If you are serving an entrée that is not too heavy, start your simple celebration with this delicious, fresh-tasting shrimp salad.  Serve with our one-ingredient parmesan crisps and enjoy!

We pride ourselves at The Simple Celebration by posting simple, tasty recipes and this may be our simplest yet!  Just one ingredient, a few minutes in the pan, and a delicious, crispy side is ready.  These crisps are very versatile – serve them along with your main entrée instead of bread, add them to a cheese board, use them on top of soups, or serve them with your salad course.  However you choose to use these crisps, we guarantee they will become a staple on your simple celebration table!

P.S.  Using pre-shredded cheese will make this recipe even more simple

Seven simple ingredients go into the food processor and this appetizer is done!  A perfect make-ahead dip for your simple celebration. We served it with pita bread and rainbow carrots, but you could use whatever you have on hand – crackers, fresh veggies, breadsticks, etc.

This biscuit recipe only calls for one tablespoon of sugar, so let’s call them healthy!  They are an awesome pairing to any salad or main dish.  Freeze leftovers and have delicious, homemade biscuits on hand in an instant!

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Savory Buttermilk Biscuits

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 10

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 3 Tbsp cold butter cut in 1/4 inch pieces
• 1 cup+ 2 Tbsp buttermilk
• 2 Tbsp dill minced
• 2 Tbsp chives minced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• cooking spray we use olive oil spray

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425°
• Either spray a cooking sheet with cooking spray or line with non-stick aluminum foil.
• Place flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar in a food processor with a metal blade. Pulse for several seconds.
• Add butter in with flour mixture and pulse for 10 seconds. Do not over mix
• Put this mixture into a bowl and add the buttermilk, fresh herbs, and garlic. Stir with a fork until mixed and holds together.
• Drop 10 large spoonfuls of the batter on the baking sheet.
• Spray tops with cooking spray and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes until browned. Serve immediately.

We all love pasta but hesitate to serve it because we want to eat healthily.  This recipe uses fresh zucchini noodles (which are easily found already spiraled at the grocery store), fresh vegetables, pre-cooked shrimp, and herbs.  It is a perfect alternative to pasta and only uses one pan – easy cleanup!

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Healthy Zoodle and Shrimp Dinner

Course Main Course

Cuisine Seafood

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil divided
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 cup onions chopped
• 2 cups multi-colored cherry tomatoes halved
• 2 cups asparagus and/or broccoli sliced into 2-inch pieces
• 1 lb cooked shrimp tails removed
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt divided
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper divided
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 24 oz zucchini spirals
• 16 oz fresh burrata or mozzarella
• 1/3 cup parmesan freshly grated
• 1/3 cup fresh basil sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh oregano

Instructions

• In a large non-stick frying pan, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add the garlic and onions and sauté over med-high heat for 1 minute.
• Add the fresh vegetables, shrimp, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 3 minutes. Place everything in a bowl and keep warm.
• Add final 1 Tbsp olive oil to the same pan. Add zucchini noodles, remaining 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook quickly - only about one minute.
• Add noodles to the bowl with the vegetables and shrimp. Stir to combine.
• Divide the noodles, vegetables and shrimp evenly among four pasta bowls. Top with cheeses and fresh herbs. Make sure to use all the sauce left in the pan - it's full of flavor.

Notes

Since this recipe is so full of vegetables, there is no need for a salad. Serve with our low-fat corn muffins.

WOW your guests at your next simple celebration with this refreshing dessert that has an elegant look with NO work!

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Lemon Ice and Champagne Dessert

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Equipment

• Clear stemmed bowls or martini glasses

Ingredients

• 3 cups Italian lemon ice
• 1/2 bottle Champagne
• 2 cups berries

Instructions

• Place 1/2 cup lemon ice in each serving bowl.
• Top with champagne and berries.

This is an easy, healthy meal that you will want to serve often.  It is choc-full of flavor and many steps can be done in advance.

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Poached Salmon

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Seafood

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 4 filets salmon about 5-6 oz each
• 2 carrots cut in 1 inch pieces
• 1-2 celery stalks cut in 1 inch pieces
• 1 small onion thinly sliced
• 1/2 lemon thinly sliced
• 6 cups water
• 3/4 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

• Put everything but the salmon and the salt in a large non-stick frying pan.
• Bring this to a boil, lower to simmer, cover and cook for about 8 minutes
• Season salmon with the salt and lower in the poaching liquid. If salmon isn't completely covered, add a little more water. Make sure your liquid is still just at a simmer. Simmer salmon for 7 minutes.
  
• If you are making this earlier in the day, flake and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble with the arugula salad.

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Poached Salmon Salad with Arugula

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine Seafood

Ingredients

• 1/2 small red onion thinly sliced
• 3 Tbsp capers drained
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 5 ounces arugula
• 4 eggs hard-boiled, cut into quarters
• 1 avocado thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes dried not in oil, sliced

Instructions

• Put red onion, capers, vinegar, olive oil and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Let sit for 15 minutes.
• Add poached, flaked salmon, and gently stir.
• On a plate, arrange arugula, eggs, avocado, and tomatoes. Top with salmon mixture.

These tasty bites will be a wonderful addition to your Simple Celebration table.  You can experiment with different fillings using the same method.

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Crab and Cream Cheese Wonton Appetizer

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Seafood

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 4 ounces lump crabmeat drained and diced
• 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp jalapeño pepper minced
• 2 Tbsp chives snipped
• 1 Tbsp dill chopped
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 24 wonton wrappers
• cooking spray
• Creamy Seafood Sauce* for dipping - see link below

Instructions

• Place a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in oven and preheat to 350°.
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
• Lay out each wonton wrapper on waxed paper.
• Scoop a heaping teaspoon of crab mixture into the center of each wonton.
• Moisten the wonton edges with water. Lift two opposite corners and pinch together. Repeat with other two corners to form a star.
• Transfer the wontons to the hot baking sheet and generously spray with cooking spray.
• Bake until golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes.

Notes

Click here for Creamy Seafood Sauce

A tasty and healthy way to use left-over chicken, beef, salmon, or shrimp.  Add whatever vegetables you have on hand to create your own unique dish.  Serve it with our favorite Nordstrom dressing – link provided below.

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Versatile Rice Bowls

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb cooked chicken, beef, salmon or shrimp
• 1 1/2 cups brown rice, cooked according to directions Jasmine Brown Rice gives a great nutty flavor
• 1 avocado, cubed
• 3/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Kosher and fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds Trader Joe's carries good spiced pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup Lime Cilantro Dressing or any dressing you prefer We like the Nordstrom dressing recipe*

Instructions

• Set Oven to 400°
• Spread sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil and salt & pepper
• Bake for about 40 minutes, until potatoes are cooked.
• Divide rice among the 4 bowls. Next divide remaining ingredients. Top with dressing and pumpkin seeds.

Notes

* Nordstrom's Dressing

This recipe calls for boiling the sweet potatoes, however, you can certainly use left-over, baked sweet potatoes – simply scoop out the flesh, combine, and microwave for a minute or two.  Start the recipe at step #2.  A big plus is these potato cakes can be put together a couple of days ahead of time, then cooked right before dinner.  Enjoy!

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Smashed Sweet Potato Cakes

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 10

Ingredients

• 4 large sweet potatoes peeled and cut into large cubes
• 3 Tbsp butter divided
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1/2 cup pecans toasted and chopped

Instructions

• Put peeled and cut potatoes into a pot of boiling, salted water. Boil and until soft - about 20 minutes. Drain.
• Add 2 Tbsp butter, milk, salt, pepper, and honey. Mash until well combined.
• Fold in pecans.
• Put ingredients into a bowl and refrigerate for about an hour.
• Form potatoes into small patties and keep refrigerated until ready to use (up to 2 days).
• Take out of refrigerator about an hour before cooking to come to room temperature.
• Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a saute pan and add patties.
• Cook patties 3-4 minutes per side.