Ahhh sweet sweet summer, I can feel you just around the corner! Which means a majority of our meals are about to be al fresco and right off of the grill! In case you didn’t notice, baby K numero dos has wanted all things shrimp, and these Spicy Grilled Shrimp Skewers made the baby very very happy 😉
I LOVE this meal. Love. Not only is it incredibly healthy, but is sooooo easy. Who knew cauliflower rice was so delicious? Better yet, who knew that you could make a Cauliflower Shrimp Fried “Rice” could be so freakin’ tasty?
Don’t you just love it when you have a craving for something and then you finally stop procrastinating and actually put in the effort to finally make it? And then you realize how stinkin’ easy it was to make and that it took no time at all and while you’re devouring it you wonder why the hell you waited so long?! Yup. That was totally me with this Super Easy Coconut Shrimp Curry.
You guys. I have an incredibly embarrassing confession to make. I have been wanting to make “Zoodles,” or zucchini noodles, for soooooo long. Like we’re talking years. YEARS. But I haven’t wanted to buy / store yet another kitchen gadet – a spiralizer. So for years, YEARS, I have deprived myself from the wonderous amazing deliciousness that is a zucchini noodle because of this reason. Annnndd it turns out a gift from my studly husband for 1st wedding anniversary FOUR years ago (can I again emphasize the YEARS), a mandolin, CAN ZOODLE MY ZUCCHINIS. >face palm<
Suuunnn! Oh my gosh I can feel summer coming. We’ve finally had some glorious summer-like days here in Portland and I am beyond ready. We just totally splurged on a brand spakin’ new grill for the first summer in our new home and I am shopping for some new deck furniture for ultimate lounging and summer relaxing. In the meantime, I’m getting ready for summer with salads like this Teriyaki Shrimp Salad with Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette, which is my new favorite.
Oh the days when getting home and starting that from scratch dinner at 6:30 was no big deal because, well, it was only 6:30! Now, with a little one who has a bedtime at 7:00 and an exhausted mom who likes to be in bed no later than 9:00 (with an alarm that goes off at 4:30 am, it’s better for everyone that way), dinner needs to be fast but not suffer in quality or freshness. Helllooo Sheet Pan Shrimp and Asparagus!
Shrimp stock? Whaaa? That’s what I said too when I came across the website Sprinkles and Sprouts and this Roasted Shrimp Stock from scratch. But of course! If you can make Chicken Stock, Beef Stock, and Vegetable Stock, why not a seafood Shrimp Stock?
It’s been a rough week for the Koslicki household. Between Nigel being sick and having to not go on a celebratory trip we’ve been planning forever, which has subsequently revealed to us who we will no longer be inviting on future trips, it’s been an emotional week. Thank you to everyone for their sweet words and kind thoughts! By Friday, Nigel seemed normal and I was having serious second doubts about whether or not we were making the right decision to go on the trip or not, and Dan and I went back and forth about it all weekend. Even though we had some of our best friends (who had had no interest in partying for a week in CO with our other younger friends), over to break in my consolation present to myself of a new patio dining set, and we went to a super fun BBQ with some other friends who we realized we don’t see enough, by Sunday, Nigel seemed to be doing great and we seriously considered just packing the car and taking off. Then our consciences would get to us and we knew it was an irrational and irresponsible choice to make. Then my studly husband said let’s go somewhere else then, closer. Where was someplace we hadn’t been together as a family yet that would be fun and exciting for us as a family trip that was close enough that if Nigel’s health suddenly took a turn for the worse, we could be home in a couple of hours instead of 20. Seattle. Of course. Then we realized the Red Sox were in town this week and I swooned.
Hellooooooo! Phew what a month it’s been. Between getting a plague on New Years that had me down for multiple days and then going on vacation for a week that ended up actually being closer to two weeks due to a family emergency, I haven’t been able to cook in my own kitchen for nearly a month! And because I’m still getting back in the normal swing of things at home after being gone for so long, what new recipe did I finally make? Well just the easiest, simplest and only 15 minute Super Easy Vegetarian Fried Rice. I’m still in vacation mode, apparently. 😉
I think one of the greatest gifts my father gave me was the love for fresh out of the garden vegetables. I grew up with huge gardens on our property in NH and so summers meant colanders full of fresh picked tomatoes, armfuls of fresh picked cucumbers, and baseball bat sized zucchinis. In my mind, nothing beats the crisp cool crunch of a home grown freshly picked cucumber. This Israeli Couscous Cucumber Salad is the perfect way to highlight those summer cucumbers!