Friday, September 14, 2007

Hi all!!

I am still here, yes! And I missed writing to this blog a whole lot, believe me.
Not that I haven't cooked or taken pictures lately, the thing was that Matheus started Kindergarten and things changed a bit.
Actually, for me the change was huge... he now stays in school for a long period and we lost our lunch time together (lunch still is the main meal at our house). And since he is very adventurous and loves my cooking I haven't had much motivation or inspiration to cook just for myself. It is pretty lonely while he is at school, and I do miss him a lot during the day.
The good thing is that he is pretty happy with school and comes home relatively early (2:30pm), so we still get a good part of the afternoon together to play, talk, snack and think about next day's lunch! :o)
Maybe it is supposed to be like this, as it comes a time when we need to "let them go" and face the world, but it is not easy, and I was certainly not prepared to be this soon...
All this, plus, I am looking for a job to get myself busy when Matheus is at school and it has not been easy to find something I truly like to do during the hours I am available. I got an opportunity which ended up not being a great one, and that sort of made me feel a little more frustrated.
But hey, life is here and now, and I will keep trying, in search of a job suited for myself. Eventually it will happen; meanwhile I need to cheer up and one of my favorite things to do is cooking, so here I go, into the kitchen again!!

I have many recipes I want to post, and there are some great ones that I have tried lately and really enjoyed. Today I am posting a very simple pasta recipe that I got from last month's Cooking Light magazine. It has one of Matheus and the Husband favorite ingredients, shrimp, and it was super fresh on a hot day!
The cooking is basically the pasta and the shrimp, which by the way was great, the little marinade with cirtus zest make them stand out and awesome just by themselves (I will definitely be making the shrimp like this again! And I think it would even be a good marinade to try on tofu... which I really like!).
Don't let the long list of ingredients shy you from making this, as most of it are basic staples you all must have around the house.
Fresh and tasty, a very nice dish for the last few hot summer days!
Enjoy!
Ana (who promises to not abandon the blog again!!!)

Garden Shrimp Pasta
(Adapted from Cooking Light, August 2007)
Serves 6 ( I made half recipe)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 pounds medium peeled and deveined shrimp
8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
5 cups chopped seeded tomato (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh mint
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Combine 2 tablespoons olive oil and next 6 ingredients (through shrimp) in a large bowl; toss well. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp mixture to pan; sauté 6 minutes or until done. Remove from heat; set aside.
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Place pasta in a large bowl; add tomato, basil, and mint.
Combine red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, sugar, and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) in a small bowl. Pour over pasta mixture, and toss to coat. Place about 1 3/4 cups pasta mixture on each of 6 plates. Top each serving with about 3 ounces shrimp mixture and 2 tablespoons cheese.


Oh and although not very inspired to cook for me, I have been having fun with Matheu's lunchbox! :o)

Tortilla Roll Ups (his favorite so far!)








Broccoli and Cheese Calzone
Mixed Crackers, cheese, fruits and veggies!

11 comments:

brisa said...

Querida Ana,

Eh duro mesmo ficar longe de nossos companheirinhos. Por outro lado, a volta pra casa deles para casa ilumina o dia todo:)) E eh tao gostoso ir pra escola, nao?? O lanchinho, os amigos..Alias, caprichadas as refeicoes da lunch box:))

Amiga, boa sorte na busca ao emprego. Ja ja a tristeza vai embora:))

Bjs e otimo weekend!!

Bri

Karen said...

Antes de chegar ao fim do post já estava pensando em perguntar se vc não estava preparando "bentôs" (a marmitinha japonesa) para o Matheus! rs

Deve ser difícil mudar a rotina, não ter o filho por perto o dia inteiro, mas faz parte do processo (olha quem fala! Nem tenho filhos!), bem, é como imagino.

Eu também estou na mesma situação, procurando um emprego, também tenho meus padrões e não quero fazer algo só por fazer, algo que só consuma tempo, pague pouco e não seja minimamente estimulante. E está difícil. No entanto, precisamos continuar procurando, não é mesmo? Desejo sorte!

Beijos!

Ana Cláudia Ruy Cardia said...

UAUU UAUUU UAUU!!! nossa!!!!! tenho duas coisas jah pra te pentelhar qdo for ai de novoo!!!! o sorvete de peanut butter (simm, para aqueles que nao sabem, esse sorvete eh o melhor! aproveitem e vejam a receita, tem aqui no blog da hermana!!) e, logicamente, o garden shrimp pasta! com uns camaroes extras para mim, por favor! heheheh!!!!
liiindooooo e tenho certeza de que tambem delicioso! heheheh!!!
qto a lancheirinha do matheus, acho que nao deve ter lancheira mais bonitinha que a dele! e cheia de coisas gostosas tambem!! menino sortudooo! hehehehh!!!!
como fazia tempo q vc nao postava, o comentario foi grande tbm! espero que isso te estimule a postar mais vezes!!
e animo, hermana!!!!! vc merece curtir essa nova fase!! :)
beijinhos da hermana mais nova!!
Ana

Fer Guimaraes Rosa said...

Ana,

Such is life. Os filhos nao sao nossos. Eu me preparei pra deixar o meu ir pro mundo, porque se a gente nao se prepara, o choque eh terrivel. Mesmo assim, quando ele saiu de casa aos 18 anos, me deu um tipo de crise existencial. Kindergarten eh o primeiro passo, mas o bom eh que ele esta feliz. Aproveite isso. E agora chegou a hora de pensar em voce. Uma carreira eh importante. Ana, fiquei simplesmente encantada com a lancheira do Matheus. Deve fazer um baita sucesso na escola, que coisa mais fofinha, cuidadosa, carinhosa.

beijo grande,

Cheers! Fla said...

Oi Ana, imagina o Matheus abrindo a lancheira dele ai nos States he, he. Ninguem deve nem entender nada ha, ha. Amei, ficou lindo! Ele eh sortudo mesmo.

Bjs

Cinara said...

Ana, I've been through the same period 7 years ago. The difference is that I was already working and didn't spend the whole day with my son, so it was not so hard letting him go... Besides, he simply loved school! And I loved Matheus' lunchbox and everything inside it, of course... It sure looks like something a loving mother like you would prepare! ;o) Have a wonderful sunday, sweetie!

kenju said...

It all looks delicious, Ana!

Agdah said...

Minha pisqüilinha começou cedo para se socializar, tinha dois anos e morria de medo de gente. Fiquei com ela na escola por 1 mês e depois que me senti mais confiante e tranqüila, fui saindo aos pouquinhos. Hoje já estamos acostumadas, mas a casa fica vazia....todo dia.

Cláudia said...

Ana, o comecinho é difícil, mas é o primeiro passo. Como disse a Fer, os filhos não são nossos, Deus nos deu a imcumbência de criá-los, ensiná-los e prepará-los para o mundo, para que sejam cidadãos que façam a diferença. Aproveite esse momento e pense em teu recomeço. Eu estou na mesma, procurando um emprego e tentando voltar a ativa.Boa Sorte para Nós!

Akemi said...

Ana, também não tenho filhos mas posso imaginar a tristeza e solidão de ficar sem o filhote. Como todas já disseram, desejo sorte nesta nova etapa de sua vida e que encontre logo um emprego legal e estimulante!
Não poderia deixar de falar da lancheira do Matheus, que lindinho e que capricho. Tudo saudável e bonito, como não poderia deixar de ser, vindo de vc, amiga!
Se cuida! Bjs

Valentina said...

Oh Ana, it must be hard. Beautiful lunch boxes darling. how lovely.you can feel the care you take in preparing them and the love put into it.