What’s Cookin’ in the Parsonage?

If you like seafood you’ve got many dishes that can be prepared very quickly!  Most fish/seafood recipes require short cooking times, making it a great choice for a speedy meal. 

This past week I made a shrimp meal that was both economical and quick to prepare.  The recipe is for Barbecued Shrimp.  I’ really not sure why it’s called “barbecued.”  There is no sauce that would remind you of barbecue – just lots of spices.  The thing that takes the longest is adding the 11 ingredients to the pan, but don’t let that scare you; they are simple spices that you probably have on hand.  There’s nothing weird here!  The sauce is pretty spicy if you follow the measurements.  I usually use half the paprika, half the pepper and half the hot sauce (it only calls for one teaspoon).  I also substitute chicken broth for the cooking wine. This sauce is sooooooo good to dip your bread into!   I serve this meal with rice and a salad.  It’s become a favorite of ours.  I got the shrimp in the freezer section of Walmart and a 14 oz bag was $5!  You can’t even eat at a fast food fish restaurant for that price!

For dessert this week I wanted Strawberry shortcakes, but looked for a low-fat version for the cake.  I have a wonderful recipe from Southern Living that I’ve used for several years, but since we’re watching our diets a little more closely these days, I wanted something that was a little healthier, but still delicious!  I found this one on Cooking Light and let me tell you – it’s fantastic!  I also used the recipe for the strawberry mixture, which adds a little orange juice, lemon juice and vanilla to the strawberries.  Wow!  Now that strawberry season is around the corner, I know I’ll be making this again very soon! 

Seafood and strawberries – what a yummy combination!  What’s been cooking in your kitchen?

With love,