Two of my all time favorite things are my family, and food.  If you have been around my blog for a while, you have read of my trials and tribulations, but more so the glue that held my life together this last decade or so…

My family.  No matter how near or far we are physically, we always come back to one another welcoming each other with open arms.  Here are some good shots from my eldest nephew Jack’s Confirmation this past weekend.

A couple weeks ago, we were blessed to have our pictures taken by Missy Donovan Photography based out of Geneva, IL.  WOW…I can’t stand my picture getting taken, but the sneak peaks today were amazing.  Here’s one of my favorites, so far…

I’ve been slacking with my cooking since my MasterChef audition, so decided to keep our dinner tonight simple.   In 20 minutes I prepared jasmine rice according to package instructions, adding salt, pepper and thyme.

While the rice was cooking, I sautéed garlic, shallots, and Portobello mushrooms in a wide pan.  I added a teaspoon of pomegranate infused vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of veggie stock and let reduce down.  After ten minutes, I added chopped asparagus and cooked for 5 minutes until still slightly crunchy.  Lastly, I added the shrimp that I marinated in the pomegranate vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper.  The shrimp was precooked, so I simply had to heat through.

Serve the shrimp and veggies over the rice, and you’ve got a healthy meal in less than 20 minutes.

Do you have any go-to recipes  you use during the week?  What size family do you have?

❤ Michelle