Following In My Shoes | Houston Mom Blog

A Message From Barney Kneeknuckles

2012-05-17T13:24:53Z

WHAT?

You haven’t stopped by 5 Minutes for Mom
To see my Mommy’s newest recipe …
the one that’s all over my face?

Oh, for SHAME!!!

Share and Enjoy:Print StumbleUpon

{semi-wordless wednesday} Don’t Ask For The Soup

2012-05-16T01:17:58Z

Yes, this is from a real restaurant, and, yes, it is here in Texas.

My Father-In-Law captured this gem from his menu and sent it to the Husband.

(sigh)

Share and Enjoy:Print StumbleUpon

Grilled Garlic Shrimp (and Sears Giftcard Giveaway)

2012-05-15T04:22:51Z

This past weekend, the Kidlets and I headed to Oklahoma for some family time; the weather here is absolutely beautiful right now: everything is green, lush … butterflies are landing on all the vibrant blooms and Grand Lake, visible from my Mom’s kitchen window, shimmers in the distrance.

Sunday was made just a wee bit more perfect thanks to adorable handmade Mother’s Day gifts the Kidlets fashioned in their Sunday School Class … and thanks to my Dad’s impeccible grilling skills.

There is just something about a man and fire. My grandfather, my father, the Husband … and even his father all possess their own grill tongs and their preferred way of grilling. For Grandpa, it’s always been straight charcoal — briquets which smolder and cook hamburgers to his preferred level of doneness … which is very, very, very, VERY well done.

Dad has spent years working on his routine: charcoal and soaked wood chips are all he needs to create the perfect smoked chicken breast or mouth-watering juicy burger.

My Father-in-law built his own barbeque grill. The thing is HUGE and can handle a brisket like nobody’s business. He is a fan of imparting flavor through dry-rubs and slow heat and believes “if you have to use sauce … you don’t have good meat.”

With the Husband, it used to just be all about the fire — he was notorious for setting up a good blaze and then forgetting about the proteins or vegetables left to burn at the stake (pun intended, of course). And, then there was the time his grilling efforts resulted in his arm hair and eyebrows … well … let’s just say he didn’t have any for awhile. Yeah — let’s just leave it at that.

But, over the years, my Boy has grown-up, donning his grill apron with a sense of pride, eager to create the perfect dish for our special occassions — usually the arrival of summer-time guests. The meal most requested of my grill guy? Garlic Shrimp.

I think my Little Lady may be the biggest fan of this recipe, with its simple and fresh ingredients. Every time we pass the seafood counter at our grocery store, she begs and pleads for me to buy some gulf shrimp, promising to clean her room forever and always be nice to her brothers if only Daddy will fix her favorite meal.

For being only 4 years old and under 35 pounds, this little girl can put away some shrimp. As soon as the steaming plate is placed on the table, she digs in — pausing only to remove the coral-pink shells.

For my daughter, those summer nights with family and friends are gleaming highlights to end her days of playing, running, squealing and pretending. Twilight moments as the sun sets, the smell of the grill making everyone’s taste-buds tingle. . . the sound of laughter as we all look forward to Daddy’s special meal.

Tips For Grilling Shrimp

Fresh is always best but previously frozen, raw shrimp (from your seafood department) will do well too.
Don’t buy the shrimp too far ahead from when you plan to cook it; it’s best to purchase the day of your meal/event or no more than 1 day out.
Not sure how much shrimp to buy? Check the numbers listed on the seafood counter; you’ll see a set of numbers (8/12, 16/20, etc.) that will give you an indication as to how many shrimp you can expect per pound purchased.
Invest in good quality, “First-Cold Pressed” Olive Oil; the flavor imparted on the shrimp is just unequalled.
Use (pre-soaked) wood skewers or a grill pan to grill shrimp and keep them out of the fire. Grill pans are inexpensive (ours was $1.50) and can be found in the grilling supplies section of your grocery store.
Want to save time on the minced garlic? Don’t want to overwhelm your guest with the smell? Buy jars of pre-minced garlic; it is sold in a variety of sizes. We can find it in both our produce department and with the jarred olives, peppers, etc. It’s a HUGE time saver.

Grilled Garlic Shrimp

Simple, family-friendly recipe for the perfect grill night. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

2 Pounds Raw and Deveined Medium Shrimp
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 Teaspoons Minced Garlic
Kosher Salt
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

Directions

Toss shrimp with olive oil and garlic, and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss again to coat thoroughly.
Heat your grill to medium high heat.
Using good grill tongs, lay the shrimp one by one on the grill pan.
Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the shells begin to turn pink.
Flip each shrimp and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.
Remove from the grill, plate and enjoy with your favorite accompaniments.

Sears Gift-CardGiveaway

My husband’s Griled Garlic Shrimp recipe is why our family — especially the Little Lady — loves grilling. Now … what about you?

Share what it is you love about grilling in the summer and why grilling is your happiness!

Besides all of the tasty food, tell me what you love about grilling. One of my lucky readers who answers below will win a $25 Sears Gift Card!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Sears. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules.

Share and Enjoy:Print StumbleUpon

Choosing to Delay Kindergaten

2012-05-10T15:32:55Z

In a few short weeks, the Little Lady will have her fifth birthday.

F-I-V-E.

Give me a moment — I need to let that sink in.

This morning, I sent her off with her Daddy for her final day of school. For most five year olds, this would be the last day of preschool. But not so for our daughter.

We have decided she needs one more year . . . she is just not ready.

As much as I tell myself, “we are doing this for her,” I still feel guilty, wondering if it is really the best decision. Wondering if she will resent us for “holding her back.” Wondering if she will doubt her own abilities later for knowing we didn’t move her forward.

Mommy guilt.

It never leaves us, even in moments like this when we are trying to do what is best for our children.

The plain honest truth is she needs more time to mature, to strengthen her ability to focus, and she needs just a bit more time to get ready academically. The Little Lady is a lover of song and dance … letters and numbers just don’t interest her. Who needs to count when you have ballet moves to invent?

One more year of kindergarten prep. That’s what we’re choosing. One more year of a smaller class size. One more year of one-on-one teacher time. One more year to grow.

Hopefully … she’ll see it that way too when she’s older. She’ll understand my best intentions.

Share and Enjoy:Print StumbleUpon

H-E-B Primo Picks Come To Houston and San Antonio

2012-05-09T04:21:15Z

Have you seen the commecials on TV? Glanced at the signs all over the grocery store?

Primo Picks are here, H-E-B shoppers! And, these finds are giving me even more reasons to love this grocery store.

What Are Primo Picks?

Primo Picks are unique, tasty and cool products you may never have heard of or tried before. We’ve searched the world to bring you these one-of-a-kind products. Look for Primo Picks shelf tags in store. Some supplies limited, so get them while we got them!

Basically, we’re talking fun food stuff, fun make-up, and fun kitchen ware, folks. What have been our favorites so far?

AMAZING imported Corsini Cantuccini (a biscotti-like cookie so unbelievably good that I may (or may not) have made a special trip to my grocery store *just* to purchase additional boxes of the candied orange version).
H-E-B Ice Cream featuring Texas-grown strawberries from our strawberry capital, Poteet, TX.
$3 bottles of wine. Yeah, you read that right — VERY inexpensive wines that are not only “drinkable,” they’re good! Perfect for an inexpensive date night or for freezing individual portions for future recipes.
“That Green Sauce” (as it is officially known) is a hot — HOT — sauce made of pureed jalapenos and poblano peppers. We love it added to our guacamole for a “clear-out-your-sinuses” kick.
Artisanal pastas and family-recipe sauces from Brooklyn and New York City — the kidlets loved the soft and fresh texture of Rao’s Linguine.
Ancient whole grains — we loved the nutty Farro, an Italian wheat-like grain; perfect for a hot breakfast or as an higher-protein option to brown rice!

There are currently 48 different items on the Primo Picks list: specialty cheeses, Houston brewed beers, bare Minerals make-up, fresh-cut flowers and so much more.

Not everything is as cheap as a $3 bottle of wine, but they are all fun … unique … and (when it comes to the food items) downright tasty.

Oh — and did I mention there are imported French Truffles?

Mama likes chocolate… especially truffles.

Look for the signs and labels in your Houston and San Antonio area H-E-B stores, highlighting the new Primo Picks! And then … try something new!

Disclosure: I was sent samples of different food and beauty items from the Primo Picks. Any opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.

Share and Enjoy:Print StumbleUpon

Following In My Shoes | Houston Mom Blog

A Message From Barney Kneeknuckles

WHAT?

You haven’t stopped by 5 Minutes for Mom To see my Mommy’s newest recipe … the one that’s all over my face?

Oh, for SHAME!!!

{semi-wordless wednesday} Don’t Ask For The Soup

Grilled Garlic Shrimp (and Sears Giftcard Giveaway)

Tips For Grilling Shrimp

Grilled Garlic Shrimp

Ingredients

Directions

Sears Gift-CardGiveaway

Choosing to Delay Kindergaten

H-E-B Primo Picks Come To Houston and San Antonio

What Are Primo Picks?

Look for the signs and labels in your Houston and San Antonio area H-E-B stores, highlighting the new Primo Picks! And then … try something new!

You haven’t stopped by 5 Minutes for Mom
To see my Mommy’s newest recipe …
the one that’s all over my face?