Lime-Cilantro Shrimp and Rice

With fall and the cooler weather now here I am looking for recipes that will warm us up from the inside out. Sometimes it is soups and chowders, sometimes it is heartier foods, and sometimes it is something that is just good comfort food. One such recipe was for an all-in-one casserole type dish that was shrimp, rice and vegetables with a light lime-cilantro sauce. I added some whole pinto beans and some pumpkin egg bread or pumpkin challah and a citrusy white blend to complete the meal.

As I mentioned above, this is an all-in-one type dish. Sometimes these are my favorite things to make because they are so easy to prepare. I thought for sure I had both zucchini and crookneck, but I only had the crookneck squash, which works just fine on its own too. My sister-in-law sent home a large bag of sweet peppers, tomatoes and beets with Larry when he returned home from visiting with his mother in Kansas. So I had to use some of those too. Nothing is better than fresh from the garden.

Lime-Cilantro Shrimp and Rice

2 cups cooked rice

2-3 TBSP olive oil or lime olive oil

1-1/2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 cups corn

2 zucchini or crookneck or 1 of each, sliced

1 shallot, sliced thin

1/2 each red bell pepper and green bell pepper, diced medium

3-4 sweet peppers, sliced thin

1 TBSP Peruvian peppers, optional

1 tsp red pepper flakes or to taste

1 TBSP garlic

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 TBSP lime zest

2 TBSP lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

cheese for topping

Get a large skillet nice and hot and add either the olive oil or the lime olive oil. I am LOVING my lime olive oil and am using it for just about everything. Saute all the vegetables except the Peruvian sweet peppers and seasonings for about 5 minutes, or until they soften a bit yet still retain some of their crispness. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Add more oil if necessary and then cook the shrimp until they are cooked completely and are nice and pink. Add the lime juice and re-add the vegetables and the cilantro. Combine everything together well and add the cooked rice and the Peruvian peppers and continue to cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.

Once everything is cooked, it is time to serve it up. You can serve it as is, but I felt it needed a little something extra, so I added some whole pinto beans on top. Add a little of your favorite cheese if you like, and it is ready to go. Delicious and easy-peasy; my favorite way to cook.

Stay safe and stay well Everyone. ‘Til next time.