Don't look at him in the eye :)

Photo booth!

Shrimp & Rice

Today is Ash Wednesday, so I have been abstaining from meat and fasting all day. Well if you know me at ALL I think partly with my brain, partly with my heart but mostly with my stomach... So I have been thinking about what I was going to have for dinner ALL DAY. I saw this recipe on the Food Network not once but twice. Is it odd that I watch reruns of cooking shows I have already seen? It is Giada De Laurentiis' grandmother's shrimp & rice recipe. If you make it, you will not be disappointed. However, for some reason I feel super guilty about having such an amazing meal on a day of fasting... Guess it is my Catholic guilt coming out in me ;)

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, at room temperature
• 2 cups parboiled long-grain rice, such as Uncle Ben's
• 4 cups chicken stock, not broth
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 2 pounds small shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (1- 2 lemons)
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 cup whipping cream
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium nonstick saucepan, heat 1/2 of the butter and 1 minced clove of garlic over medium-low heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the chicken stock and salt. Bring the

mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer covered for 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed. DO NOT LIFT THE LID. Remove the pan from the heat and rest covered for 5 minutes.

In a large skillet, melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes until aromatic. Add the shrimp, lemon juice, and hot sauce. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the shrimp is pink and cooked through. Stir in the cream and heat through. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Using a fork, fluff the rice and arrange on a platter. Spoon the shrimp cream sauce over the rice and serve.

Mardi Gras in the Little Apple

This past weekend the Krewe of Allegawaho put on an amazing Mardi Gras party at The Wareham. I had a blast getting dressed up and partying the night away. Here are some pictures.

The scene.

Aaron and me without our masks
We were just getting ready to eat. He could not eat with his mask on but I tried my best at keeping mine on. It was a bit of a challenge b/c it decreased my field of view but I did my best and kept it on ;)
Some of the girls from the Krewe doing a little dance to kick things off. They were amazing! My friend Dina is the gorgeous one in red.
Me & Ellen

Ellen, Mark (a mutual friend and attorney in town) and me
More pictures to come of the photo booth!

Dedication

Hilarious!

Tasty Tuesday

Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Chicken

Ingredients

- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

- 1 pkg Good Seasons Italian dressing mix

- 1/4 cup water

- 1 8oz pkg low fat cream cheese

- 1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup

- 3 cups cooked white, long grain rice

Directions

1. Place chicken in crock pot

2. Mix together Italian dressing mix and water. Pour over chicken.

3. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours OR low for 8 hours.

4. Mix together cream cheese and soup in separate bowl.

5. Carefully remove chicken from crock pot to plate.

6. Pour cream cheese/soup mixture into crock pot and mix together with dressing in bottom.

7. Return chicken to crock pot and mix gently to shred the chicken.

8. Cook on LOW until heated through. Serve with rice or noodles.

**You may add skim or low fat milk in very small quantities to thin the sauce a little.**

Makes 6 servings. Approximately 2/3 cup mixture with 1/2 cup rice.