I made a plan. It’s not much, but it’s the beginning of something beautiful.
If I do nothing more than work and watch re-runs for the rest of the week, at least there will be Tuesday to make me feel like there’s progress. Oh yes, I want to expand my lofty goals to every day of the week, but I’m taking small steps for now.
Get out of bed.
Jump around with Chalene Johnson and Turbo Jam for 20 minutes
Have some coffee with accounting.
Write a little on this blog.
Look up one new recipe that I can make with some ingredient already in the kitchen.
Spend 3 hours cleaning or finishing one house project.
Cook up a couple meals for the week and freeze.
Now, that’s not so bad, is it!
Not being a goal setter, I pretty much feel like this is going to fall apart by the end of January. But if I fake it till I make it, maybe I’ll generate my own enthusiasm! Rah Rah ME!
Here’s my recipe for the week from browniepointsblog.com. After the original recipe, I’ve posted what I actually made with comments:
(http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2007/09/27/jazz-it-up-fruity-pomegranate-guacamole-with-shrimp/):
Fruity Pomegranate Guacamole with Shrimp:
Add to a pot of salted water:
- shrimp: peel on, one handful
Boil just until pink and drain. Remove the peels and tails (save in the freezer for making shrimp stock) and add to a food processor with:
- sweet onion: roughly chopped, 1/3 – 1/2 cup
- cilantro leaves: 1/4 cup
Briefly process, just until the shrimp are cut up into finger tip sized chunks.
Scoop out the processed shrimp mixture into a mixing bowl. Add to this mixture:
- avocados: large dice, 2
- mango: chunks, 1/3 – 1/2 cup
- pomegranate fruits: 1/3 – 1/2 cup
- mayonnaise: 1-2 Tbs
- lime juice: 1-2 Tbs
- rice wine vinegar: 1/2 -1 1/2 Tbs
- salt: large chunky gourmet salts work wonderful here
- pepper
Stir to combine and adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve with spicy wasabi cracker for an extra spicy sweet kick.
This dip would be wonderful as the base of a sandwich: top with larger wedges of fresh mango, slices of grilled shrimp, large grilled shrimp…
Enjoy!
Here’s what I actually made, including comments:
Add to a pot of salted water:
- shrimp: peel on, one handful. (I bought a third pound of frozen raw shrimp. Thawed them in the pre-boiling water, removed them from the water, then finished them once the water was boiling. One third pound was too much for me at one sitting.)
Boil just until pink and drain. Remove the peels and tails (save in the freezer for making shrimp stock) and add to a food processor with:
- sweet onion: roughly chopped, 1/3 – 1/2 cup. (If your onion has a strong flavor, it will overwhelm the flavor of the shrimp and pomegranate. I’d suggest a maximum of quarter cup or less per avocado.)
- cilantro leaves: 1/4 cup (I used a 1/4 cup of cilantro made up of leaves and stems. Perhaps all leaves would bring a stronger, fresh, bright flavor to the dip.)
Briefly process, just until the shrimp are cut up into finger tip sized chunks. (I did not “process” anything because I don’t have the patience. I ate my shrimp whole.)
Scoop out the processed shrimp mixture into a mixing bowl. Add to this mixture:
- avocados: large dice, 2 (I only had one)
- mango: chunks, 1/3 – 1/2 cup (I only had frozen peaches. These were thawed in the microwave and chopped. Delicious!)
- pomegranate fruits: 1/3 – 1/2 cup (I only used a 1/2 of a pomegranate, but I’d say follow the recipe because this is really great tasting.)
- mayonnaise: 1-2 Tbs (I didn’t use any.)
- lime juice: 1-2 Tbs (I didn’t use any, but I’d prefer juice from a fresh lime.)
- rice wine vinegar: 1/2 -1 1/2 Tbs (I didn’t use any.)
- salt: (I like kosher salt because there’s no iodine to interfere with the flavor.)
- pepper (Fresh ground)
- I added garlic: one large toe
I mashed everything together. Pomegranate and avocado were in my fridge. I know pomegranate is a weird thing to have in your fridge, but they were cheap a few weeks ago and they store well. I also use pomegranate seeds on shredded broccoli slaw with a light rosemary dressing.
This was a good try at something new. I ate it with the whole shrimp and some Quaker sea salt and rice cakes. I think that plain corn chips or plain rice cakes would be best.
Removing pomegranate seeds is messy business and the juice can stain your clothes, dish towels, and hands. I caught Martha Stewart sharing this trick a couple years ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_KKvqQ2QxU.
You can save any unused seeds in the fridge for about a week. They’ll tell ya when they’ve gone to the dark side.
Store the avocado stone in the leftover dip to keep it looking bright and green a bit longer in the fridge.