Skillet Shrimp, Rice Pilaf and Asparagus.

Hey there, beautiful people! last post (which I deleted, btw) was a little depressing and i am sometimes a drama queen so here's to a new and happier post :)  i love finding new recipes to cook. my sister and i like to cook together (sometimes we'll cook two different meals at once). so when we discover something different, it's always a breath of fresh air. i found this recipe on pinterest, of course. ;) i modified it a bit & you'l notice that if you click the recipe link. i'm sure the other one is good, but i think mine is better, but i'm biased to my cooking anyway. so here's what you need to start:

Ingredients:

-1 box of rice pilaf
-2 medium cloves garlic, minced 
-1/4 tsp chili powder
-1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and roughly chopped into 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
-salt and pepper (use as much needed)
-1.5 lbs peeled shrimp*
-1/2 cup fresh basil chopped (optional)
-4 tbsp of fresh lemon juice (2 lemons)
-1 tbsp virgin olive oil (use as much needed)
-1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

-1/2 tbsp butter

*i season my shrimp and set them aside. as far seasoning goes, you can season with whatever you'd like. i use old bay seasoning, salt, pepper and seafood blackening season.

 in a boiling pot of water, add rice pilaf and cook for about 20 minutes or until done. (follow directions on box) remove from pot & toss with olive oil and set aside.

wash asparagus. chop into 2 inch pieces. this will be about 2 cups. season with salt and pepper (you can season them here or after you've placed them in the skillet).

in a skillet, on medium heat, add olive oil. once it starts to simmer, add chili powder and garlic and let it cook no longer than a minute while stirring frequently.

add the asparagus to the skillet (i added extra olive oil because it was cooking out quickly). cook the asparagus until they are tender, yet crisp (this takes about 4 minutes). 

Move asparagus to the side & add shrimp. (add butter at this step if you'd like) cook shrimp until they turn pink. 

once shrimp are cooked, add the pilaf, most of the basil, lemon juice and feta. toss to combine. add salt and pepper if needed. serve and add the remaining basil to top it off.

bon appetit! if you happen to try this recipe, i hope you enjoy it. i definitely did!