Shrimp Scampi

My parents are the best. When I came to visit over Labor Day weekend, they sent me home with some beautiful jumbo shrimp that they had picked up on the gulf. I had only ever cooked with frozen, shelled, deveined shrimp so it was fun and slightly horrifying to remove the shells (and legs! omg the legs) and veins myself. 

However, I have to say- it was totally worth it. Fresh shrimp are fantastic. And this perfect pasta dish is a great way to showcase shrimp. 

This simple recipe goes from prep to table in thirty minutes or less. It is super tasty and quite beautiful! This is a perfect weeknight meal to cram between volleyball practice and bible study (or between class and my night shift!). 

Serve alongside a pretty salad and garlic bread for a meal that it sure to satisfy everyone.

What You'll Need:

4 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
4 cloves Garlic Cloves, Minced Or Pressed
1 pound Large Shrimp, Peeled And Deveined
1/2 cup White Wine
2 whole Lemons
1 tsp Hot Sauce 
 Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
8 ounces, weight Angel Hair Pasta
 Chopped Fresh Basil To Taste
 Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

What To Do:

Boil water for pasta.

Heat olive oil and melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for two or three minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add shrimp, then stir and cook for a couple of minutes. Squeeze in lemon juice. Add wine, butter, salt and pepper, and hot sauce. Stir and reduce heat to low.

Throw angel hair pasta into the boiling water. Cook until just done/al dente. Drain, reserving a cup or two of the pasta water.

Remove skillet from heat. Add pasta and toss, adding a splash of pasta water if it needs to be thinned. Taste for seasonings, adding salt and pepper if needed.

Top with grated Parmesan and minced parsley and serve immediately.

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman 

Handmade Christmas Gift Idea #1: Ruffled Jersey Scarf

I found this idea on Pinterest and 

I'm sure if you're a pinner, you've seen it. 

Well over Thanksgiving, my mother, sister and I 

all made scarves and wore them in our family photos. 

They took maybe thirty minutes each to make, 

(but we were watching football so we were a little distracted) 

involved no sewing and turned out really cute!

You'll need:
1 XL T-shirt (or larger)
Good scissors
fabric glue (optional)

Begin by cutting large circles from the T shirt. 

We used a paper plate as a guide. 

Don't worry if you have rough edges 

or if your circles aren't perfect. 

It won't matter later!

From the outside, cut a spiral in the circle, 

maintaining about the same width as you go. 

Gently pull on the two ends of the spiral to stretch the fabric slightly 

(but be careful because I ripped one of mine by stretching it too hard)

It forms a long ruffle!

The end which was the center of the circle will be

 more tightly ruffled than the outside.

Depending on your T shirt, you should be able to cut 8-12 circles.

Secure them together by tying a strip of t shirt fabric around the center with a knot

Or secure with fabric glue

Wear with your favorite fall/winter outfit for a cutesy pop of color!

We got our T shirts at JoAnn's for $2.50 each.

You could also upcycle old T shirts that you don't wear anymore.

Even if they have print on them, use several to make a multicolored ruffle scarf.

I did just that to make a gameday scarf for next football season!

This is definitely going to be a gift for my three roommates this year.

And at $2.50 each?

It might be a gift for all my aunts and cousins as well!

Have you attempted T shirt scarves? How did yours turn out?