Day: February 28, 2014

Father, Son, Holy SHRIMP!- Try my Friday Menu! Panko Parmesan Zucchini Fries, Roasted Red Pepper and Pineapple Quinoa Coleslaw and OldBay Steamed Shrimp!

Why do we eat cheese pizza every Friday during Lent? Why do we wear our black blouse, silver jewels, favorite jeans and boots every time we don’t know what to wear? We are content-it is easy- everybody will eat it. There are many awesome alternatives! Have you ever tried quinoa??

Let me share with you a quick, delicious menu! Panko Parmesan Zucchini Fries, Roasted Red Pepper and Pineapple Quinoa Coleslaw and OldBay Steamed Shrimp!! Voila!
 

Panko Parmesan Zucchini fries

Ingredients:
2 zucchini peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick rectangles
2 eggs
1tbsp milk
1c.flour
2c.Panko bread crumbs
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 

Directions:
Beat eggs and add milk
Set up your assembly line- zuchinni strips – beaten egg bath-flour, Breadcrumbs

Cut zucchini in half or leave long for long fries!
Cut zucchini in half or leave long for long fries!

Dip and dunk each stick!

Assembly line

Shake on your Parmesan!

Shake it on be generous!
Shake it on be generous!

Place on an untreated stoneware pan or a jelly roll pan sprayed with Pam.
Bake for 15mins at 400 degrees- flip for 10 mins. Until golden brown

Zucchini fries

Roasted Red Pepper and Pineapple Quinoa Coleslaw
Ingredients:
1/2 jar Mancini red peppers chopped

I use these for everything! Great as a Pizza topping!
I use these for everything! Great as a Pizza topping!

1/4 c.quinoa
1 bag coleslaw mix
1 can crushed pineapple
1tbsp. Spicy mustard
1tbsp. Olive oil
salt/pepper

Directions:

Boil quinoa for 10 mins.in 2 cups of water and then simmer for 15 mins

Boil and simmer with lid for 15 mins. Turn off heat until liquid is absorbed!
Turn off heat and let sit until liquid is absorbed!

In a large bowl mix coleslaw mix , red peppers, quinoa with spicy mustard, olive oil mixture

Add salt and pepper to taste!

Slaw

Old Bay Steamed Shrimp
I use equal parts beer- yes beer! – white vinegar and water! Excellent recipe!! Cook only until pink!! Once the water is at a boil throw in thawed shrimp!! Love love love!!!

Shrimp

Old Bay shrimp!
http://www.oldbay.com/Recipes/Shrimp/Appetizers/OLD-BAY-Steamed-Shrimp-with-Cocktail-Sauce.aspx

Miss Bella and I visited Penn Ave Fish Company today! We found the freshest seafood and a wonderful surprise!!! The best fish tacos I have found, yet..spicy!!! Sushi bar and a dining room if you visit for lunch. Just walk in and buy fresh fish!

Penn Ave Fish Company

Paying It Forward – What Are We Really Teaching Our Kids?

How Full Is Your Bucket -Kids!

As parents, we read “How Full Is Your Bucket?” We teach the concept of paying it forward. We try!! BUT the most influential way to help our kids make the world a better place is to show them how WE pay it forward and let them experience helping others. Are we a good example? Through our actions are we unconsciously teaching our kids an unfair frustration and intolerance for others?

A few months ago I was in the Starbucks drive thru line and when I got up to the window the drive thru girl said “You’re good ma’am, the woman in front of you paid for your coffee this morning.” I said great! I will do the same! Two things…I can’t stand when people call me ma’am! Do I look like a ma’am??? Already? Really?? And the other thing , After handing the girl my credit card I saw the huge black Lincoln Navigator in my rearview and thought …Oh no! What if they ordered 8 drinks and 8 breakfast sandwiches??? No worries, it was a totally normal order thank goodness!!

I took that opportunity to explain to my kids how the person paid for my coffee and I paid for the person behind me. My 4 year old, Brady, said nobody got me anything and my 2 year old, Bella, said Yea, I want chocolate milk! But maybe some of it sunk in???

But really it is not the kids’ understanding a concept it is their experiencing that feeling…when you do even the littlest special something for someone else. The smiles on their faces, their eyes welled up with tears, the topic of conversation at dinner being what they did for someone else. The excitement to think about how they can pay it forward again. That is how we shape and mold them. Let them feel it not just know what they should do.

Do small things with great love”- Mother Teresa

Need some cool ideas?

Check out this article I found on Kids Activities Blog:

Teaching Kids to Pay it Forward {Acts of Kindness}
http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/23983/teaching-kids