Garlic shrimp wild rice

I am forever a changed woman. I will now follow the golden rule of cooking with shrimp, 'though shalt never use pre-cooked shrimp in a recipe'.  Bet you didn't know that rule existed, huh?  I've read it a few places, so I'm taking it as truth...especially after my most recent experience with it.

I am all about cutting corners, so purchasing the pre-cooked, pink, ready to eat shrimp is standard.  You don't have to peel the whole skin off (just the tail) and you def don't have to mess with that little poop trail thing down the middle. Sick. I don't know what shrimpies eat in real life, but it can't be good even before it's processed in their digestive tract, so I surely don't want to eat it afterwards. But that's just my opinion...

I accidentally grabbed an uncooked, grey, poop-riddled bag of shrimpies last time I was at the store....and my world is changed. It's not like the pre-cooked ones taste any different, but the texture difference is phenomenal! I sort of threw this meal together with things I had laying around, and it ended up being pretty good if I'm allowed to horn toot on a Wednesday morning....ahem...toot, toot!

2 cups sugar snap peas

1 lb uncooked shrimp, cleaned and deveined

1 cup cherry/grape tomatoes

4 T turkey bacon bits

1 container savory garlic cooking creme

2 bags Uncle Ben's long grain and wild Ready Rice (we've talked about this before, I buy all these types of the Ready Rice and just love having it on hand....)

cracked black pepper to taste

Add your shrimp, bacon bits, and veggies to the greased skillet and stir continuously so as not to overcook the shrimp...

Saute for a bit before adding the cooking creme to the skillet. You could add some chicken broth or some skim milk if you want the sauce to be a little thinner....I like it thick, so I left it be :)

While cooking the main skillet, throw your rice bags in the microwave for 2 minutes and then add them to the skillet with the rest of your yumminess. This is why I like the microwave rice....not giving up taste but saving yourself 25 minutes cooking rice on the stovetop.....BONUS!!

Look at those shrimp in the photo below (I wish my photography skills were better to illustrate this point, but you'll live, I guess) and tell me if you can tell a visual difference.  They tend to be springier, and almost explode into little flowers from their previous grey slimy look. They take on the flavor of the dish so easily, such a beautiful shape and texture....I'm a full fledged addict now. Bought myself 2 bags of uncooked shrimp for some more seafood adventures soon....

This recipe served 4 peeps, including 2 hungry Stensland boys who spoke of how good it was between shovel fulls into their gullets...so the lesson for today is: buy these cooking cremes and these instant rice packages, and you have an easy weeknight dinner to throw together in minutes with whatever you find in your fridge.  Granted, it's not homemade gourmet, but we can't be all Betty Crocker every night of the week. Chicken would've worked great in this, mushrooms would have been divine, a little diced bell pepper would've added something, fresh green beans would've been a good sub for the snap peas, some onions would be welcome, and if you had to go meatless, you would've still been satisfied! Class dismissed.