Asian Shrimp Salad, Age Spots and Angeline Wine

Could someone out there please clarify and explain to me the meaning and purpose of age spots?!  I haven't even hit my half century milestone birthday age yet and I am starting to look like a Dalmatian with all my age spots.  Since I wake up with sore, achy muscles every morning, cannot remember what I did last week and continue my battle with "silver highlights" in my hair, I'm pretty sure that I don't need reminded of my age by those obtrusive spots arriving on my body every other week.

A few years ago I noticed a spot on my chest, since I wear a lot of v-neck style shirts.  I was concerned that it may be skin cancer so I proceeded to my dermatologist in California.  He took a three second look at it and said so matter of fact, "Oh, it's just an age spot".  WHAT???!!  Well, in my vain manner, I asked him to freeze it off...I mean really, I wasn't even 45 years old yet and that just would not do.  

So, he proceeded with my request and got a little overzealous with the dry ice and froze a little too deep of skin layers.  So, now instead of a dark spot in the middle of my chest, I now have a white spot.  See what that vanity got me - nothing!  Lesson learned...don't try to alter mother nature, you'll never win - just deal with it.

To take my mind off my spotty self, I came up with this salad from three other spinach-shrimp style salads I came across, plus added in some refrigerator items that needed used up.  It was so unbelievable, the girls inhaled the shrimp and asked for seconds.  The infused shrimp tasted like we were sitting at Benihana's grill table, they were that authentic. Yummy!!

Paired our pear accented salad (no pun intended)
with Angeline Pinot Noir wine.

Asian Shrimp and Spinach Salad
(Serves 4 as a dinner entree)

Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small shallot, finely chopped
2 Tbl. red wine vinegar
2 Tbl. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbl. fresh orange juice
1 Tbl. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
1 Tbl. Dijon mustard
1 Tbl. honey
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste

Shrimp:
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails off
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 limes, juiced
2 tsp. honey
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Salad:
6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
8 cups baby spinach
1 pear, peeled and diced
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts, salted

For the shrimp, in a large bowl whisk the soy sauce, lime juice, honey, garlic, olive oil, ginger, cumin, salt and pepper.  Add the shrimp to the marinade, toss to coat, cover bowl with plastic wrap and let refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

While the shrimp is marinating, cook and dice the bacon, wash baby spinach leaves and dice the pear (sprinkle a little lemon juice on pear to keep from turning brown).

Prepare the salad dressing by whisking all the salad dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat the grill to high.  Remove shrimp from the marinade.  Skewer and grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until just cooked through. Remove from skewers, cover and keep warm.

Toss the spinach to coat with some of the salad dressing and place in the center of your individual serving plates.  Arrange the bacon, pears, and shrimp around spinach and spoon more of the dressing all over.  Scatter the peanuts over the salad.

Enjoy!

Grilled Shrimp and Girls Bump, Set, Spike

The day had finally come upon us...first competitive volleyball tournament of the 2014 season.  The girls were like giddy little kids, not able contain their excitement.

Luckily we had the late start that day, so I had some quite (and shopping time) in the morning.  I caught a few food television episodes and quiet coffee time with the boys while they "kibbled" after their breakfast.

Then it was off to Real Deals across town with one of my girls' friend's mom.  She shared the tip with me on this darling place and we were finally able to set a mom shopping date for the morning.

"Real Deals" - Really Great Shopping!

They have amazing prices and the best candles, clocks and culinary ware, oh my!!!

Well after quick shopping and prepping for the road trip and tournament, off we went.....

The twins teaming up.

One of the recipes I watched in the morning was from Bobby Flay's Barbeque Addiction.  He made the grilled shrimp as an appetizer, but I thought it would make a great dinner dish, just changing it up a bit and adding a pasta side of creamy angel hair.

Grilled Shrimp with Bacon, Tomato and Scallion Vinaigrette
Courtesy of Bobby Flay

• 8 ounces slab bacon, rind removed, cut into large dice
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for brushing
• 6 plum tomatoes, cored and diced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 3 green onions, green and pale green parts, thinly sliced
• 16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined, heads off

Put the bacon in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered.
When the bacon is just about done, heat the canola oil in a nonreactive skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper and cook, stirring, just until slightly softened. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to the skillet with the tomatoes and add the cilantro, vinegar, thyme and green onions. Cook, stirring, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Set aside; keep warm.
Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high for direct grilling.
Brush the shrimp with canola oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using two skewers at a time, thread four shrimp on the skewers near the tail and head ends--this makes it easier to flip the shrimp on the grill. Grill until slightly charred and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.
Remove the shrimp from the skewers and top with the warm vinaigrette.

Paired with Meiomi Pinot Noir

Weeknight Ravioli Bake For A Very Special Week

Today was a very special day.  One that has been in the waiting for many years.  After three years, three states and three orthodontists, our twins got their braces off today.  Hallelujah!!!!!!!  They have waited a very long time for these perfectly straight pearly whites that they have tonight.

If my teens didn't check themselves out enough in the mirror before, they are having a lot of fun doing it everywhere they turn now.  I think they are just in shock though, not remembering what their teeth looked like before all the metal, wiring, banding and rubber bands.

After a morning and afternoon full of orthodontist and dental appointments, their teeth had a once over (or two) today.  So tonight I made the easiest dish ever and our new favorite ravioli ensemble.

First layer of ravioli, cheese and sauce.

Second layer....do it all over again.

Ready for the oven.

Finished product with garlic croissants and pinot noir.

Weeknight Ravioli Bake
Courtesy of Kraft Recipes

(1) 24 oz. Jar of  Spaghetti or Marinara Sauce
(1) Can (14 oz.) Diced Tomatoes, Undrained
(2) Packages (1 lb. each) Your Favorite Frozen Ravioli
(1) Package (8 oz.) KRAFT Shredded Italian Five Cheese or Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray 13x9 baking dish with non-stick spray.

Mix spaghetti sauce, tomatoes;  spoon 1 cup into bottom of baking dish.

Layer half the ravioli and 1 cup shredded cheese over sauce. Top with remaining ravioli and sauce.  Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese;  cover.

Hint:  To keep the foil from sticking to the sauce and cheese, spray the underside of foil with non-stick spray.

Bake 45 minutes or until heated through, (uncovering after 30 minutes and add the parmesan for the last 15 minutes).  Let stand 10 minutes.

Tonight we toasted our girls' new smiles with Mark West Pinot Noir.  Cheers!

Sunday Night Pot Roast

Every family has their own Sunday night dinner tradition.  My friend Carole always makes pasta for her family.  When my husband was growing up, his mom always made a roasted chicken (or 2) to feed her large crowd.

My mom faithfully made her wonderful pot roast, potatoes, carrots and homemade gravy with Bisquick drop biscuits.  Sunday night family dinners were always a big deal.  This is when the new boyfriend would come to meet the family for the first time and have dinner...or it would be time for a family discussion meeting....or last minute homework would be completed at the dinner table when all the dishes were cleared.

Me and my mom many years ago.

To this day, I cannot nail down my mom's pot roast.  She would flash sear it in her G.E. electric skillet (which by the way she still has to this day), and weighs more than a small child.  Then, let it simmer for hours, which made the house smell so special and inviting.  She diligently peeled the carrots and potatoes and put them in at just the right time.  When that was all done, then came the gravy.  My mom makes the most amazing gravy...and I haven't been able to duplicate that either.  It has to be the special magic in her electric skillet.

Well fast forward to present day, my family and our traditions.  We still like to do the Sunday night pot roast every now and again.  Since I never got my mom's down, my friend Annie gave me one of her recipes from Kansas.

If you have ever been to Disneyland's Carnation Cafe, I am here to tell you the pot roast on their menu is Annie's.  This pot roast literally melts in your mouth and you can cut it with a spoon.  I love, love, love this recipe, and the best part is it couldn't be easier to make, as it simmers in it's own luscious gravy.

When you mix the ingredients together, you think that this cannot be right.  Trust it though...8 hours later your home will have the same special and inviting smell as my home growing up.  Here's the thing though, I don't recommend putting any vegetables in the crock pot - keep it for the meat only and cook the potatoes and carrots separately.

Sunday Night Pot Roast
Courtesy of Annie

(2) Packages of Brown Gravy Mix
(2) Packages of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing/Dip Mix
(2) Packages of Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix
1 Cup of Water
3-5 Pound Boneless Chuck Roast

Whisk all the packages of mixes into 1 cup of water.  Put roast into a crock pot and set heat to low.  Pour gravy mixture over the roast.  Cover and and enjoy Sunday night pot roast dinner in 8 hours.  The longer you let it simmer in that amazing gravy, the better.

Tonight, we enjoyed Rascal Pinot Noir from Oregon - great pairing!!