Category Archives: seafood

Shrimp Marinara

Posted on April 23, 2020 | Leave a comment

I made Marinara Sauce last week and had it in the freezer but if you don’t want to make your own try and get a hold of some Raos Marinara Sauce in a jar you’ll be just fine. Raos is my go-to jarred sauce when I need sauce and don’t have my own. Making your own is super easy but I know not everyone wants to do it. I have some recipes on my site for making your own. Look for Sunday Night Red Sauce ( Marinara) .

I made this for the 2 of us and this is what I did if you have more people just increase ingredients. No exact science here and you can make changes to suit your own preferences.

I used Bucatini type spaghetti because we like the ropy texture but you can use any spaghetti you like or no pasta or use zucchini zoodles.

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 lb. Shrimp — I used app. 12 large shrimp for the two of us –peeled and de-veined

4 Whole garlic cloves, peeled and minced

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Marinara Sauce — I made my own but probably 1/2 a jar or more depending on how much sauce you like

Spaghetti –any type you like for the two of us I used 1/2 a box but if you make the whole box it’s great leftovers the next day

*Basil is really nice served chopped up in this but I didn’t have any

*crushed red pepper is a must for us but also totally optional

Directions:

I pat the shrimp dry after cleaning and de-veining it and place in a bowl and sprinkle salt and pepper and mix around with the shrimp — or lay out the shrimp on some paper towels and sprinkle S and P , just make sure you get salt and pepper all around the shrimp– I like a bowl but it really doesn’t matter.

Heat 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and cook till golden not burnt if heat is too high turn it down the garlic cooks very quickly so sometimes I will put in hot oil and remove from heat till garlic turns golden and softens.

I then add the shrimp into the hot oil and cook the shrimp but not all the way through– maybe 2 minutes on each side you’ll want the to start curling and turn pink around the edges. When shrimp is cooked set aside shrimp in a dish– If you’re making double the amount of shrimp don’t crowd the shrimp in the pan you want them to sear not steam

Prepare the Pasta according to the box directions– I prefer it al dente.

After you remove shrimp pour the marinara sauce into the pan and bring to a low simmer stirring up any small bit from the shrimp. I added crushed red pepper because we like it spicy this is totally optional.

When pasta is ready I put shrimp into the simmering marinara sauce and probably cook for app. 4 minutes depending on the size of your shrimp. Obviously if you’re using small shrimp this will cook faster you’ll have to watch it.

I plated up the pasta added sauce and shrimp and served immediately

 

 

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Salmon with a Mustard Glaze

Posted on April 21, 2020 | 3 comments

Here is another delicious Salmon recipe and so super easy. This is a light easy to make dinner perfect Spring Time Meal.  I made this for dinner last night and it was ready in no time and tasted truly delicious.It is light and easy, it doesn’t get much easier than this. The whole recipe took less than 1/2 hour to prep and cook! Depending on how thick your salmon is it could take no more than 10 minutes to fully cook right in the oven. Very few ingredients and a perfect dinner casual enough for just you and your family and can be bumped up to serve to guests. This is a winner.  Almost any side dish will do alongside this.

Roasted Brussels on another night were also perfect.

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Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 heaping Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice (app. 1 average size lemon)

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper ( about 1/4 tsp. of each)

4 pieces Salmon fillets ( app. 6 oz. each) with skin on

*sprinkle a little fresh thyme if you’d like!!!

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray to facilitate removal of fish not to mention clean-up.

In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, mustard, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon each kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. I used a mini whisk and it came together beautifully.

Place Salmon, skin side down in a baking dish , and spoon mustard glaze over each piece of fish. Bake until salmon is just cooked through and no longer red, 6 – 10 minutes depending on the thickness of your fillet. I added a sprinkle of some fresh thyme right before I cooked and it added some more delicious flavor, this is totally optional.

Voila! done and enjoy. I served this time with a delicious lentil side dish.

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Posted in Fish, Healthy Cooking with Candi, seafood

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Sheet Pan Salmon with Brussels and Butternut Squash

Posted on March 11, 2020 | 1 comment

In these crazy times with all the bad news coming our way with the Coronavirus occupying our every waking moment it’s good to know that a home cooked meal can still bring you a moment of peace in another wise chaotic time.

I am not saying that I won’t eat out just yet but cooking and eating at home is in my control and that gives me a sense of contentment.

This is a wonderful weeknight or any night meal. A very light Asian flavor with soy and sweetness with honey paired with brussels and creamy butternut squash. Sweet and Savory. I think this meal is pretty healthy and brimming with healthy vitamins and heart-healthy omega -3 fats. Fairly easy to make with easy to get ingredients.

Enjoy! and follow me on Instagram @cookingwithcandi

 

Ingredients:

app. 1-1 1/4 lb. Salmon — I used a center cut piece or you can use skin on Salmon Fillets — your choice

cooking spray of your choice

1 1/2 Tablespoon lower sodium soy sauce or Tamari

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil –divided ( see instructions)

1 Tablespoon Honey

1 Tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice — 1 lime should do

2 cloves garlic–minced and divided ( see instructions)

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

2 1/2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed

12 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 Tablespoon sliced green onion for garnish –(scallion)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a large rimmed sheet pan ( app. 13 x 18 ) with cooking spray

Combine soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, honey, lime juice, 1 minced clove of garlic, and ginger in a large bowl. Use a whisk and whisk all ingredients together and then set salmon piece or pieces in the bowl to marinate–set aside

In another bowl, combine 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil, remaining clove of minced garlic, butternut squash, brussels sprouts, salt , pepper and paprika. Toss to coat. Spread out vegetables on pre-sprayed baking sheet, avoid over-crowding. Bake at 400 degrees for app. 20 minutes. Remove from oven and stir vegetables and push to edges of pan to make a space in the center of pan for Salmon.

Place marinated Salmon in the open center space of pan. Pour any leftover marinade over the salmon. Bake at 400 degrees for at least 15 minutes and check salmon doneness — I cooked for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top Salmon with the green onion. I served with Basmati Rice and Brussels and Butternut.

Keep Calm and Keep Cooking

 

 

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Salmon Glazed with Brown Sugar and Dijon Mustard

Posted on February 27, 2020 | 2 comments

Simple ingredients and Delicious Results I have been making this salmon recipe forever — Joel loves it and so do I. 4 easily obtainable ingredients and you have a delicious meal . Salmon, brown sugar, dijon mustard and Salt and Pepper. Give it a try over rice or potatoes and whatever green vegetables your family eats . Enjoy!

Ththis is how I made it the next time with roasted string beans and rice pilaf

Ingredients:

I used 2 Salmon Fillets for the 2 of us– app. 8 oz. each I like Farmed Organically or Wild and the next time I made it I asked for a mid cut piece of Salmon app. 1 to 1 1/2 lb. all about the same thickness and only 1 piece — whatever works best for you

Dijon Mustard

Brown Sugar

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees

Make a mixture of Dijon Mustard and brown sugar, start with small amounts and increase how much mustard to brown sugar you like.

Salt and Pepper the salmon fillets

I spray a baking sheet with cooking spray, place the fillets skin side down. Slather the tops of the fillets with the glaze and put them in the top half of the oven.

Roast for about 12-15 minutes depending on your oven and how much you like salmon to cook.

I served alongside Rice and Roasted Brussels Sprouts. And roasted string beans and roasted cauliflower.

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Salmon Baked in Foil

Posted on January 30, 2020 | 1 comment

Easy baked salmon on a baking sheet with aluminum foil with garlic, lemon and fresh rosemary. A delicious simple and healthy recipe. Turns out perfectly every time.

You’ll need a large rimmed baking sheet and aluminum foil

I served alongside long grain wild rice and roasted cauliflower.

Ingredients:

2 pound side of Salmon–boneless– I like the skin on and whatever kind of salmon you like

5 sprigs of fresh Rosemary

2 Lemons–1 for slicing and 1 for juicing

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

4 cloves garlic–peeled and chopped

Directions:

Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature while you prep the other ingredients.

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with a large piece of aluminum foil.

Lightly coat the aluminum foil with baking spray, then arrange 2 sprigs of Rosemary down the middle. Cut one of the lemons into thin slices and place 1/2 the slices down the middle with the rosemary. Place the Salmon on top.

Drizzle the Salmon with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Rub to coat, then add the chopped garlic cloves on top. Place the remaining 3 sprigs of Rosemary and lemon slices on top of the salmon. Juice the second lemon and pour the juice over the top.

Fold up the sides of the aluminum foil and place another sheet on top and crimp the two together making a sealed packet . Make sure to leave a little breathing room in there for air to circulate. Don’t make packet too tight.

Bake the salmon for at least 20 minutes and check it . I actually cooked my piece for 30 minutes. You’ll want the thickest piece to be cooked through. Check every 5 minutes after the initial 20 — you’ll want to ensure your salmon does not overcook. If your piece is very thick it may need longer . Depending on thickness and your oven .

*if you’d like you can change the oven setting to broil and open the foil so that fish is completely uncovered and return fish to oven and broil for about 3 minutes until the top of the salmon and garlic are slightly golden and the fish is fully cooked. It’s up to you — I didn’t this time but it’s a good option to finish cooking the fish but be careful you don’t burn the garlic.

 

Enjoy!

 

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Clams and Spaghetti–White Sauce

Posted on December 29, 2019 | 1 comment

I made this recipe for the first time back in 2014 and highly recommend it for a quick and delicious meal.IMG_6286IMG_6287 (2)IMG_6283 (2)It is super easy and not intimidating at all. I got the recipe from Jessica’s Seinfeld’s book The Can’t Cookbook

http://www.doitdelicious.com this is Jessica Seinfeld’s site or you can just buy the book “The Can’t Cookbook”.

Ingredients:

2 dozen littleneck clams

3 cloves garlic

app. 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon blanc. I actually used what I had open which was a Pinot Grigio

1 box spaghetti, you can use any kind of spaghetti you like. I actually had bucatini style in the house so that’s what I used

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

*if you’d like a little heat and you should know your audience because mine didn’t so I put on table for those who wanted to add heat. If you are adding add app. 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

Kosher Salt , to taste. I have to say I added almost no extra salt at all.

You’ll need a large deep pot to cook clams in. I used my Le Creuset Pot.

Directions:

I placed my clams in a colander and I put the colander in a larger bowl in the sink and I filled the bowl with cold water. I let the clams soak for a few minutes, then rubbed with my fingers to dislodge any dirt; then drained the clams. Throw away any clams that remain open or were smashed. ( my clams were pretty clean) I purchased them clean from Whole Foods. Any Fish Store will clean them for you, but always run them through this process to remove any residual sand, etc.

Smash the garlic and chop it . Chop the Parsley. Measure the Wine. Place all your ingredients near to the stove.

Cook Pasta according to directions on box.

Place a large pot on the stove and turn the heat to medium. Pour in 2 Tbsp. of Olive Oil until it heats up and shimmers ( a few minutes) Add chopped garlic to the pot, and cook , stirring , for at least a minute, until you can actually smell the garlic breaking down. Don’t Burn!!!! Now add the wine and the clams and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and you’ll want a fairly high flame, probably medium-high . Cook clams until they open, I probably cooked for about 10 – 12 minutes. Looked so beautiful! Add the parsley and the red pepper now if you’re using. Throw away any unopened clams, they are no good.

Once pasta is al dente and drained I transferred to a large serving bowl and added 1 Tbsp. of Olive Oil to pasta, top with clams. Sprinkle if you’d like a tiny bit of coarse salt now if you feel it needs it. I did not need to add any additional salt or pepper. Adjust to your taste.

Amazing!!!! and did I mention Super Easy!!!!!

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Lime Shrimp with Corn and Avocado

Posted on August 17, 2019 | 4 comments

IMG_8249 (2) IMG_8233 IMG_8228 (2)All I can say is Wow!!!!  I cooked about a lb.of beautiful shrimp and I wanted to use it in a delicious light salad incorporating some fresh corn and avocados. This salad has some of most favorite ingredients in it.  I used fresh corn, fresh tomatoes, jalapeno, red onion, and shrimp! Limes are the secret ingredient here because they add all the flavor to this super light dressing.  This has got to be one of the healthiest most delicious salads.  Totally not fattening but filling because of the shrimp , corn and avocados. If you’re into these ingredients this is a must go to for summer entertaining. Light and Fresh , low in calories and so so easy to make.

If you like cilantro I would chop some up and add it, but a lot of people hate it so much I chose to not add. I removed all the seeds from the jalapeno and probably used 3/4 of a large one. One small seeded jalapeno is perfect and not hot at all. Be careful handling the peppers and the seeds,  I’ve taken to wearing surgical gloves to cut up the peppers.

This is a perfect summer salad, just don’t add avocados till you’re ready to serve,  everything else can be assembled ahead of time. I put together in the morning of the day I was serving and then added my avocados right before I served. This is what I did.

 

Ingredients:

1 lb. cooked shrimp (after cooking it should be 1 lb.) I then cut it up into smaller pieces. I probably cut each shrimp into 4 pieces. Remember I used under 10’s. So that’s 10 shrimp to a pound. You want the shrimp pieces to be bite size but not too small.

1/4 cup chopped red onion

3 cobs of fresh cooked corn ( just put cobs in boiling salted water, bring to a second boil and remove and plunge into an ice bath) let corn cool and remove kernels from cobs.

2 limes-juiced , I use my juicer to juice because it’s tough with limes and you need as much lime juice as possible from 2 limes. I squeezed a third lime over at the end, but it’s probably not necessary. The citrus helps keep avocado from turning brown as well.

1 Teaspoon Olive Oil

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

a few grinds on the pepper mill–to taste

I put in about 1/2 pint of small grape tomatoes, but you can eyeball if using larger tomatoes, I didn’t want tomatoes to over power the other outstanding flavors –if you prefer you can cut tomatoes in 1/2. I sometimes do this if I am not using the small grape tomatoes.

2 avocados–sliced and cut into cubes

1 small-medium jalapeno–seeded and minced

*a handful of chopped fresh cilantro if you love it

Directions:

  • We Cook shrimp- peel and de-vein or buy it cleaned and de-veined whichever works best for you. I like cooking my own shrimp but you can certainly use a “cooked shrimp” readily available in most markets. I cut shrimp up into bite size pieces but not too small.

Cook corn and allow to cool down. When corn is cooled completely down I cut kernels off.

In a separate small bowl, place chopped red onion, lime juice, olive oil and salt and a little black pepper. Whisk together .

I placed Shrimp, Corn, Jalapeno and Tomatoes into a large bowl. About an hour prior to serving I poured the lime juice combination over the bowl of Shrimp.

Mix well and allow to sit and marinade. You’ll want to mix a few times before adding avocados to circulate the marinade.

Taste for Salt and Pepper but it should be good.

I added the 2 Avocados right before serving and squeezed a little more lime over it, probably not necessary but I did. If you’re adding the cilantro go ahead and add it now.

That’s it–perfect summer salad.

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Lobster Cobb Salad and Honey Lime Vinaigrette

Posted on May 10, 2019 | 1 comment

This is a delicious, tart salad dressing.  The flavors are perfect together it’s the perfect combination of tart and sweet. I served this lobster salad with baby greens, beets, lobster, corn, chopped eggs, tomatoes,  bacon (on the side) and, of course, avocado.  I bought the lobster (already cooked) You can purchase at your local fish store and specialty stores.  I cooked and  cut up beets, made some hard-boiled eggs and cut up tomatoes along with other ingredients.  I will put all the other ingredients in little bowls and let everyone choose what they like . I set up a make your own salad bar. So those who are vegetarian pick their ingredients and everyone is happy.

This is a wonderful addition to any brunch/lunch– Mother’s Day or Father’s Day and a wonderful cold entree salad as well for dinner.

Happy Mother’s Day from my kitchen to yours.

Follow me on Instagram @cookingwithcandi

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (1 small lime)

1/2 cup olive oil

kosher salt (approx. 1/4 teaspoon, maybe a bit more)

freshly ground black pepper

*you may want to double .  This will make approx. 1/2 cup salad dressing

Directions:

Whisk the vinegar, honey and lime juice together in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the Salad:

You can feel free to add and subtract ingredients:

I use any type of greens –usually Romaine and a dark green mixture of greens

I used corn, beets, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, avocados, and bacon. Sometimes I use shredded cheese or blue cheese (even though I really don’t like blue cheese at all) and black or green olives cut up are delicious in here as well. And feel free to substitute chicken for the lobster and add and subtract whatever you’d like.

When I serve for brunch I put all the ingredients in separate little bowls and let everyone choose their favorite ingredients. Dressing on the side–of course.

I made it like this just for us for dinner without all the sides. this was the only picture I had since I forgot to photograph it when I made it the last time. For just 2 or 4 people you can do it like this in a large bowl.

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Springtime in a Bowl – Shrimp, Asparagus and Tomato Pasta

Posted on March 20, 2019 | 2 comments

It is finally Spring! Spring has sprung and all that. Since it is really Spring it just makes you want to lighten up the menu a bit and my mind immediately goes to asparagus!  This recipe is a variation on my Summertime Tomato Pasta. I wanted to use some of those beautiful asparagus out there. Even though I knew Joel would pick them out , I still made this dish. The asparagus are large enough for him to easily pick out and put on my plate. This dish is light and delicious and pretty quick to prepare. It is like springtime in a bowl!  There are so very many things to do with asparagus but this just appealed to me tonite and if you leave the shrimp out you have a lovely vegetarian pasta dish and if you leave the pasta out you have a super light dish!  I used the shrimp.  I also used linguine in this recipe because it just seems to hold on to the flavors nicely. Happy Spring and Enjoy. This recipe was inspired by Giada de Laurentis .

Ingredients:

1 lb. box linguine ( I used Fini Linguine , it was lighter than regular linguine and was just perfect)

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 containers of little grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or any small tomato ( app. 20 oz. of tomatoes)  I cut tomatoes in 1/2.

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

* crushed red pepper ( we like the heat) use your own discretion depending on how you like it, totally optional

3 large cloves of garlic, chopped finely

1/2 cup dry white wine ( I use whatever I have open)

1 lb. Asparagus , trimmed, stalks cut on a diagonal into app. 1 1/2 inch pieces

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

fresh basil chopped ( app. 1/2 cup)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions:

Cook the pasta according to box directions.( Fini Linguine cooks in 6 minutes perfectly)

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the tomatoes, app.  1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and app. 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are soft , it takes about 5 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper and garlic. Cook for another few minutes ( don’t burn the garlic)keep on low heat and stir around. Add the wine and the asparagus. Bring to a low boil and simmer for at least 5 minutes . Taste for Salt and Pepper, if it needs more this is when I would add it, and I did. I added a bit more salt here, pepper was fine. You need to use your own discretion about the salt .

Sprinkle shrimp in a bowl with a little salt and pepper. Add the shrimp to the pan and continue to simmer until the shrimp is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Shrimp needs to be firm to the touch, and opaque if cut into. Stir in the chopped basil and the oregano.

Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss well to combine.  You can always add more crushed red pepper when finished.

This was really delicious and light. Joel of course picked out every piece of asparagus, and put them in my bowl. That was fine with me because I love asparagus.

*this dish will easily serve 4, if you like you can always add another 1/2 lb. of shrimp for 4 people.

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Maple Dijon Salmon

Posted on December 5, 2018 | Leave a comment

photo 2 (3)photo 1This is a very easy and light salmon recipe that is perfect for dinner. I used 2 tablespoons of light mayonnaise but feel free to omit it.   I would cook for a very short time next time and check the doneness of the salmon frequently. It really only needed 8 mins. to roast , and about 3 minutes with sauce on it under the broiler. You can always brush a little more sauce after it is cooked. You’ll just want salmon to be cooked through perfectly–not over and definitely not undercooked. I used a silicone brush to put sauce on salmon and was left with a lot of sauce so I served on the side. Don’t be afraid of the mayonnaise because you really only use such a small amount on the fish itself. The lemon and garlic give it another layer of flavor in addition to the mustard/maple flavor. This is so easy and try the White Beans and Spinach to serve with it.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 pound wild salmon, cut into 4 pieces , I leave the skin on but if you’d like you can remove it. I cooked with skin on but skin stuck to the parchment paper anyway.

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard or Dijon mustard, I used Dijon tonite

2 tablespoons Mayonnaise ( you can definitely use Light Mayo) I did

2 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup (nothing beats the  flavor of a real maple syrup) It’s worth it

1 clove garlic, minced

juice of 1/2 lemon

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place salmon pieces on a sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Rinse and pat dry the salmon fillets. Season fish with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; be liberal with salt. Put in oven for 8-10 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine mustard, mayonnaise,  maple syrup, garlic and lemon juice. Whisk or stir very well to get rid of lumps of mayonnaise. After the first 8-10 minutes of cooking, brush salmon with mixture and return to the oven for approx.3 – 5 minutes under the broiler or until salmon is just cooked through (which will also depend on the thickness of your salmon pieces.)  I let salmon sit for about 5 minutes before serving. It will continue to cook for a few minutes after it is removed from oven.

Cooking times will vary depending on size of fillets and your oven. In my oven it was 8 minutes to roast and 3 minutes under the broiler. You can play around with these times depending on your needs. Total cooking time was only 11 minutes! I served with a side of delicious white beans and spinach , and for Joel some roasted butternut squash . Rice is always perfect with fish.

*recipe for White Beans and Spinach in a Pan on cookingwithcandi.com

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