Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Shrimp--its what's for DINNER!!


I bought this last week......
I was not really sure what I would do with it besides warm it and serve it with pasta of some sort.
By the way: its Bertolli Vodka Sauce.
So after a little searching on the internet, I ended up on the Bertolli website that lead me to:
SHRIMP & PENNE FRA DIAVOLO
its a little more than just warming it up and serving it with Pasta!
Its very simple to make and I liked it maybe you will too!!
Recipe below!

First you will need:

(obviously!)
and some:
Shrimp!
Olive Oil

Seasoning...
(salt, pepper, garlis & red pepper flakes)
a lemon
some pasta of your choice...
and the recipe goes like this.....



1 lb. uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used enough for just steve and I, so only abt 10 med shrimp)
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 jar Bertolli® Vodka Sauce
1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 lb. penne pasta, cooked and drained (You can use the pasta of your choice!)

Directions:
* Season shrimp, if desired, with salt and ground black pepper. Heat Olive Oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook garlic and red pepper flakes 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook, turning once, until shrimp are almost pink. Stir in Sauce. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in lemon peel. Serve over hot penne and garnish, if desired, with chopped fresh basil.
And when I was done it looked like this!!

Not too bad, I topped it with parmesan cheese and served with a salad. (and a glass of wine)  Bread would have been nice if I had any!
I will make it again!!!
It was something different than the same weekly stuff I am used to making!


Jack's new favorite--ta da: his FEET!!!



Monday, June 21, 2010

First Father's Day


For Steve's first Father's day we got in his truck and drove up to Greenville.. just something to do I guess. 
I got Jack up in the morning and dressed him in his father's day outfit for Steve... it was of course a pearl snap shirt and his first pair of denim shorts! He looked adorable. Jack and Rosco got Steve a few things: a hammock, spatula for the grill and a couple pairs of socks!! When we got home from our little road trip we had twice baked potatoes and Steak with Pontchartrain Sauce (recipe to follow). It was delicious!! Hope everyone had a great Father's Day!


Recipe for the Pontchartrain Sauce

Ingredients:
5 button mushrooms quartered
1/2 cup unsalted butter - cut in half (I ONLY USED 1/4c BUTTER.. YOU CAN JUDGE YOURS!)
1 lemon
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream (40% fat)
1/2 cup small shrimp or diced larger shrimp (I USED SHRIMP & SCALLOPS)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 bunch parsley chopped
1 bunch scallions chopped



Directions:

Heat pan to high heat. Add 1/2 of room temperature butter. Add mushrooms and sauté. The mushrooms will soak up all of the butter, so shake pan. Once mushrooms are brown, add wine to deglaze. Once wine separates, squeeze lemon and add cream. Reduce cream until thick. Add shrimp, parsley, and scallions. When shrimp is pink and cooked, add garlic and remaining butter. Take off stove, mix, and pour over fish.
 I PUT IT OVER STEAK--EITHER WORKS!


Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Two, Four & Six month comparison

More of J-A-C-K!!!

Mostly Pics of Jack... My camers is always at an arm's reach away!!!
Let me explain: this was Friday the day the tile was being torn out... VERY loud and dusty! We were basiclly stuck in my room all day. This was the only place I could think to put him so he couldn't roll off anything! So the Bathtub it was on his pack n play mattress... it worked great, he took a long nap there that afternoon!!

his first pair of shades.. he loves them!

waiting on his food!
blowing bubbles

his classic look!

Re-model Much??





This past weekend we did a minor...not so minor home re-model job!
Before:
UGLY green/grey TILE!!! just UGLY!!!

and AFTER:
NICE neutral Travertine!
I love it!
We also put it at our entry way!
What a job this was I have been cleaning my house for a week now trying to get rid of all the dust in my house!!! Big Job but well worth it!



My Little Butterball!

Jack is now SIX months old! WOW!! Really?
Here is the last  6 months at a glance:
Home from the hospital-
weight: 5 lbs 4oz
length: 18 in

-2 week check up-
weight: 5 lbs 4oz (2%)
length: 18 in (5%)
head cir: 12 7/8" (5%)


-2 month check up-
weight: 9 lbs 5oz (5%)
length: 20 1/8 in (<3%)
head cir: 14 5/8" (8%)


-4 month check up-
weight: 13 lbs 7oz (25%)
length: 23 1/4 in (6%)
head cir: 15 3/4" (11%)

-6 month check up-
weight: 16 lbs 9oz (35%)
length: 25 1/2 in (25%)
head cir: 16 5/8" (20%)
He has come a long way in SIX months... he is truly a blessing!
We love this little guy!!!

Monday, June 7, 2010

Jack officially a Catholic

Saturday we had Jack Baptized! It was all in all a great weekend with great friends and family! Steve's parents came in town on Thursday to spend some time with Jack and of course Steve and I! Then Friday evening Kristi came up, she is Jack's God Mother. Brian, the God Father, also came over Friday night just to hang out! Saturday we had all our close friends and family at our house after the baptism. It was a great day!
Jack wore a 70 year old Christening Gown that Steve's dad wore! Steve & his Brother and Sister were also baptised in this gown as well as all the grand kids except for one. Very neat that the gown is in such great shape. We were happy to have Jack wear it as well!

Jack J. and Jack H. my Jack on the left is 2days older.. they are BFF's!!!

Steve the Photographer!

This might be his new hobby! He tried all weekend to get the perfect picture to submit to this magazine we get monthly.. its a Texas Co-Op magazine. He did a great job trying to capture a great picture! Here are a few!

baby birds in the bird house!

Weekend Warrior Project!

Well not really the weekend! Steve took off Thursday and Friday to get a couple projects around the house done before Jack's baptism on Saturday. So Thursday Morning he got up and bought some DIRT then came back and left to get some FLAGSTONE. He is making a flagstone path on the back side of our garage in the backyard! As he started to lay the stones down I. DID. NOT. LIKE. IT! :( BUT as the project went on it got better and better... now I. LOVE. IT!!! It made the back yard look so different. 
Small stuff makes the biggest transformations!
I didn't get any before pictures but you can imagine.
I planted the FLOWERS!!