Unplugged
Unplugging is the new black. Everyone is doing it. It's the new Meatless Monday. People are giving up Facebook and Twitter and all sorts of inane time wasters.
They are unplugging once a week or up to a month at a time. And I followed suit. But it was purely by accident.
My computer crashed on me earlier this week due to a virus (actually, there were 21 problems the technician encountered) and I was out of commission. Which meant I actually had to "do things" to keep me occupied.
I never realized how I lived in front of this box. While I didn't choose to "unplug," I have to admit that it was absolutely divine! I accomplished so many things, it was unbelievable.
To start, I finished planting my herb garden, talked to lots of people on the phone (no emails, but I actually spoke to human beings!), finished making gazpacho with the gorgeous tomatoes I brought home from the farmers market on Sunday and had enough tomatoes leftover to make tomato sauce, too. And then I made shrimp salad.
I did all of these things because I had the time and because it was 100 degrees outside. The tomato sauce went in the freezer for a rainy day. (Yes, please let it rain!) And the gazpacho and shrimp salad were dinner. Gazpacho only gets better with time, so it's also lunch, dinner, lunch...
So unplug your computers, turn off your "smart" phones and reconnect to the world in a better way.
Buen provecho!
Shrimp Salad
The Cowgirl Gourmet
Print recipe
Serves 2
1lb. shrimp, thawed, with the shells on and heads off
10 peppercorns, whole
1 lemon, halved
3 stalks of celery, finely diced, I like to use the hearts
1/3 cup finely diced yellow or 1015 onion
1/4 cup mayonnaise, or more if needed
Kosher salt (about 1/4 tsp.) and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 T. flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Place the shrimp in a pot and cover with water. Add about 10 whole peppercorns and squeeze the juice of half a lemon (reserve the other half) and then drop the lemon in the pot.
Turn the heat on high and let the shrimp cook for 10 minutes. Strain the shrimp in a colander, place the colander back on the pot and toss some ice on top of the shrimp to help them cool quickly.
While the shrimp are cooling, chop the celery and onion and place in a bowl. Squeeze the remaining lemon half over the celery and onion and toss to combine.
Once the shrimp are cool enough to peel, peel them and save the shells. Place the shells in a freezer bag and place in the freezer...these make an amazing shrimp stock. Dice the shrimp into bite-sized pieces. I chopped my U-10's (10 shrimp per pound) into about 6-7 pieces each.
Add the shrimp to the celery and onion mixture and top with 1/4 cup mayonnaise. Stir to combine and, if needed, add another tablespoon of mayo. Season with salt and pepper and taste. Adjust seasoning if needed.
Sprinkle in the chopped parsley, stir well and refrigerate until chilled.
Serve over a bed of lettuce and a side of raw veggies or make a shrimp salad sandwich.
They are unplugging once a week or up to a month at a time. And I followed suit. But it was purely by accident.
My computer crashed on me earlier this week due to a virus (actually, there were 21 problems the technician encountered) and I was out of commission. Which meant I actually had to "do things" to keep me occupied.
I never realized how I lived in front of this box. While I didn't choose to "unplug," I have to admit that it was absolutely divine! I accomplished so many things, it was unbelievable.
To start, I finished planting my herb garden, talked to lots of people on the phone (no emails, but I actually spoke to human beings!), finished making gazpacho with the gorgeous tomatoes I brought home from the farmers market on Sunday and had enough tomatoes leftover to make tomato sauce, too. And then I made shrimp salad.
I did all of these things because I had the time and because it was 100 degrees outside. The tomato sauce went in the freezer for a rainy day. (Yes, please let it rain!) And the gazpacho and shrimp salad were dinner. Gazpacho only gets better with time, so it's also lunch, dinner, lunch...
So unplug your computers, turn off your "smart" phones and reconnect to the world in a better way.
Buen provecho!
Shrimp Salad
The Cowgirl Gourmet
Print recipe
Serves 2
1lb. shrimp, thawed, with the shells on and heads off
10 peppercorns, whole
1 lemon, halved
3 stalks of celery, finely diced, I like to use the hearts
1/3 cup finely diced yellow or 1015 onion
1/4 cup mayonnaise, or more if needed
Kosher salt (about 1/4 tsp.) and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 T. flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Place the shrimp in a pot and cover with water. Add about 10 whole peppercorns and squeeze the juice of half a lemon (reserve the other half) and then drop the lemon in the pot.
Turn the heat on high and let the shrimp cook for 10 minutes. Strain the shrimp in a colander, place the colander back on the pot and toss some ice on top of the shrimp to help them cool quickly.
While the shrimp are cooling, chop the celery and onion and place in a bowl. Squeeze the remaining lemon half over the celery and onion and toss to combine.
Once the shrimp are cool enough to peel, peel them and save the shells. Place the shells in a freezer bag and place in the freezer...these make an amazing shrimp stock. Dice the shrimp into bite-sized pieces. I chopped my U-10's (10 shrimp per pound) into about 6-7 pieces each.
Add the shrimp to the celery and onion mixture and top with 1/4 cup mayonnaise. Stir to combine and, if needed, add another tablespoon of mayo. Season with salt and pepper and taste. Adjust seasoning if needed.
Sprinkle in the chopped parsley, stir well and refrigerate until chilled.
Serve over a bed of lettuce and a side of raw veggies or make a shrimp salad sandwich.
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