Putting My Foot Down!

Hello!

I kicked off "no excuses" week this afternoon, with a nice 4 miler in the scorching heat. Seriously clouds, why is it that you miraculously disappear the moment I step out the door, only to re-appear and cover the sun the minute I step back in the door? I’ll never understand it!

At any rate, last week I was full of excuses as to why I couldn’t work out. If it wasn’t raining, we were under a heat advisory. If we weren’t under a heat advisory, I was at the movies or having a cocktail with Ben. While there’s nothing wrong with taking time off from exercise, for me – the longer I’m outta’ the game, the harder it is to get back in it.

This week, I’ve put my foot down and told myself – "you’re doing it" – so I’m gonna’. And I did! Tonight = 4 miles. Tomorrow, the world.

I got right to work on dinner after showering up – Shrimp & Sweet Corn Maque Choux!

Oh yes – the delicate, sweet & spicy dish that I fell in LOVE with at Emeril’s NOLA in New Orleans was back tonight – featuring candy-sweet, local Iowa sweet corn!

I actually based my Maque Choux recipe on Emeril’s!

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons butter, divided

1/2 small onion, chopped

1 small bell pepper, chopped (green or red)

1 green onion, chopped

3 ears of sweet corn, cut off the cob

1 small zucchini, chopped

3 teaspoons Emeril’s essence, divided

1/3 cup half & half

35-40 small-medium sized frozen shrimp, thawed

Directions:

1. Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a large skillet on medium-low. Sauté onion and green pepper until soft, ~6-7 minutes.

2. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add zucchini, sweet corn and 2 teaspoons essence. Cover the skillet with a lid, stir occasionally, and let the mixture cook for ~4-5 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.

3. Add the half & half and cook until the mixture has thickened, ~1 minute, using your cooking spoon to scrape up any bits on the bottom of the pan. Remove maque choux to a dish and set aside.

4. Melt remaining Tablespoon of butter in the skillet and add thawed shrimp. Sprinkle in remaining teaspoon of essence and cook until shrimp are heated through.

5. Plate maque choux and top with shrimp!

YUMS! I have made this dish a couple times before, but this time – with the fresh, sweet, local corn – was the BEST. It was so, so perfectly sweet!

Emeril’s essence blend really compliments the sweet, by bringing the spice. It’s got a wicked kick to it with that cayenne pepper!

But oh – OH – that sweet corn. What a great dish to highlight nature’s candy. It’s definitely the standout star.

FULL – but not too full to have a mini Cashew Cookie Larabar for dessert. It’s no excuses week, not no dessert week! I couldn’t live in a world without dessert, I tell ya!

BACHELORETTE TONIGHT! I’m thinking Allie picks nobody in the end. While I HEART Chris, I think she thinks he might be a little too dull for her. And Roberto just seems like fling material to me. Poor girl. That’s what you get for trying to find love on reality television. It’s not reality!

*Steps off soapbox*

At any rate, I’ll still be watching, so what does that make me?! HA!

Goodnight!

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