Sunday Paper Recommends—Week of February 4, 2024

At The Sunday Paper, we're always discovering books, podcasts, films, and other works that move the needle and spark inspiring change. We hope these suggestions—plus this this one item we've been turning to lately—open your heart and mind and encourage you to come together for meaningful conversations.

What We’re Reading

From Maria Shriver's Open Field, It’s Not You is deeply compassionate and revelatory. Dr. Ramani Durvasula examines how narcissists hijack our wellbeing and offers a healing path forward. Drawing on more than 20 years of studying, teaching, and helping clients navigate the landscape of narcissism, Dr. Durvasula unpacks the oft-misunderstood personality, showing how to identify the telltale signs that you may be dealing with a narcissist and protect yourself from their toxic influence. In stores February 20th or pre-order your copy today!

What We’re Loving

When mother-daughter duo Maria and Christina were designing our Sunday Paper goods, they knew they wanted something wearable, chic, and warm in the mix. Meet: our perfect sweatshirt. Made out of the softest cotton and finished with words that mean everything to us at The Sunday Paper, this sweatshirt will keep you cozy all day long.

What We’re Listening to

Are you in need of a lift? Maybe a hug from afar? Or perhaps you need a jolt to give you some extra motivation this Sunday. Whatever you're seeking, these hits from Jon Bon Jovi will deliver. We hope you listen along with us, blast it with friends, and share!

What We’re Watching

Origin, the new feature film by Ava DuVernay, is stunning, ambitious, and critical. DuVernay wrote and directed Origin, based on journalist Isabel Wilkerson's bestselling book Caste: The Origina of Our Discontents. Wilkerson has written extensively about racism and divisiveness in the US, but she implores her readers to look deeper into how caste separates people and keeps them apart. DuVernay used her deep talents to honor these sentiments, resulting in one of the most influential films made. 

Our Sunday Dinner Recipe

Baked Stuffed Shrimp Casserole
MAKES 4 SERVINGS

·      1-pound large shrimp, peeled with tails left intact, and deveined

·      1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

·      Kosher salt

·      ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

·      1 pound lump crab meat

·      1 cup plain gluten-free cracker crumbs (such as Simple Mills)

·      2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced

·      1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

·      Zest and juice of 1 lemon

·      6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

We didn’t eat seafood all that much growing up—maybe because my father didn’t love it—but we always had baked stuffed shrimp on Christmas Eve, and that inspired this recipe. My mom made it with Ritz crackers and lots of butter, and my mouth waters just thinking about it . . . I’m sure the excitement of opening presents after dinner aided in the enjoyment, but we just loved it. I suggest making this for any evening that you want to serve something special. It can easily be doubled for a dinner party or larger crowd. It tastes like a bit of a celebration to me.

1.     Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2.     Butterfly the shrimp by cutting down the back of the spine most of the way through, but not all the way. Add them to a medium bowl with the olive oil, ½ teaspoon of salt, and the pepper. Toss and set aside. 

3.     In a large bowl, make your stuffing by combining the crab meat, cracker crumbs, garlic, parsley, lemon zest and juice, melted butter, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. 

4.     In a 2-quart or an 11 by 17-inch oven-safe baking dish, arrange the seasoned shrimp evenly, cut-side down, so the tails are facing up. 

5.     Spoon the stuffing over and around the shrimp evenly. 

6.     Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the shrimp is just cooked through and the top of the stuffing is golden brown. Serve with lemon wedges and a green salad.

From the book BIG BITES: Wholesome, Comforting Recipes That Are Big on Flavor, Nourishment, and Fun by Kat Ashmore. Copyright © 2024 by Kat Ashmore. Photo copyright © 2024 by Christine Han photography. Published by Rodale Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved.