Like many, I’m headed into a new path for 2018. Revised dining plans and healthier eating is at the top of the list. Change takes time, I keep telling myself this over and over! Gradually I plan on getting back to eating ‘clean’, as I call it.
This week the recipe is actually very low calorie, the only thing is, you have to like shrimp! Served over a healthy rice, creole can be a wonderful lunch or dinner. What I like to do is to make a big batch and freeze the recipe into portions without the shrimp. Thaw your shrimp and add at serving time. Cook a low starch rice, like Basmati to accompany the rice.
A year or so ago I reminded everyone about ‘resistance’ starches. Any time you cook a pasta, potato or rice, cool it and consume, or reheat. You have transitioned the carbohydrate into a resistance starch. These starches ‘resist’ turning into 100% sugar, in fact they resist being broken down. Take a few minutes and research this phenomena which folks have a hard time comprehending.
Several asked me what I got for Christmas last week. Well, it was a huge surprise!
My husband, Ervin, splurged and purchased a large cement dog for our front door area. It’s about the size of the old ‘RCA’ dog back when I was a kid, maybe not quite that big! While we were shopping one day, in Ozark, I mentioned that I had always dreamed of having a dog statue at my front door. One look at the price tag and I said: ‘I think I’ll want for a while longer.’ Then Ervin announced he was going Christmas shopping one day while I was working. The next morning I looked at the gas gauge and said to myself: ‘Aha, he didn’t stay local….’
Needless to say, I did not figure out what he had purchased and Christmas morning was a very big surprise. Here I thought he never listened when I prattled on about things!
Another amusing fact about our holiday was finding about 4 more gifts in my closet that I had forgotten. Oh yes, the day after Christmas we had Christmas again, except this time it wasn’t wrapped! I have decided that I now need a little book to record these purchases. A record of the gift location is also in order.
As my 6 week break begins I’ve got a list of ‘to do’s’ about a mile long. How fast I’ll get them all tackled is a big question mark. I do know that I’ll be doing events in Platte City, Missouri and McPherson, Kansas in late January. In Platte City it will be Sunday, January 21st and in McPherson it’s Saturday, January 27th, at the Cook’s Nook. Check my Facebook pages and all the information is available.
The theme at both events is ‘Super Bowl 2018’. I can’t wait to introduce everyone to my newest savory cheesecake!
OK, let’s get busy on the home front, knock down and pack away the holiday décor and pull out the snowmen! Read a good book while you sip on a nice mug of Green Tea and honey. Simply yours, The Covered Dish. www.thecovereddish.com
Easy Shrimp Creole
2 cans, (14 ½ oz. ea.) stewed tomatoes, undrained
½ green bell pepper, chopped, may add more
1 small onion, chopped
½ cup chopped celery, (about 2 ribs)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, or more, minced
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 teaspoon creole seasoning
1 pound peeled large fresh/frozen shrimp
Sauté pepper, onion and celery in olive oil, in a large skillet about 8 minutes, or until tender. Add garlic and sauté about 1 more minute. Stir in tomatoes, hot sauce and creole seasoning. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer uncovered 20 minutes. Stir in shrimp, cover and simmer 3 minutes or just until raw shrimp turns pink. Ladle over cooked rice. Serves approximately 4 persons.
Debbie Dance Uhrig
