Recipes and an update on a post from long ago!

Two more recipes from Real Simple Magazine...

Grilled Shrimp with Lemony Potato Salad

Ingredients

1 pound baby red potatoes (about 12)

kosher salt and black pepper

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 stalks celery, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 pound asparagus (Pre-trimmed weight)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds medium shell-on shrimp
1 tablespoon seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay)

Directions

1.Place the potatoes in a medium pot and add enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and add 2 teaspoons salt. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain, run under cold water to cool, and cut into quarters.

2.In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the potatoes, celery, and chives and toss to combine.

3.Meanwhile, heat grill to medium-high. In a bowl, toss the asparagus with 1 tablespoon of the oil and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. In a second bowl, toss the shrimp with the seafood seasoning and the remaining tablespoon of oil.

4.Grill the asparagus, turning occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Grill the shrimp until opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Serve the shrimp and asparagus with the potato salad.
 
Review: WOW. This is a keeper. I mean, okay... the shrimp and asparagus are nothing fancy as far as prep is concerned, but the grilling brought out such great flavours! I only used 1 lb of shrimp, so DH and I ate... all the shrimp... Also, the original recipe calls for a 1/2 lb of asparagus, trimmed (I assume that means that it should be 1/2 lb after you trim...) for four people. Um... Yeah right. I bought a whole pound (pre-trim), which I assume works out to a bit above 1/2 lb trimmed, and we ate all the asparagus with no problem. In fact, I wanted more. Haha. This was my first time making potato salad and I loved it. Especially the second day!
 
And...
 
Salmon with Dill Sauce

Photo by Romulo Yanes for Real Simple

(because mine was not photogenic)

Directions (Ingredients in bold)

1.Season 4 6-ounce pieces skinless salmon fillet with salt and pepper. Cook in olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until opaque, 5 to 6 minutes per side.

2.Mix ½ cup sour cream and 2 tablespoons each lemon juice, chopped capers, and chopped dill; season with salt and pepper.

3.Serve the salmon with a vegetable of choice. (I chose steamed zucchini and Annie's Organic Macaroni and Cheese)
 
Review: This recipe was good: not okay, but not great. It was just somewhere in the middle. Also, I forgot to save a lemon for the sauce, so... that could have some bearing on the quality. It was missing some brightness, I will say. I like the Lee Bros.'s Salmon with Buttermilk Mint Sauce recipe better, which feels like blasphemy since I LOVE dill.

So... many a moon ago... 10 months to the day, in fact... I posted this blog about wanting to run a marathon. Well, amazingly, I have completed the first four goals that I wrote out for myself. Unfortunately, the other goals will have to be rewritten. I actually feel really good about having completed four of the seven goals. For me to have run a 10k is such an accomplishment, considering where I used to be with running. Unfortunately, I am almost back at square one again. I'm hoping that once I actually start running again, my legs will remember with some re-training, but having taken three months off... I don't know. Like I said in a post a few days ago, I went running with my sister-in-law in Texas and about died after a mile. So, it is now time to set new goals because I really do miss running (NEVER thought I'd say that!).

• I really want to run a 5k. I thought my alma mater was having one for homecoming in 2 months, but I can't find any info on it, so they must not be having one this year.
• I really want to run a half marathon sometime in the early Spring.
• I really want to run the Ukrop's 10k again on April 2, 2011.

That's it for now. If I can make it through those three goals, then I will reassess and see if a marathon is really what I want to do. I still think it would be a wonderful, amazing, unbelievable accomplishment, especially for me, the girl who dreaded (unhealthily) running the mile in gym class in elementary, middle, and high school. We'll see and I'll keep you posted!