Lemon Pasta with Roasted Shrimp

    My mom was in town for a few days so I decided to make dinner one night for everyone. What can I say other than that this is a new favorite. I've never thought of roasting shrimp before but this has to be the next best thing to heaven (besides cheeseburgers or chocolate). The shrimp was perfectly moist and the lemon pasta was so refreshing. Perfect summer meal...and so fast you can make it on a  weeknight! We served with a simple garden salad, a loaf of crusty bread, and a bottle of white.


Lemon Pasta with Roasted Shrimp
Adapted from Ina Garten

2 pounds (17 to 21 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound angel hair pasta
(1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Zest and juice of 2 lemons ( I used 1 1/2 lemons)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the shrimp on a sheet pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.Toss well, spread them in one layer and roast for 6 to 8 minutes, just until they're pink and cooked through.
Meanwhile, drizzle some olive oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add the angel hair and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Quickly toss the angel hair with the melted butter, 1/4 cup olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and about 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Add the shrimp and serve hot.

Mini Crab Cakes with Horseradish Mayo

My friend invited us over for a lovely Easter lunch and I decided to bring over a few nibbles for everyone to enjoy. These mini crabcakes are so easy to make and the best thing about them is...they are baked not fried! At first, I was a little hesitant about their appearance but decided that they were so yummy they deserved a post a boops scoops. These are perfect for a weekend brunch or a cocktail party.

Mini Crab Cakes
Courtesy of Noble Pig

Makes 24


8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
1 large egg
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
4 teaspoons plus 4 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives, divided
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Large pinch cayenne pepper
6 ounces fresh lump crabmeat, picked over, patted dry, coarsely shredded
1-1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter , melted
Fresh chives cut into pieces

Horseradish Mayo:

1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup horseradish
salt and pepper to taste
dash of hot sauce

Directions:

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan and egg; beat to blend. Beat in sour cream, citrus zest, 4 teaspoons chopped chives, coarse salt and cayenne pepper. Fold in crabmeat. (This can be made one day ahead. Cover and chill.)


Spray mini muffin pan with nonstick spray. Toss 1-1/2 cups panko, 3/4 cup Parmesan and 4 Tablespoons chopped chives in a bowl. Drizzle melted butter over, tossing with a fork until evenly moistened. Press 1 rounded Tablespoon panko mixture into bottom of each muffin cup (makes a well with your thumb), forming crust. Spoon 1 generous Tablespoon crab mixture into each cup. Sprinkle more panko mixture over each.

Bake crab cakes in a 350 degree oven until golden on top and set, about 20 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Gently lift each crab cake out of the pan with a fork onto a serving platter. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Arrange on baking sheet, let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in a 350 degree oven for 5-6 minutes.)

Lime Shrimp Tortillas

I love the combination of citrus and seafood...especially lime and shrimp. You may notice a trend. I wanted to make something light and quick last night after the gym, so I decided to make shrimp tortillas. I saw the recipe in my Southern Living cookbook but I made a few variations. This recipe is really easy and has a lot of flavor. I will definitely make these again. They will be perfect for a quick weekend lunch. Feel free to add any toppings you like. I added a little guacamole and sour cream to mine.

Lime Shrimp Tortillas

whole wheat tortillas, warmed
12-16 jumbo shrimp
1 tbs olive oil
1 green pepper, cut into strips
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup of fresh squeezed lime juice

1-2 palmfuls of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
Suggested toppings: light sour cream, guacamole, salsa, fat free cheddar cheese


Boil shrimp in hot water until pink. Sautee the onions and peppers in oil until soft. Add the shrimp and  remaining ingredients to pan and coat nicely. Spoon ingredients into the warm tortillas and top with any toppings you like!

Shrimp and Grits

For some reason, I had a craving for shrimp and grits last week but never got around to making it. I had a friend over for dinner this Sunday night and decided this would be the perfect dish to make for a cold Sunday night. I have never made this dish before but I knew I wanted my grits to be super cheesy. So, I started from there. This recipe for shrimp and grits is incredibly fast and so delicious. I had seconds.

Shrimp and Grits:
Courtesy of epicurious.com

6 cups water

1 12-ounce can evaporated milk (do not use fat-free)
1 box quick-cooking grits
1 1/2 cups (packed) coarsely grated sharp white cheddar cheese
5 bacon slices, chopped
2 cups sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 1/4 cups chopped plum tomatoes, divided
1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 tablespoon hot sauce

Bring water and milk to boil in large saucepan. Gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer until grits are thick, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Mix in cheese; season with salt and pepper.


Meanwhile, sauté bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels. Add mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, and 1 1/2 cups tomatoes to drippings in skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté over medium-high heat until vegetables are tender and sauce is thick, about 12 minutes. Add shrimp, hot sauce, and 3/4 cup tomatoes to skillet. Sauté until shrimp are just opaque in center, about 4 minutes.
Spoon hot grits into bowls; top with shrimp and sauce.


And for dessert, my friend brought these lovely crepes that were absolutely amazing!

Smoky Shrimp with Spinach Pasta

I am on a pasta kick this week! Actually, I shouldn't have put an exclamation mark behind that last sentence because I am supposed to be working on making healthy dishes and not indulging on pasta  every night. Anyway, I found this recipe a while ago while browsing through foodgawker. Today I had a craving for seafood and I immediately remembered this recipe.  It orginally called for smoked paprika and turkish pepper. I only had paprika in my pantry and have no idea what turkish pepper is. Google was surprisingly no help. If you know what it is, please comment below! s. I used cayene pepper instead. I added a little smoked chipotle tabasco sauce to try to add a smoky flavor to the mix. Next time, I will definitely use the smoked paprika as it wasn't as smoky as I expected. This meal was still yummy nontheless!

Smoky  Shrimp with Spinach Pasta

Courtesy of The Purple Kitchen

Ingredients:

12 oz shrimp, cleaned and shells removed

10-12 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon chipotle tabasco sauce (optional) 

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2lb spinach spaghetti

Boil water and prepare pasta according to directions on the package.

Mince garlic and stir with salt. Heat pan (preferably cast iron skillet)  and add olive oil. Add garlic and saute for about 1 minute. Add paprika, cayenne pepper, and chiptole tabasco sauce and stir until well mixed.

 Add shrimp and saute for about 3-4 minutes until no longer grey. Drain pasta and add to pan with shrimp. Stir and mix well. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil.

Tuna Steaks with Fresh Greens

Well, I have to admit that I did not make these but I just had to share these beauties. I came home last night to these delicious tuna steaks that my boyfriend made. I haven't mentioned that he is an excellent cook and inspires me to become one as well. I have a long ways to go before I reach his level though! These tuna steaks are covered in a peppercorn mix and he made a homemade dressing for the salad. It was a yummy light meal and the flavors blended together perfectly. I don't have the recipe for his creation but if you would like it I can get it from him. This is the perfect meal to make before summer comes to an end.

Black Bean Soup with Lime Shrimp

In the past, I was not that much of a seafood person. I am not a fan of anything that taste too "fishy." However, recently I have started to add it into my diet and much to my surprise I have started to enjoy my seafood adventures. I spotted this recipe in one of my cookbooks and decided to make it for a few friends. We all loved it! Soup is such a comfort food for me...and this one hit the spot. This soup is light, full of flavor, filling, and a little spicy. This is certainly a crowd pleaser and it's pretty too!

Black Bean Soup with Lime Shrimp
Courtesy of Express Lane Meals

5 tbl of extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion finely chopped

4 garlic cloves chopped

2 tbl chili powder

1 tsp of ground cumin

1/2 rsp of red pepper flakes

1/4 c fresh flat leaf parsley

16 jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined

2 14 oz cans black beans rinsed and drained

1 14 oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes

5 cups chicken stock

zest and juice from 2 limes

salt and pepper

hot sauce to taste

Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat with 2 tbs of the extra virgin olive oil. Add the onions and 3/4 of the garlic, the chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook until onions are tender, stirring frequently.

While the onions are cooking, in a dish combine the remaining garlic, 3 tbs of extra virgin olive oil, red pepper flakes, lime zest, parsley, and a pinch of salt. Add the shrimp and coat them in the mixture.

Add the black beans in with the onions. with a potato masher or a fork mash up half of the beans. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, chicken stock and stir. Turn heat up to bring to a bubble.Once it bubbles turn it down and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once skillet is hot, add shrimp and cook them for about 2-3 minutes on the first side. When you turn the shrimp add the lime juice and continute t cook for another 2-3 minutes until the shrimp are pink.

Once that is done, you are ready to serve! Season the black bean soup to taste with salt and pepper. Laddle the soup in a bowl and top with the shrimp.