Shrimp, Raspberries, Whipped Cream & Twenty Followers!

Well, today marks three weeks since I embarked on this adventure.  Or, rather, embarked on and wrapped my nearest and dearest into this adventure.  By week three I really wanted to hit the twenty follower mark, and today, I did!  Wednesdays are busy days in my life, and I go from my day job to teaching an evening graduate class, so sadly, the stove stays cool and the apron doesn't get any dirtier.  However, last night was scrumptious enough to leave a treat waiting on my stove for me tonight to indulge in again.

Menu:

Capellini with Shrimp and Creamy Tomato Sauce (#26)

Simple Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette

Raspberry Buttermilk Cake (#27) with homemade whipped cream

Yes, my Tuesday dinner was as good as it sounds.  I'm sorry to report I used frozen shrimp, but they worked just fine.  They were in the freezer, and, given the powerful nature of this sauce, I thought they'd be enhanced enough.  Sauteing them first with oregano and garlic in olive oil was perfect to at least get their flavor going just a bit.  Not being the type of gal who has a stocked bar in the house, (PBR? Now that I have on hand.), I used dry marsala wine instead of vermouth in the tomato sauce.  It worked just fine.

This was a super easy (and fast!) dinner.  I always recommend using fresh pasta, and I mean the kind in the refridgerated section of the grocer, not the kind that comes from your flour jar and crank.  Come on, I have a loose screw...or two, ok, fine, three, - but I'm not completely off the deep end.  Then again, maybe it depends who you ask.  Either way, my dinner came out delicious and paired with a very simple salad topped with sliced salty kalamata olives, it couldn't have been nicer.

But, enough about the main course already.  Dessert dessert dessert.  Raspberries + buttermilk (I made it with lemon juice and milk) + sugar = whoa.  I mean, seriously, this was yummy.  So happy there is way more than half the cake left.  Both for what it would say about me if there wasn't, and the fact that I want more tomorrow.  

This cake was so easy, too!  Just mix it up, pour it in the pan, scatter the top with raspberries, shake sugar on top, bake and in no time at all it is ready!

Topped with just a bit of homemade whipped cream, to which you should certainly add a bit of real vanilla extract, it is quite possibly the only dessert you could need.

 

When I first saw this recipe, I thought for sure it needed to be prepared for guests, but sorry potential guests, I just couldn't wait.  Plus, it proved perfect for end-of-day chatting with roomie Beth.

273 to go...

Oh, and Happy Birthday, Reed!  Make a wish...