​I don’t know about you, but I need sun to have some get up and go!  These cloudy days find me curled up with a book or knitting in my easy chair.
 
Last evening I was pondering what recipe I should share with you this week, when Pa Lloyd said how about what we had for lunch today?  He doesn’t often request a certain dish for me to fix but he does ask me to prepare shrimp Alfredo once in awhile, it does come ready made these days, but it is so quick and easy to prepare and so much better than the ready made. I usually use raw, frozen shrimp, you do have to peel the shells off but it turns out better than the already cooked. The thing about shrimp is that its very easy to overcook then it gets tough and rubbery so for me it turns out better to use the uncooked kind you can also use cooked chicken which is good too.
 
Shrimp Alfredo: 
1/2 stick butter
2 cloves minced garlic
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
chopped fresh or dried parsley
Dash of pepper
1# raw thawed, peeled fresh shrimp
 
Melt butter in large skillet, add garlic, saute’ for about 1-2 minutes or until fragrant, add whipping cream, whisk in cheese, stir until melted and smooth simmer on low  6 minutes until thickens then add shrimp, cook until shrimp turns pink ( doesn’t take very long). Add pepper and parsley, taste and add salt if needed. Serve over cooked pasta.  Serves 2-3 people
 
Have a great week!

​Now that the holidays are over, the Christmas goodies passed on, I’m ready to bake some basic lunch box type cookies, nothing fancy but hits the spot with a cup of coffee! I received the recipe I am sharing with you today from a friend who  shared this cookie recipe with  me  54 years ago! I know the exact year because that friend was a hospital room mate when we had our first baby in Omaha, Nebraska! It was Candy’s first baby too and she also had a baby boy. We visited back and forth as couples and played cards and compared our babies until we moved back to Minnesota and she and her husband moved to the East coast. We exchanged Christmas letters for several years but sadly we have lost track of one another. I think of her every once in awhile and miss the friendship we shared when we were so young, I still make the cookie recipe she shared with me those many years ago!
 
Pride of Iowa Cookies:
 
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. baking powder
3 cups quick cooking oatmeal
1/2 cup chopped nuts ( optional )
1 cup flaked coconut
 
Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla, then stir in remaining ingredients. Drop by heaping teaspoon full on parchment lined cookie sheet. Flatten dough with a sugared glass bottom before baking. Bake at 350 degrees until light brown for 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
Stay warm and safe. Have a good week!