Relocating to Arizona has inspired a new way of cooking for me. Casual, easy meals, and I love to play my version of Chopped at home.
Hey guys! This is my first blog post! I am so excited to be here and to share some fabulous recipes with you. My major goals of the blog are to provide seasonal, healthy(ish) recipes, that aren't fussy and totally doable. I may throw in some challenging recipes to conquer on a weekend, but I really want to focus on casual entertaining. No fancy attire affairs here. Cooking in my blue jeans is what it's all about!
The other thing is... I don't want to bore you with long stories, except for today because I'd like you to get to know me a bit. I know there are a lot of people out there who just hit the "go to recipe" button and don't even read blogs. Well, I don't have that button. Hopefully, my posts will be short enough where you don't wish I had one.
Just a little background info. I have a passion for cooking that goes as far back to when I was in grade school. My mother and I would watch Julie Child together, along with all the other cooking shows on PBS (public broadcasting service). As I grew older, got married and started a family, I began to test my knowledge of what I learned from TV chefs or read in cookbooks.
Fast forward many years, and now the kids are young adults and my husband and I have moved from Illinois to Arizona. While I still love to challenge myself in the kitchen, a new job and home have me thinking about cooking in a whole new way. A simpler lifestyle, quiet evenings to ourselves or with friends are what its all about now.
In my early days of cooking, family dinners were spontaneous and based on a recipe from a cookbook or what was in season. Then, there were the days I played my version of Chopped and made up whatever came to mind based on the ingredients I had on hand. The best part was that my family ate whatever I made. Boy, I was lucky!
Since my family has moved to Arizona, I now have a full-time job which is 45 minutes from my home. I need some structure to my meal planning. I was spoiled living close to a grocery store in Illinois. It would take me 5 minutes to get to one and now it is a 20-minute ride to get to a store. I am not complaining. I know there are people out there who may travel far more than that, but this is new to me. Having less time and driving further to a grocery store is one of the main reasons that I need to adopt the idea of meal planning. Right now I am into recipes where I don't have to measure out ingredients and they serve fewer people. Most of the time I cook for two or 4 people.
Despite trying to get used to going to the grocery store less often, I always keep the pantry well stocked, and I still play Chopped which is how this Roasted Shrimp with Cauliflower and Grape Tomatoes came to be. I love this dinner not only because it's quick, but the flavor of the roasted grape tomatoes are delicious, I don't have to measure out a bunch of ingredients, and its the perfect amount for my husband, daughter and I. The recipe is Keto friendly too! I hope you try it.
Roasted Shrimp with Cauliflower
& Grape Tomatoes
Serves 3
Marinate shrimp for 10 minutes
18 large, raw shrimp, shelled and de-veined
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 pinches of Kosher salt
1 pinch of fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Prep Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, florets cut into chunks
1 8 oz container grape tomatoes, each one cut in half
1 small onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 tsp oregano
1/4 to 1/2 tsp chili flakes (you choose the heat level or omit)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large leaves basil, cut in thin strips
Method
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a sheet pan, mix cauliflower, onions, and tomatoes with two tablespoons of olive oil, garlic, oregano, chili flakes, Kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper. Place sheet pan on middle rack of oven. Roast for 30 minutes or until cauliflower is lightly browned and tomatoes have collapsed and have released their juices.
Move vegetables to one side of sheet pan. Place raw shrimp on the other side of the pan. Cook shrimp for 10 minutes, turning them after 5 minutes.
To serve:
Mix shrimp and vegetables together, scraping up all the juices from the pan. Garnish with basil. Excellent with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese too.
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