Grilled Shrimp with Almonds (p. 393) and Cauliflower with a Veil of Grated Cheese (p. 307)

Matt was out of town tonight, and he doesn't always love shrimp so it was my chance to try out this shrimp recipe for two of my lady friends.

Sauté almonds in olive oil until golden brown and then transfer them to the bowl of a food processor.

Add in garlic, sauteed in the same oil, as well as parsley, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Process these together and slowly add chopped tomatoes that have been peeled and seeded. Don't over process the mixture -- it should still hold some of the texture from the almonds.

Pour the sauce into a bowl and stir in lemon juice and red wine vinegar as well as some olive oil. The sauce is now ready to go!

The actual shrimp has a super simple preparation -- just toss it in some olive oil and then sauté for a couple of minutes per side until it is cooked through. (Really the recipe calls for them to be grilled, but I figured it would be easier to just cook them on the stove top.)

Serve with the sauce.

The sauce was a little sweet for me, so next time I might doctor it up with a few more spices, but overall it was lovely. I just like shrimp, really.

For tonight's veggie I chose another one I thought the husband wouldn't enjoy; cauliflower. It's not really a favorite of mine either, but how can you turn down something that is covered with a "veil of grated cheese?" I can't.

Break the cauliflower into small florets. Bring chicken stock to a boil and add in the florets; cover with a lid and steam for about 10 minutes.

Once the cauliflower is tender, remove the pieces from the stock, placing them in an oiled gratin dish.

Boil down the remaining stock for about 10 minutes and pour it, as well as some olive oil, over the top of the cauliflower. Top with grated choose (I used parmesan, but any aged hard cheese would work) and place the dish into a pre-heated oven. Cook until the cheese has melted and slightly browned and serve immediately.

I surprised myself by enjoying the cauliflower. Maybe anything that has a veil of cheese is automatically delicious? Probably.

lemon -- $.89

tomato -- $.83

shrimp -- $10.91

Total Cost of Grilled Shrimp with Almonds: $12.63

cauliflower -- $2.50

Total Cost of Cauliflower with a Veil of Grated Cheese: $2.50