grill pan lovin'.

We ate {quite possibly} my most favorite meal tonight. Maybe because it involves pineapple, mango, avocado, organic sweet baby leaf lettuce, red onions {which are finally good at the grocery store again after having a hard summer}, limes, OH, and the grill pan (go here, here, and here if you have forgotten my LOVE for this kitchen fixture). Seriously, don't TELL me you haven't bought one yet. You're breaking my heart! Just a few of my FAVORITE things...

Props to Cooking Light for this bombshell recipe. Here you go!

Spicy Chipotle Shrimp Salad

1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp {recruit your husband or significant other for this task}
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1/4 cup finely chopped celery (I nixed the celery because me no likey)
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion (added a bit more of this)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons canola mayonnaise (I used Olive Oil Mayo)
1 tablespoon chopped chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
8 Boston lettuce leaves (OR the Central Market Sweet Baby Leaf Salad - we are using this later in the week. Two birds with one stone, you know?)

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and black pepper. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add half of shrimp to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove shrimp from pan; repeat procedure with remaining shrimp. Cool shrimp for 5 minutes.

Place shrimp in a medium bowl; stir in celery and next 6 ingredients (through cumin). Arrange 2 lettuce leaves on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 3/4 cup shrimp mixture.

For the grilled fruit salad:

1 cup mango, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cup pineapple, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large avocado, cut into pieces

Cut fruit. Grill mango and pineapple on grill pan until light brown marks appear, usually 2-3 minutes. Divide fruit and avocado on plates.

Mix 2 Tbsp lime juice, 1 tsp honey, and a pinch of salt. Drizzle over fruit.

We were "house-sitters" and "doggie-sitters" this weekend for Colin's parents while they were out of town. We also got to spend time with family {and friends} and had a really restoring weekend in our marriage. It's so easy to excuse time with each other and chalk it up to my "job". The beginning of the year is always busy, but we really felt the disconnect starting to happen. This weekend was a time of rest, joy, and fun. We even had the freedom to visit our favorite restaurant, The Grove, which is also where Colin's parents hosted an incredible Rehearsal Dinner for us over a year ago {time flies}. We left completely full of an incredible 3-course meal and refreshed from the time with each other.

Excited to see all of my littles tomorrow and keep learning with them. They are so special to me!