Monday, May 31, 2010

Shrimp and Grits


You all know I am a wannabe southerner. What you don't know is that Rocky, a born and bread southern boy doesn't like grits. Or rather he thought he didn't like grits. There was a lot riding on this little meal to make me prove to him he was being stubborn and that grits are in fact a delicacy worth trying.



Good thing Paula Deen pulled through with a pat of butter and a pound of cheese to prove once and for all we like grits!

Adapted from Paula Deen Celebrates!http://www.amazon.com/Paula-Deen-Celebrates-Dishes-Wishes/dp/0743278119

1 cup stone ground grits
salt and pepper
1/4 cup butter
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I used sharp)
1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
6 slices of bacon, chopped (I used applewood smoked bacon)
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup thinly sliced scallions
2 cloves of garlic

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add the grits and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well with a whisk and keep whisking past when you think you should be done wisking. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and cook the grits until all the water is absorbed, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and cheese. Keep covered until ready to serve.

2. Rinse and pat dry the shrimp. Fry the bacon in a large skillet until browned and crisp, then drain on a paper towel (reserve some of the bacon drippings for later if you're on vacation or its your birthday, or the left the nail salon and minutes later stubbed your toe). Add the shrimp to the bacon grease in the skillet and sautéé over medium heat just until they turn pink, about 3 minutes (Or if you are a misguided northerner and didn't reserve the bacon drippings sautee the shrimp in Olive Oil). Do not overcook! Immediately add the lemon juice, parsley, green onions, and garlic. Remove the skillet from the heat.

3. Pour the grits into a serving bowl or onto individual plates. Pour the shrimp mixture over the grits. Garnish with the bacon bits. Eat and go to the gym tomorrow. Or the next day. I won't judge.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

The Cradle List

We might be crazy. Or I might just be a list-maker. Or both. When it became apparent that this baby was sticking with us for the long haul, Rocky and I started what we call our “Cradle List.” Some people start a bucket list to accomplish all those things they want to do before they die such as sky dive or learn to burp the alphabet. While we don’t equate parenting with death, life as we now know it will be coming to an abrupt end this fall. Most of the items are ways that Rocky and I can enjoy life as a twosome and relish being a couple, ways to enjoy quality couple time or simply things that need to get done before November. However, you will quickly learn that we equate couple time with eating.

2941- A Food Snob haven for all the folks who can successfully cross the Potomac.

Central- Michel Richard’s “casual” dining establishment in DC. I’ve been Rocky has not. You cannot become a parent without trying the giant Kit Kat dessert. Or the Cheezit flavored Gougers.

Clean the Garage- I imagine we’ll soon be filling it up with all the baby clothes I bought for the wrong gender. (Don’t worry I haven’t bought anything yet. But it’s just a matter of time).

Holocaust Museum-Perhaps not the best place to take a hormonal pregnant lady, but Rocky has never been.

Bake a souffle- I will not be attempting to master the art of French cooking, but I will bake a souffle while I still have time to babysit a souffle and not a munchkin.

Eammons- I don’t thing babies belong at an Irish pub house where you have to fight for a table. But I could surely go for some gourmet fish and chips.

Doggy Happy Hour- Atticus deserves some special attention, from strangers with funny looking dogs.

Jackson20-A baby? In a bar?

Nats Games-Dad come to town so I have an excuse to sunburn on a Saturday afternoon!

Picnic on the Mall- Brings back memories of being two poor interns.

New York-Check! But not getting a slice of pizza pie while in town may require us to make a second trip.

Walks Along the Potomac with Atticus

Newseum- We need to get our culture on.

Corduroy-Not the bear or the book, the restaurant we dined at prior to Rocky deciding he like it so much he put a ring on it.

I’ll eventually repost the list on the sidebar so everyone can keep track of our progress, or lack thereof.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Viva Mexico!

Bienvenido a mi blog! (A special welcome to my one reader, hi mom!)

For our fake third anniversary trip and perhaps premature babymoon, Rocky and I headed to sunny Cancun for a few days of R&R. We had a rough six days sipping (virgin daquiris -moi and mojitos, margaritas, cervezas-Rocklan), sleeping, and suntanning. I also managed to talk Rocky into some local Yucatan culture and we got to visit Chichen Itza, one of the new seven wonders. It was HOT, but beautiful and certainly a once in a lifetime experience.

Welcome strawberries at the hotel in honor of our "Anniversary."



First Dinner at the Argentinian Steakhouse-Puerto Madero
He gets a pretty glass of Argentinian Malbec and I get water with bubbles and a straw. Life isn't fair.



Fancy dinner at the Fancy hotel, seven courses, including three dessert courses, my kind of meal. They must have known I was eating for two.






Chichen Itza


The Observatory



The snake built into the side of the pyramid. On the spring equinox, the sun hits it just right to make it appear the snake is slithering down the side of the pyramid. The one time I fail to plan! Although maybe I planned better than I thought. At least I am not one of the stupid tourists being eaten by the fake snake. I pity the fool.


Strawberry fake-arita. Wouldn't you think that four days under an umbrella would keep me from burning? At least I have my double chin to keep me company.

And a great excuse to show off the beach and our wicked hot sunburns.


And the moment you all (hi mom!) have been waiting for. The thirteen week and one day money, I mean belly shot. Okay, it may mostly be chips and salsa or the three desserts, but play along, would you!