What's Cookin?

What's happening in your kitchen this week?
I'm looking for favorite family friendly recipes. Things your kids will eat. Things that make you go MMMMMMM. Please share ...

Here's what's happening in my kitchen:

Monday: Breakfast for dinner
Eggs Benedict (healthy version)
Muffins
Smoothies

Tuesday: Adults OUT, kids only!
Ham and Mac&Cheese w/some frozen veggie

Wednesday: Summer in January
Hamburgers (PW Style)
Crashers
Caesar Salad

Thursday: Cheap Night (beef on sale less than 1/2 price at Superstore, peppers from the garden preserved in the freezer)
Steak Fajitas

Friday: Family Ski Night at Boler - Late Lunch, Early Dinner
Shrimp Creole (still using up the frozen shrimp from Christmas!) *recipe below

Saturday: Company's Coming
Thai Chicken Curry

A little story about the shrimp creole. Back in 1995, before it was in vogue, Marcia Everett started a woman's book club and invited me to be a part of it. I loved every minute of it. I was working in campus ministry at the time, living in a dorm, on the verge of dating George and living on $250 dollars a month. She had a cute little house, a real kitchen and an amazing family. We shared a dinner of soup, bread and salad and kind of talked about books.

Whether Marcia knows it or not - that group had a huge impact on my life. As the country singer says it best, "I learned a little 'bout livin' and a lot about love." I learned about hosting, mentoring, and family life - just by watching her live her life. I learned about cooking great food when she invited us into her kitchen, threw us an apron and a knife and told us to start chopping. And when her husband Steve died of a heart attack at 35 years old (1998) - I learned a lot about loss, grief and compassion. Book club stopped for nothing - we gathered the Tuesday after Steve's funeral. We cried, actually we wept, as we tried to eat our Shrimp Creole and corn bread. I'll never forget that meal. Marcia's Shrimp Creole has been in regular rotation at our house since then. And every time I serve it I whisper a prayer for Marcia and her family.

Shrimp Creole
½ cup butter
2 cups celery
1 large sliced green pepper
1 large sliced onion
SAUTE the above ingredients until soft

ADD:
2 large cans stewed tomatoes
1 can Rotel tomatoes **
2 cups chicken broth
SIMMER for ½ an hour

ADD:
1 pounds peeled shrimp
1 small cans mushrooms
SIMMER for 10 minutes

Serve over rice.

**If you live in Canada you won't be able to buy Rotel - you need to run across the border, Target has some. I have a few cans in my pantry - I'll sell you one for about a hundred bucks! It's worth it - or you can just add an extra can of diced tomatoes and a small can of chopped green chiles (Mexican section).

Karis and Hannah's latest creation - melted chocolate chips spread on pretzels. They asked me to take a picture and post it on my blog!