Originally published at Memoirs of a Nobody. You can comment here or there.

(why is this called a base and not a ‘recpie”? Because I’m giving you the basics, and charging you with playing with it today)

(this recipie is Shortcake the Cat and Hunter the Dog approved)

Shrimp Dip

Ingredients:

1 pkg cream cheese
A few handfulls of pre-cooked, salad sized shrimp (as much or as little as you want. I’m a shrimp fan so I tossed in four large handfulls)
Onion Powder (to taste)
Paparika (to taste)
Spices

Prep:

If your shrimp is frozen (and don’t want to thaw in the fridge), run the shrimp in a strainer under cool water for about three minutes (mine took four with the shower sprayer but my water was too cold).

Soften the cream cheese at room temp (preferably out of reach of of cats, ants and curious shelties). If this step does not suit your fancy, move on to combining.

Combining:

Yes, this is the last step.

Take your softened (or not) cheese and toss it into a good mixer. If your cream cheese is still cold, do this before defrosting the shrimpies and put the mixer on low so it can ’soften’ while you defrost. Add a few touches of water to add in making a soft, creamy blend.

Toss your handfuls of shrimp into a food chopper (or…chop them yourselves, good luck) until almost a paste. Add these shrimpies to the cream cheese. Add the onion powder, paparika, and whatever herbs and spices you want (try anything you like).

This dip is rather thick, so spoon application may be required. This base is also a bit bland (unless you go overboard with the onion powder and paparika) so really do experiment, great to use with kids as they love tossing things into the bowl.

Enjoy!

Originally published at Memoirs of a Nobody. You can comment here or there.

Today’s recipe is a quick and easy summer desert that takes less then five minutes if you’re a fast chopper.

Ingredients (as always, these can be adjusted to size and taste):

1/2 a cantaloupe melon
5-10 large strawberries
6 desert shells (think strawberry shortcake cakes)
1 small container of yogurt (any flavor) (optional)
Favorite ice cream (optional)
1 tub whipped topping (I prefer the regular, but if you use flavored, remember that you already have a strawberry flavoring in the desert…chocolate would go good though)

Prep:

Remove the tops and tips of the strawberries, then cut into small slices, they can either be circular (cut from tip to end) or diced (cut lengthwse, then cut the halves into smaller pieces), but make sure they’re SMALL.

Cut the half of the cantaloupe into smaller wedges, no more then 1/2 to 1 inch in width, cut off the rind (using a steak knife, slid the blade between the orange flesh and the rind, careful not to get any green on the meat….though if you’re like me, you can clean it up a bit with the knife). Cut these wedges into smaller chunks via dicing.

Assembling:

Start by putting one desert shell on a plate, and filling the center with cantaloupe, add a healthy dollop of yogurt or whipped topping, then add a second desert shell (center side up) and sort of mush the two halves together, so that they stick, do NOT over mush…or else you’ll have a flat desert.

Repeat with the strawberries, placing them in the center of the shell and adding yogurt/whipped topping. Place the last desert shell center side DOWN, so that it ‘cups’ the strawberries. Add more whipped topping, or even a small scoop of your favorite ice cream on top. The yogurt and ‘mushing’ action should keep your tower from falling over (I carried two of these through three rooms without incident).

If using ice cream, feel free to add up to three more small scoops around the edge of the plate, then dot the remaining cantaloupe and strawberries artfully on top of the scoops (I used a fan method for mine) for an attractive arrangement.

Repeat with the remaining shells.

Serves two, should be eaten immediately, but CAN be stored (without the ice cream) in the fridge for a few hours if the fruits are dry (not juicy). Be careful of slight cake sogging from the yogurt however. No calorie info as I’m too tired and sore to do the math, it’s mid range, healthy for the fruit and yogurt, not so much the desert shells and ice cream.

Which brings up an interesting point, three desert shells are very dry, so if you like moister cake (or like me, are a fan of ice cream/cake soup), I would recommend using the ice cream, and letting it sit for a minute so the cakes can soak up the ice cream and yogurt.

Let me know what you think, mum and I loved this to death, but I love other people’s opinions on my ‘creations’. Also tell me if you tried other fruits, I want a good list of what goes well with this.

(Temp name: Leaning Tower of Summer…yeah, I’m not good with naming things)

Originally published at Memoirs of a Nobody. You can comment here or there.

For once, I’m writing about a product without being paid, all hail me.

Okay, not, but still. Winky brand ‘gel deserts’ (AKA jello, they just can’t use that name). Buy them, seriously. They are awsome for those who are watching their calories, while still needing a tasty pick me up. I think I’ve lived off these for the past month due to illness and I’m in love with them. They’re ready to eat, come in small, portion controlled containers (guess I shouldn’t eat two at a time…) and are really, REALLY good for a store or generic brand.

There’s a better comparison here for those who want to compare them to Jello brand snack packs, as well as find out where to find them.

But yes, buy, buy buy! And send me some! *grins* I prefer the strawberry banana