Hi all! Last night we had our second wedding to go to of the month. We had a lot of fun. No, I did not take a picture of the food but I do have a picture of the groom’s cake. How cool is this?
We followed up last night with a gorgeous day! Hubby had to spend the day working, but the boys and I went on a nice walk with our dog and Isaac’s new neighborhood friend. They spent a lot of time playing outside, jumping in the trampoline, and riding bikes. Seems we’re finally settling into our neighborhood, and it’s nice. I love to see him happy with his friends.
Have I mentioned that I’m obsessed with Instagram?
Anyways, while I was doing laundry and cleaning, I decided to try out a new recipe in the crockpot. I usually reserve the crockpot for work days, but this recipe called for it to cook for 3 hours on high. I didn’t want it sitting on warm all day once it was done.
It was SO good, I have to share!
Slow Cooker Shrimp and Artichoke Barley Risotto
Adapted from Cara’s Cravings
Ingredients:
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup onion, chopped
1 ½ Tablespoons minced garlic
14 oz canned artichoke hearts, drained
ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup pearl barley
12 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 oz grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
4 oz baby spinach
Bring chicken broth to a boil then set aside.
In a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, saute the onions until tender. Then add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Transfer to the slow cooker and add the artichoke hearts, black pepper, and barley. Stir in the chicken broth. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, or until barley is tender and liquid is almost all absorbed.
About 15 minutes before serving, stir in the shrimp and grated cheese. Cover and continue to cook on high for another 10 minutes, or until shrimp are opaque. Add the lemon zest, and fold in the baby spinach, stirring until wilted.
Serve immediately.
This one left hubby saying, “Oh my god, I’m shoveling this into my mouth!!” This coming from a man not fond of artichokes.
Here’s a look at our remaining dinner plans through Thursday:
- Monday: Ranch Parmesan Chicken, mashed potatoes, strawberry and almond salad
- Tuesday: Crockpot Red Beans with rice, stir fry zucchini
- Wednesday: Leftovers
- Thursday: Tilapia Fish Tacos
Thanks for reading!
What’s the coolest groom’s cake you’ve seen?

















































