i'm baaaaack

so there's a baby in my belly hence my falling off the face of the earth for the last few months. pregnancy hasn't been very polite to me- eating and cooking just weren't on the agenda. well, i'm over the hump and expecting another baby girl in march. here's to getting back in the saddle again. my truck-driver appetite craves pretty much everything that's bad for you so strap on your seat belts (or elastic pants?).
i bring you kung pao shrimp! friends, this has a kick. red pepper flakes give it the heat so be sure to adjust the measurement based on your tolerance. i'm not a fishy eater, so i did the same rendition just substituting chicken. 

kung pao shrimp
1 lb peeled shrimp (i used 31-40 ct shrimp)
3 c brown rice
1/2 c cornstarch
3 tbl olive oil
6 tbl soy sauce
3 tbl sesame oil
3 tbl sugar
1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 c dry roasted peanuts

1. cook rice according to the package.
2. whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, red pepper flakes and ginger. toss shrimp in cornstarch.
3. heat olive oil in saute pan until pan is hot. add shrimp cooking on medium heat for 3-4 minutes on  each side until cooked thru. 
4. pour sauce and peanuts over shrimp. simmer for 5 minutes allowing sauce to thicken. stir allowing sauce to coat both shrimp and peanuts. serve on brown rice.