you can be peeling the shrimp. To round this meal out, I served it with steamed broccoli.

 

Ingredients

Sauce:

• 1  cup  orange juice
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh cilantro
• 2  tablespoons  reduced-fat mayonnaise (use less)
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1  teaspoon  grated peeled fresh ginger (or dash of ground)
• 1  teaspoon  fresh lime juice
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground red pepper

Couscous: (I did something similar with orzo instead because that’s what I had on hand) 

• 1  cup  uncooked couscous
• 1 1/2  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2  cup  orange juice
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/3  cup  chopped green onions (didn’t have any)
• 2  tablespoons  sliced almonds, toasted
• 1  tablespoon  unsalted butter

Shrimp:

• 20  jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 3/4 pound)
• 1  large egg white, lightly beaten
• 1/2  cup  panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1  teaspoon  chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2  teaspoon  grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1/8  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1  tablespoon  canola oil (may need a little more depending on # of batches of shrimp)
• 2  cups  trimmed watercress (who honestly keeps these on hand?)

Preparation

To prepare sauce, bring 1 cup orange juice to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat; cool completely. Stir in 1 tablespoon cilantro and next 7 ingredients (through red pepper); set aside.

To prepare couscous, place couscous in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; cook 3 minutes or until toasted, stirring constantly. Add 1 1/2 cups broth, 1/2 cup orange juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork; add onions, almonds, and butter, stirring until butter melts. Keep warm.

To prepare shrimp, combine shrimp and egg white in a large bowl, tossing to coat. Combine the panko, 1 teaspoon cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and black pepper in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add shrimp to the bag, and seal and shake to coat.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; arrange shrimp in a single layer in pan. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until done.

Place 3/4 cup couscous on each of 4 plates; top each with 1/2 cup watercress and 5 shrimp. Drizzle each with 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce.

 

Nutritional Information

Calories: 376 (25% from fat)

Fat: 10.6g (sat 2.7g,mono 4.1g,poly 2g)

Protein: 17.6g

Carbohydrate: 51.9g

Fiber: 3.9g

Cholesterol:  61mg

Iron: 2.1mg

Sodium: 763mg

Calcium: 84mg