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 

Shrimp Pasta with Tomatoes, Spinach and Feta

After scoring some yummy shrimp on sale at the grocery store, I've been experimenting with how best to integrate them into meals. This simple pasta is packed with flavor and only took about ten minutes to prepare, including preparing the pasta. It's perfect for a light summer dinner and definite proof that you don't need to douse your pasta in a heavy, fatty sauce! 

What You'll Need:

(serves 3-4)

1 lb pasta (I used thin spaghetti but angel hair pasta would be divine!)

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined 

1 large tomato, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups spinach

1/2 cup feta cheese 

juice of 1/2 lemon 

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper 

dash of crushed red pepper

What To Do:

Prepare pasta according to package. 

Meanwhile, heat saucepan to medium heat. Add olive oil, garlic, tomatoes and spinach. Cook for about two minutes, making sure the spinach is completely wilted. 

Add shrimp in one layer, cooking 1-2 minutes per side or until opaque and white. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper. Squeeze lemon over the shrimp and stir to combine all the flavors. 

Drain pasta, reserving 1/2-1 cup pasta water. Pour pasta directly into pan with shrimp and stir to combine. Drizzle in pasta water to coat the noodles as desired. Add feta cheese. Stir and serve!

original recipe

Honey Lime Tilapia

My freezer is always stocked with ground beef, boneless skinless chicken breasts and tilapia fillets- versatile basics that can inspire any number of dinners. When I saw this tilapia recipe, I knew that it would be perfect for a light, healthy dinner! The marinade soaks in a fantastic honey-lime flavor. The light breading gives the fish a delicious crispy coating (without frying!). And this entree could easily be served alongside whatever vegetables you have on hand. I served mine with roasted sweet potatoes, spicy brown rice and stuffed jalapenos. It would be lovely wish roasted Brussels Sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, kale, green beans, etc etc. 

I'll definitely be making this again! 

What You'll Need
4 tilapia fillets (about 4-5 ounces each)
2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 large lime)
Zest of 1 lime
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1-2 tablespoons olive oil

What To Do:

In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, honey, salt, pepper and garlic. Place the tilapia in a gallon-sized ziploc bag and pour the marinade on top of the fish. Press the air out of the bag and seal. Refrigerate the fish for at least an hour and up to 4 hours. It helps to lay the bag in a flat dish and turn it over once or twice during the marinading time since the marinade won't completely cover the fish.

Before cooking, whisk together the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish like a pie plate. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until rippling and hot. Dredge each tilapia fillet in the flour, coating both sides lightly. Cook the fillets for 3-5 minutes per side without moving the fish while it cooks on each side; this will ensure a more even browning. Adjust the cooking time as needed depending on the thickness of the tilapia and the heat of the skillet and work in batches if necessary so the skillet isn't overcrowded.

Serve hot with lime wedges and side dishes!

Recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe, adapted slightly from One Lovely Life

Spicy Tuna Sliders with Avocado Cream Sauce

Dreaming of spring? Celebrate with fresh flavors. These sliders are perfect for March Madness watching or new baby celebrating or a normal dinner at home. Plus they're super affordable and a creative way to use canned tuna when fresh fish may be expensive/difficult to get! The avocado sauce balances the strong flavor of tuna and the kick from the cayenne, resulting in a full flavor experience for your taste buds. 

What You'll Need:
(makes 8 sliders)
for sliders:
8 savory butter King's Hawaiian rolls
2 cans chunk light tuna in water, drained and flaked
2/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
1 egg
1 tbsp olive oil (more as needed)
for sauce:
1 avocado, peeled 
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup sour cream 
2 tbsp milk 
salt and pepper to taste

What To Do:
Combine sauce ingredients in a bowl and mash together with a fork or blend with an immersion blender. Adjust consistency by adding more milk to thin out or more avocado to thicken as desired. 

In a bowl, combine tuna, bread crumbs, cayenne, salt, pepper and egg, mixing until completely incorporated and mixture holds together. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Form tuna mixture into 8 small patties. Cook patties over medium heat for 1-2 minutes per side or until browned and warmed through. 

Slice Hawaiian rolls with a bread knife and toast. Fill your rolls with tuna patties and avocado sauce! 

Adapted from Dine and Dish

Baked Coconut Tilapia with Strawberry Avocado Salsa

So, Shawnda posted this recipe and I was greatly intrigued by this strawberry-avocado marriage. After all, those are two of my very favorite things and two sure signs of warm weather and happy days. 

But (and hopefully this will change at some point), I'm not a huge fan of salmon. Then I remembered that I had this recipe bookmarked from Jessica. I ended up adjusting that a little as well and the end result was light, summery, and delicious- a blend of sweet, spicy and savory. 

What You'll Need:
for the salsa:
1/2 pint of strawberries, hulled and diced
1 large avocado, diced
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
Small handful of cilantro, chopped

Juice of 1/2 orange
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Pinch of salt
for the fish:

4 tilapia filets  
2 egg whites
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

What To Do:

Combine all of the salsa ingredients in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate. 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small small, beat egg whites with a hand mixer until soft peaks form. Place cornstarch and coconut on two separate plates. 

Dip the fish lightly in the cornstarch, then the egg whites, then finally in the coconut coating, being sure to coat them well. Place coated fish on cookie sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes or until coconut is golden brown. Flip over halfway through to ensure even browning.

Serve hot, covered in salsa! 

Baked Coconut Shrimp with Sweet and Spicy Dipping Sauce

So I have a confession.

I don't like coconut. 

There I said it.

The texture is all weird. 

This is the ONLY way I'll eat it!

These shrimp are so tasty! Plus it's a cinch to throw together.

And by baking them, it's pretty dang healthy too!

I served mine with rice pilaf and baked broccoli for a tasty, 

well balanced and scrumptious meal.

Also, the dipping sauce is pretty forgiving 

The original recipe called for pineapple preserves and lime juice

I already had apricot preserves in the fridge, and a lemon cut open from making the broccoli so I subbed those ingredients in. It was a perfect pairing!

What You'll Need:

1 tbsp lime juice

2 tsp finely chopped fresh jalapeno pepper

1/2 cup pineapple preserves

1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 egg whites

2 tbsp cornstarch

2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

What To Do:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a small small, beat egg whites with a hand mixer until soft peaks form. Place cornstarch and coconut on two separate plates. 

Dip shrimp in the cornstarch, then the egg whites, then finally in the coconut coating, being sure to coat them well. Place shrimp on cookie sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes or until coconut is golden brown. Flip the shrimp over halfway through to ensure even browning.

While cooking, combine lime juice, jalapeno and pineapple preserves in a small bowl and mix well. Cover and refriegerate until ready to serve. 

Recipe from here