Tuesday, January 19, 2010

My daughter switches teams,
I have anxiety, and I make a very easy
and delicious shrimp dish

No, not switching teams like that, although it would be fine with me. Over the weekend Sophie switched from the Squaw Valley Big Mountain Team to the Tahoe League race team. My genius husband made a few phone calls and got the ok for her to ski with them for a weekend. I thought she would do it for a day or so and then go back. Wrong. She loved it. Loved the kids, loved the coaches, loved the racing. Not that she had a problem with the other team at all. But her mind was made up.

Thanks, Husband. So in addition to driving up nearly every weekend and the team fee we (really, the MIL) have already paid, we are now on the hook for race fees, traveling to and skiing at other resorts where we do not have season passes, and (I can hardly bear to type this) RACE SKIS. Because apparently the high-performance season rentals we have for her are INAPPROPRIATE. And of course most ski shops do not rent race skis, because why would anyone do that when they have parents who have been told they must BUY them? So we are trying to find a used pair or wait until after the big trade show when our local shop might be able to find us a good sale pair. God, we're so hosed. It's kind of like being a soccer mom on steroids. At least I'm out there working on my bumps instead of sitting in a foldable lawn chair.

In the past few weeks, I've spent so much time driving, packing, unpacking, repacking that I hardly know if I'm coming or going. And not that I'm complaining about operating two kitchens, one at home and another in the mountains, but I'm starting to get confused about what ingredients I have where. And I'm just plain tired. This meal is an answer to those problems. For the most part, it's an off-the-shelf deal. I almost always have a bag of frozen shrimp on hand (I think Trader Joe's does a better job at deveining than the other brands), and aside from feta cheese, the rest of the ingredients are standard kitchen stock.


SHRIMP WITH TOMATOES, OREGANO, AND FETA
1 1/2 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
pinch cayenne
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup green olives stuffed with pimento, sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Rinse shrimp and press dry in a kitchen towel. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add shrimp and saute, stirring until just pink, about 2 minutes. Remove from pan using a slotted spoon to a shallow baking dish that has been sprayed with olive oil.

In the same pan, warm remaining two tablespoons oil. Add onion and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add garlic, cayenne, and oregano and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes longer. Stir in tomatoes with juice and olives. Cook over medium heat until slightly reduced, about 20 minutes. Add wine and simmer a minute or two longer.

Pour tomato mixture over shrimp. Top with feta. Bake until feta starts to brown, about 10 minutes.

Serve over rice.
Come to think of it, I think I have these ingredients in the other kitchen also. If you're in the Tahoe region next weekend, give me a call if you'd like to come over for dinner. You can make the green salad.

8 comments:

Jen Yu said...

oh good lord, hon! my neighbor's daughter races and it is *very* (as you are founding out) expensive. Don't forget lodging - that's a big one too... well, at least sophie is enjoying it, right? :) right?!? xxoo

Jen Yu said...

finding out... it's been a long day (it's not even over yet!)

Cindy said...

At least we have a friend lodging us for the winter while we are up there. Else we wouldn't have even started this train rolling. If he doesn't have his house next year, we'll start researching building snow caves or something insane like that.

Sophie IS loving it, and it's motivated her in all sorts of other areas as well--teeth brushing, homework, gear schlepping. I do miss skiing with her, but I love watching her rip it up.

Cid said...

Oh I hear you, our 12 year old is racing which mean two pairs of skis - slalom and GS and then he gets invited to a Downhill. Borrowed those and thought we were fine until everyone else showed up with two pairs of skis. Oh and apparently now he needs two helmets. I'm all for safety but is there really a difference? what a racket. I am becoming one of those parents who says, "Why when I was a kid we only had hand-me-down skis ..."

Purple Flowers said...

If I won the lottery, I'd give you what you need in terms of $$$. However, I am glad Sophie is "ripping" up the slopes with a smile!

Kate said...

Whew! Here's hoping Sopie's other hobbies are inexpensive!! If she's loving it - that's what counts.

The shrimp looks delicious - I may need to make that this weekend!

KatieGirlBlue said...

Ok. Let's figure this out. What length does Sophie need? I might be able to help....

Also, I will tell you this, though it might not ease the pain: ski racing changed my life. Actually up and altered the course of things, opened doors I never knew existed, taught me skills I put to use every day. It helped shape my identity through the awkward middle school years, and kept me focused when all my friends were losing their ways.

Seriously: tell me what you're looking for (size, brand, binding specs, slalom, GS, etc.). I might be able to help....

Deb said...

I always try to have shrimp too! Love the recipe.

As for the skiing...oy. Glad she is having fun.