I used to write about the surprises I often find in my garage freezer. I used to call it Lee’s Freezer Diary. The truth is that if I kept a diary, perhaps there wouldn’t be surprises, since the freezer often looked like Fibber McGee’s closet. (For those younger-than-me readers, it was a radio show in the 1950s and maybe in early television in the ‘60s. Fairly often, Fibber’s wife, Molly, would try to get something out of the closet and got nearly run down by the treasurers Fibber hoarded.)

When I moved from Old Lyme to a condo in Groton, I swore I wouldn’t go to all the food sales and buy way more than I’d need for the next two years.

I am better than I used to be, but a few times a year I still hoe it out. And the surprises are often real treasures: one-pound packages of shrimp, just a little icy, but ready to cook after two hours of thawing and drying the babies of excess water.

A couple of weeks ago I got my Real Simple magazine. The food recipes are pretty simple and really easy to make. This shrimp dish is a real keeper and, in two weeks, I have made it twice. You do know that most of the shrimp we get has already been frozen, so feel free to buy lots when it is on sale and keep it frozen until you use it.

Creamy Cauliflower Rice with Shrimp

From Real Simple, May, 2021, page 125

Yield: serves 4

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp, tails removed

¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1 medium leek (white and light green parts only), thinly sliced (2 cups)

¼ cup dry white wine

1 12-ounce package fresh riced cauliflower (4 cups)

½ cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

2 ounces fresh baby spinach (2 packed cups)

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

2 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely shredded (about ¾ cup) plus more for serving

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring often, until firm and pink, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add wine, cook, stirring constantly, until wine is fully absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cauliflower and broth; cook, stirring often, until broth is fully absorbed, about 3 minutes. Stir in spinach, cream and remaining ½ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring constantly, until spinach wilts, about 2 minutes. Add cheese; cook, stirring constantly, until melted, about 1 minute.

Remove heat and stir in cooked shrimp. Serve immediately with more cheese, if desired.

Lee White can be reached at leeawhite@aol.com.