Honey Lime Shrimp

It's no secret that I'm a seafood fanatic.  Fish, crab, clams, lobster, and of course, shrimp.  

One of the best things, in my opinion, about shrimp, is how fast they cook.  These honey

lime hotties are a breeze to make and sooo delicious.

Start by juicing two limes and adding 2 tbs of honey to a shallow dish or bowl.

Add a clove of minced garlic, (I love frozen garlic cubes!) 

a pinch of red chili pepper flakes, a little salt, and 1 tbs of olive oil.

Throw in 1lb-2lbs (1/2lb per person) of peeled deveined shrimp with the tail on, stir until all the 

shrimp are coated, and let marinade for about 10 minutes

Heat a grill pan over medium high heat and spray with cooking spray or add a little olive oil.

Cook shrimp for about 1 minute on each side.  They cook really fast!

Serve with fresh cilantro and lime.  I promise, they taste as good as they look!

Mango Lime Chicken Wings & Coconut Rice

I don't know about you, but when it's insanely hot out I don't feel much like cooking in the evening. I'd do nearly anything to avoid heating my kitchen up when it's 107 degrees outside. If that means the kids have toaster waffles or cereal for dinner, so be it. It also means that I'm willing to do a little extra meal planning. This wings are easy to make and just take a few minutes of prep. And, if you have a BBQ then you won't have to cook anything inside in the evening.

Ingredients for chicken:
wings
mango dressing from Trader Joe's
lime
cilantro for garnish if desired

Ingredients for rice:
frozen Jasmine rice from Trader Joe's
lime
coconut milk
salt


First I start by marinading 15-20 frozen chicken wings (we buy 'em at Costco) in this Mango dressing-it's really tasty, overnight. They thaw and take on the yummy flavors and are ready to go in the oven in the morning. 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Take them out and let them cool, cover with foil and refrigerate until dinner time. Then just heat up the grill, spray with cooking spray and grill them for 5 mins on each side until you get those pretty grill lines, remove from the grill and squeeze a little fresh lime on top, and that's it!!!!

Ok, for the rice, let me just say, Trader Joe's frozen Jasmine rice is so convenient. I don't mind making rice normally, but when you can pop a bag in the microwave for 3 minutes and have perfect Jasmine rice... I mean why wouldn't you? I add a squeeze of fresh lime and about 1/4 cup of coconut milk and a pinch of salt. Simple and delicious. Serve with wings and whatever veggie you want.  I grilled up a bunch of asparagus because that's what I had.  Voila! Dinner in no time and my kitchen is nice and cool.

Camille's Nursery & Mom Life...

I'm Hey Friends!!

I know I usually share recipes with you all, and occasionally home decor.  Today I'm switching things up a bit and sharing some pictures of my baby girl's nursery and some personal stuff too.  Mom life with three kids stuff.  Feel free to skip this post if it's not your thing.

So Camille is 5 months old now. Where did the time go? And why has it taken me so long to get some pictures of her nursery up on the blog?  Good question, but if you have kids you understand... mom life.

If you follow me on Instagram @lilyseclaires you might have caught the little nursery tour I gave a few days ago. If not, I'll do my best to show you around through these pictures. This room used to be my office. The back of the fireplace is in here and there are two doors to the room.  One is right off the entryway and the other is in the main hall way off the living room. Since the big kids were used to running through this room on their way to the bathroom I wanted to close off the entrance from the entryway.

I used this tapestry with nursery rhymes on it that I found for $10 at a thrift store to hide part of the door, and this chair and side table (table also thrift store, repainted). I really like the look of this chair, (overstock.com) but, sadly it is so uncomfortable, I hardly ever use it.  I'm thinking of selling it and looking for something that doesn't rock since it seems to rub against the brick and I'm worried the fabric will eventually be ruined.

This dresser used to be my mom's when she was a teenager. She found it in the attic at a house they lived in and she stripped, sanded and stained it many years before I was born. The finish matched the hand me down crib perfectly so I didn't touch a thing on it. Just added a changing pad to the top for now. The mirror came from Home Goods.

I mentioned the crib came from a good friend who also gave me the bumper and custom made crib skirt. I took colors from the skirt and made the flowers out of tissue paper and floral moss. They are just stuck to the wall with push pins so I can easily move them if needed.

I found the little rack I use to hang Camille's headbands (mostly purchased on Amazon) from TJ Maxx. The trash can is from Ikea and so is the little cart I use for diapers and baby supplies.



The curtains are from Pottery Barn Kids, but are at least 5 years old. They were in Lily Claire's bedroom for years. The little book case is also PBK, but I found it at a thrift store for $10.

The rug was my biggest purchase for this room. It came from Rugs USA. I can't remember how much I paid for it now, but I had coupons and a good sale so I think it was under $250. It's wool, but super soft. I shed like a mother for a good 8 months, but is't so bad anymore. I really love it, but don't think it would be practical in a main living space due to the shedding and my OCD.

So here's little sweeties's room and here's a little update on how things are going... great! Camille is a super sweet, very easy going baby.  She has DDH, developmental dysplasia of the hips and has been in a Pavlik harness since she was 6 weeks old. She has two weeks of treatment left and I'm counting down the days!!! She also has bad acid reflux, to the point that she wasn't gaining weight well, so she takes zantac now and that helps a lot!  She hardly fusses, even with these struggles. She is adored by her older sisters and makes our lives complete. We are so lucky to have her!!

I hope life is treating you all well and that you enjoyed this little tour and update on my sweet baby girl! Don't forget to follow me on Instagram to see more pictures!

xoxo

Broccolini & Sausage Penne

If you follow me on Instagram (and you should!) you know that I make different variations of this dish a lot. Like at least once a week. I've probably talked about it on there before, but the reason I like this so much is I can make one meal and everyone can eat something they like. For the picky eaters, they get the plain broccoli and pasta, and for the more adventurous, the broccoli and pasta get a little help from my friends garlic and red pepper flake.  Throw in some roasted butternut squash or a little pancetta, some spinach pasta and a little romano on top, really the combinations are endless...

So, here is my go to.  Please, please make it! And tell me what you used! Cabbage and diced ham... bell peppers and rotisserie chicken... endless I tell you!

Ingredients:
1 bunch of broccolini
1 lb. penne or pasta of choice
olive oil
garlic sliced thinly (use as much as you like, I use a lot!)
red pepper flake
reserved pasta cooking water
1 pkg of cooked turkey sausage with artichoke & spinach (or any protein you like!)

Directions:
Cook the pasta just shy of al dente and reserve a mug full of the cooking water.  While pasta is cooking, in a heavy bottomed skillet, I always use cast iron, heat olive oil on medium heat and add garlic and pepper flake. Make sure it doesn't burn, just toasts lightly and turns golden.  When the pasta is done, drain, but don't toss out the water, and add to the garlic. Add the broccolini to the boiling water and cook 2-3 minutes, then drain and add to the skillet with pasta and garlic.  If needed add a little of your reserved cooking water to make a lose sauce. Taste for seasoning and add salt and more pepper if desired. Remove from heat and serve with parmesan or cheese of choice.

Enjoy!

Nicoise Salad

You guys, a few days ago my five year old daughter squirted out my baby girls dose of her reflux meds onto my laptop.  Everything works still, but the f and d key are sticking.  So frustrating... Anyway, that has abso nothing to do with salad, but I'm typing and it's buggin' so I'm venting here...

Nicoise Salad... Have I told you that my 9 year old daughter is going to France with her grandparents this summer, like in a month??  It sounded like such an amazing opportunity when they asked if they could take her and I just couldn't say no.  But, now that the passport has arrived and we are talking luggage, planes, travel plans... I'm getting a little emotional about it!  I love France, especially Paris, and I know she will have the best time.  But, she'll be in another country far away from me and I'll be missing her like crazy.  I have this idea that if I eat lots of French food while she is gone it will be like I am right there with her.  So, bring on the Brie... and salad, always this salad.

Traditionally, I believe the potatoes are boiled, not roasted, but I like a little crunch and more flavor, so I roast these babies up.  Usually when you think salad, you think simple and fast.  This is not hard to make, but it does take a little more effort than other salads you might find on my blog.  With a little prep you could make this quickly, ie. hard boil eggs ahead of time and use leftover green beans, potatoes, but even if you don't it won't really take that long to make.

Ingredients (serves 2-4):
1 head of romaine hearts
3 hard boiled eggs
2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes
1/2 a large can of green olives (or any olives of your choosing)
haricots verts (skinny green beans) I used half a bag from Trader Joes
1 can of good tuna packed in olive oil
1 small cucumber (I like the little persian ones from TJ's, you don't have to peel them.)
salad dressing of choice

Directions:
If you don't have leftover green beans or potatoes, start on these and the hard boiled eggs first. I cut the potatoes into 1" chunks and then boiled them for about 5 minutes.  Then I drained them on paper towels, seasoned them with some garlic salt and pepper and coated with olive oil. Roast them for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Boil green beans 4-5 minutes then remove from water and shock them in an ice bath so they stay bright green.

Lay out your lettuce on a large plate or platter. Arrange tomatoes, sliced hard boiled eggs, sliced cucumber, potatoes, green beans, lives, and drained tuna. Top with your favorite dressing and garnish with a little flat leaf parsley if you have it.  Et voila! (I'm obsessed with the caramelized onion and bacon salad dressing from TJ's, it's so good on this salad!)

Enjoy and dream sweet French dreams tonight!

Frittata

 Do you guys know about fritattas? They are delicious. And so easy to make. You hardly need a recipe! And I love how you can use pretty much anything in your fridge to make them.

In fact, lets try something new.  I'm going to show you in pictures how I made this! I'll post the recipe at the bottom for those of you who need more exact measurements.

And the finished product...

Okay, so for those of you who need more technical directions, I used one bell pepper, a handful of spinach, two slices of havarti cheese, 7 eggs, a splash of milk and salt and pepper.  Spray a pie plate with non-stick spray, add all your ingredients, pour in beaten eggs & milk, salt & peppa and then bake until golden 20-25 mins.  Ta da!  

Sooooo good. Since we usually only eat half we save the rest and microwave a slice during busy weekday mornings.  Happy Sunday! Enjoy your frittata!

Pulled Pork Sliders

You guys, I have to admit, I've jumped on the "slider" band-wagon.  I mean, they are small sandwiches, so you can eat more than one!  What's not to love about that??  Plus, Hawiian rolls and I are in love.  It's true...

My pulled pork recipe isn't new, but this take on it using a Hawiian roll is.  What can I say except you're welcome... I'm singing Moana songs in my head now... But seriously, they are that good!

Ingredients for Slow Cooked Pork w/ Dry Rub (Also know as Pulled Pork):
1 pork roast (2lbs should be enough for 4 people, but if you want leftovers get a bigger roast)
Non-stick cooking spray
2 tbs. brown sugar
1 tbs. granulated garlic powder
1 tbs. sea salt (or kosher salt)
1 tbs. paprika
bbq sauce
package of Hawiian rolls

Directions:
Pat your roast dry.  Combine your spice rub ingredients and liberally coat your roast with them.  Heat a large cast iron skillet (maybe there is another pan you can use if you don't have one, but cast iron is the best. And it's cheap, so do yourself a favor and go buy a cast iron skillet!) over medium high heat.  Add a little canola oil to the pan and place roast in pan.  Cook a few minuets on each side until the meat starts to brown up. Coat the inside of your slow cooker with non-stick spray (this makes clean up easier).  Place your roast in the slow cooker  and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.  I cooked a 4lb roast for 6 hours on high.  If you make a smaller roast you could probably start checking it after 3-4 hours.

Using a fork shred your pork into bite sized chunks. Heat a couple of cups of your favorite BBQ sauce in a small sauce pan or in a microwave safe bowl. (More or less sauce depending on how much you like on your sandwich.) Pour  the warm sauce over the pork and stir until it coats the meat.  Place on toasted Hawiian rolls and serve with broccoli slaw (recipe below) or your favorite coleslaw recipe if you prefer.

Recipe for Broccoli Slaw:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbs. brown sugar
generous pinch of sea salt
1/2 a bag of broccoli slaw (found at Trader Joe's)

Directions:
Combine vinegar and brown sugar.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil.  Add salt to taste.  Pour over slaw and toss.  If using for pulled pork sandwiches, top them with the slaw and enjoy!!

You're welcome!  (still singing)