ooops....now what?

A few weeks ago I hosted a dinner party for lifelong friends. These are my college buddies. These are the girls and their hubbies who know my secrets and dreams. They are there for me during times of sadness and times of joy. We call ourselves "The Goddesses"...but that's another story for another time. You get the picture....they are special. So I wanted to make a special dinner for no reason....just to get together and have a great time.

I planned. I shopped. I set the table.  I cooked.  I chopped. And.... I baked.  This is not something I do any more. I gave up baking anything fancy a long, long time ago. So when it was time to make a dessert, I wanted something fast and easy.  Where was I to find a good, lo fat recipe? I went to my blog! I decided to make "So Easy Even A Caveman Can Make It Cupcakes" from an earlier post. (Saturday, October 24, 2009-  2 ingredients! see archive)  But, something possessed me to make it in a bundt pan instead of cupcakes. Yes, a bundt. June Cleaver would be proud. 

I mixed the recipe. So easy! I poured it into a greased and floured bundt pan. So easy! I baked it according to directions. So easy! And when I took it out of the oven, it looked beautifully browned and scrumptious. Great! Such a great cake and it was so easy! I let it cool and then inverted it on a plate. With a lift of the plate and a little shake of the bundt pan....out came the cake. Well, half of the cake came out and the other half stuck in the pan. Turns out it was not so easy! I scooped out the remainder of the cake and plopped it on top of the half that came out. This is what I was left with...a mound of delicious Lemon Cake chunks and crumbs.

Now what? They were coming in a few hours and I needed some dessert. When life hands your lemon cake crumbs...improvise. I checked my pantry for some ideas. Ah! Vanilla Pudding! Ah, blueberries! I quickly made some instant pudding.  Then I took out some pretty wine glasses and layered cake chunks, pudding and blueberries into a delicious  trifle dessert. June Cleaver would be proud!

Cooking is all about improvisation. No, I am not talking about an annoying mime! I am talking about taking the wonderful ingredients in your home and using them to full potential. In order to do this, my friends, you must HAVE the ingredients in your home. Go to the market...buy some fresh organic and local produce.  Buy some whole grains. Purchase a rainbow of colors to put on your plate. And then, if you are having a craving for something "from a box" mix it all up together.  

And, when life hands you lemon crumbs....enjoy them!

Here is another easy recipe I made recently. No big story. No long post. Just an easy, yummy recipe more in tune with the way I usually eat.  No preservatives, no chemicals...just good "real" food..

Shrimp and Pineapple Saute

1 lb peeled and deveined large shrimp

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon canola oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (I prefer powdered from a spice jar. A few sprinkles)

2 cups cut up fresh pineapple chunks

1 large red pepper, seeded and sliced

3 scallions, cut into 1" pieces

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

Sprinkle shrsimp with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper.  Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large skillet (or wok). Add the shrimp and cook just until opaque in the center, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in skillet. Add the garlic and ginger, cook, stirring constantly, just until fragrant...about 30 seconds.  Add the pineapple and cook, stirriing occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes.  Add the bell pepper and cook until it is crisp-tender and the pineapple is lightly brownded, 3-4 minutes.  Add the shrimp, scallions, lime juice, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the ground pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve with brown rice.

Serving: 1 cup. 174 calories, 5 ggram fat, 14 gram carbs, 2 gram fiber

Enjoy! Happy Eating!