Mihali Shrimp

I recently visited my sister and her husband in SC over the Labor Day weekend (actually it was about a week). Anyway, the first night that I arrived, we went to a little Greek Italian restaurant called Athens. My sister recommended a dish on the menu called Mihali Shrimp. Ordinarily, I would choose to order something I was sure of, but I went with the flow and ordered it. Well, it was awesome...

So since I've been home, I've wanted to try to re-create that dish. I googled the recipe and came up with several but this is what I finally put together last night. Between the shrimp and feta cheese, it stunk to high heaven, smelled atrocious but if I do say so myself, I cloned it and it was delicious!!!

Mihali Shrimp

1/2 cup olive oil

5 or so scallions, finely chopped, including the green tops

1 bell pepper, finely chopped

Crushed red pepper to taste (you know I like a LOT!)

2 tbsp. parsley

black pepper to taste

oregano to taste

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 can diced tomatoes

8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

3 tbsp. milk

In a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil and saute scallions and green peppers until translucent. Add the parsley, black pepper, oregano and crushed red pepper and continue sauteing another 5 to 6 minutes.

Reduce heat, add shrimp, cook uncovered until shrimp is pink. Add tomatoes and simmer another 5 minutes. Add the feta cheese and milk and simmer uncovered over lowheat for another 20-25 minutes until the feta cheese is melted. Serve hot over brown rice.

I think chopped spinach would make a great side for this dish too!

The vacation was sweet, the food was wonderful and can you tell from the picture how relaxing it was??? More pics to come when I figure out my iPhone and where they are saved! lol (I am seriously challenged)

I'm Back...

I have been MIA for about 6 weeks now from the blogging world. Do I have a reason? I wish I could say that I do, but I don't. I just haven't been feeling it...depressed, maybe? Maybe, I don't know. Why? Lots of reasons, no reason in particular. Just one of those things, I guess.

Anyway, I'm not really posting a catch up post tonight...way too much to catch up on. Just wanted to check in and let you all know I'm still around and I will get back to posting some great recipes and hopefully some happy news from the heartless world of infertility very soon.

And I also just wanted to ask you to say a little (or big) prayer for our dear friend, Amy B and her son Philip. He's going through some very difficult times right now and Amy is too. They have a long road ahead and need your prayers and support.

Thanks and I promise I'll be back very soon with some pictures from over the summer, new recipes and better things to come!

Super Giveaway...

Anyone that has visited my blog before has probably read my About Me profile and knows that my son and daughter-in-love are in a battle with infertility. They just had an appointment last week with their specialist and so much optimism has come from that. The problem is the $$$ it takes to move forward. They have raised quite a bit since their last attempt last April, 2008, but they still have a little way to go.

Lianna has put up this Giveaway which is awesome and a little insider info...there is another awesome giveaway to follow. So please check this one out and stay tuned for the next one!

And also please visit Lily J Designs to see all the pieces she has to offer!

As always, I love you all and any help you can give is so appreciated by all of us!

Unfaithful Blogger...

My blogging has been almost non-existent of late and that's almost like any oxymoron. Blogging is supposed to be an outlet...a place to share, to vent, to think, to feel, to care, to love...you name it! Every emotion we own can be expressed in a blog.

And yet sometimes, I feel like maybe I should keep things to myself and not put them out there. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, step on anyone's toes, have anyone worry about things that might just be something I need to work through on my own.

But I see so much help from everywhere. If you've read anything about me, you know I haven't always been in an easy place. But I have always pulled myself up and I'm still here kickin' and screamin'!

Right now I have a couple of things though that I'm struggling with and I would love some advice. I am fully aware that advice, given or taken, is very subjective. But I love thinking outside the box and maybe I just need to see a bigger box!

The first thing is...I am very unhappy where I live. I inherited my mother's house and it is paid in full. I cannot express how thankful I am for that! But I'm in a not so good neighborhood...for example, this is my next door neighbor's yard.

That's just a small example of what goes on (or doesn't as the case may be) in my neighborhood. So I have decided that it's time to move. I have been so on the fence about this because I don't have a mortgage payment but... There is so much more that I've always had and I want to be in that place again... I don't want to spend the rest of my days HATING where I live. So that's where I need some unemotional advice. Is that a wrong decision? Is that a stupid decision? Or should I just do what I can to be happy? STRUGGLE!

Also, yesterday, now get this! Are you sitting down? My ex-husband's current wife called me and started spilling her guts. I''ve been divorced since 1988 and they have been married for almost 12 years. Well, times are not good for her and guess what! The story is not much different from mine from over 20 years ago for me! But she asked me if I would make a statement referencing some things I really would rather not go into here, but it made me uncomfortable. Although, there are tons of things I could say, I left all of that behind me a long time ago. But I hate that someone else is experiencing some of the very same things that I did. Should I help her? I don't know. What do I do? Again, STRUGGLE!

I am doing some really cool things in the house though to get it ready for sale. There is painting going on and replacing switches, sockets, vents...unbelievable how much better things are looking! I'll post some before and after pics in a day or two along with my 2 more recipes from the MckLinky Recipe blog.

Please, if you can find it in your heart, I would really appreciate any advice you have to offer.

And on a super happy note, Abby is home, Stellan is home and Amy B and Philip B are maintaining! I love you ALL!

Summer Soup...aka Gazpacho...

Okay, I have put this off because of all the medical emergencies going on but here it is...

Gazpacho

2 1/2 cups tomato or vegetable juice cocktail
1 cup peeled, seeded, finely chopped fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped cucumber
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped green onion
3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tsp, finely choppped parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large glass or stainless steel bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve cold.

Increase or decrease ingredients to suit your needs!

Now, I need you to pray for...and I mean hard! :

Stellan
Abby Riggs
Amy B
Philip B

Thanking God for all of you!

Stellan, Abby and Philip...

Stellan

Abby

Philip

Please pray for these children. Stellan is in the PICU and not doing well at all, Abby and Philip have both had trips to the ER this weekend...and throw in some extra prayers for their parents too...they need them too!

Recipes from Blog Hop

As promised, I'm back with a few recipes that I posted on the Recipe Blog Hop the other day.

The first 2 are appetizers and/or snacks and can be found on this post. One is Buffalo Chicken Dip and the other is Spinach Artichoke Dip.

Today, I'm going to post the recipe for BLT Salad. It's a macaroni salad and goes super great with any summer meal, whether it be a cookout, barbecue or just your regular day to day menu.

BLT Salad

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

5 green onions - finely chopped

1 very large or many small tomatoes - diced (I like to use plum tomatoes)

1 1/4 cups diced celery

1 1/4 cups mayonnaise

5 teaspoons white vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 pound bacon - cooked and crumbled

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. In a large bowl, combine the macaroni, green onions, tomatoes and celery. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour over macaroni mixture and toss to coat. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. Just before serving, add bacon.

Stay tuned for a recipe for Refreshing Summer Soup a.k.a Gazpacho!