Cajun Shrimp

We love shrimp in our house.  Really LOVE it and I'm always looking for yummy variations.  I found this on Tasty Kitchen and we loved it so much, I made it twice in one week!  And then I made it again for my birthday.  Even the kids loved it, despite a slight kick from the Cajun seasoning.  This is seriously delicious and super fast and easy to whip up.  We paired it with a loaf of Frech bread and used our bread to sop up all the delicious buttery liquid that was in the bottom of the pan.  It may not be pretty on my thighs (nothing really is), but it was SO worth it.  A perfectly quick, easy, and delicious weeknight meal, made even better in that you can use the shrimp either defrosted or still frozen.  Just adjust your baking time accordingly.

Recipe Source: Tasty Kitchen

Serves: 4

1/2 cup butter

2 tsp. garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning

1 tsp. coarse salt (I used Kosher)

1 tsp. black pepper

2 lb. bag of shrimp (the original recipe only calls for 1 1/2 lbs., but I thought that made the dish too salty)

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.

2. Melt butter in a small saucepan and saute the garlic.  Add Cajun spices and salt and pepper and stir well.

3.  Place shrimp in a baking dish and cover with Cajun butter mixture.  Toss to combine and evenly distribute the butter mixture.

4.  Bake uncovered for at least 10 minutes, or until shrimp is pink.  (Mine typically takes about 15 minutes or even longer if I put my shrimp in frozen--then it takes 20-25 minutes.)

5.  Serve with French bread to soak up all the remaining buttery goodness at the bottom of your pan.  Yum!

Leeky Linguine with Shrimp and Asparagus

This was another one of those recipes I've been meaning to try for quite some time now, and I finally got around to it last week. I knew I'd like it... shrimp and asparagus... how could it go wrong? But I was worried about the boys liking it and expected them all to turn their noses up at it. Surprisingly, they loved it! They completely cleaned their plates and had seconds and even Jared dug in. This was super easy and fast and very tasty. It's not a "saucy" pasta but, it's really light, perfect for a spring pasta, and has just a hint of a "kick" from the red pepper.

I got this off of Taste and Tell, one of my favorite sites, and she got it from Every Day with Rachel Ray (be sure and check out her picture... it's much prettier and more appetizing looking... I'm terrible at getting good pictures of food!). The original recipe didn't include the asparagus, but I felt like it needed something and it was definitely a welcome addition.

Leeky Linguine with Shrimp and Asparagus

Makes 4 (large) portions (With the addition of the asparagus, it fed a lot more than that)

1 lb. large shrimp, shelled and deveined

2 T plus about 4 T extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Pinch of kosher salt

Black pepper to taste

1 lb. linguine

4 leeks --- trimmed, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise and washed

1 bunch asparagus, cleaned, trimmed, and cut into chunks

1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth (or chicken broth)

1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Parmesan Cheese

In a bowl, toss the shrimp with 2 tablespoons EVOO, lemon peel, garlic and crushed red pepper; season with salt and black pepper.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 5 minutes.

While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of EVOO. Add the leeks and asparagus and cook until the leeks are wilted and asparagus is tender crisp, about 5-8 minutes. Push the leeks and asparagus to the side of the pan, add the shrimp to the skillet and cook until pink and firm. Pour in the wine (or broth) and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.Add the pasta to the skillet; season with additional pepper if desired. Add the parsley and a healthy sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and toss.

Grilled citrus Salmon, recipe courtesy of the Moose

Some salmon filets.. this recipe is enough for about 3-4 servings.
1 1/2 t lemon juice
2T olive oil
1T dijon mustard
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 dash salt
1t basil (Emily, you could do your fancy basil ribbon cut on this, but I used dried and was fine with it)
1tcrushed ginger... powdered works too.
1t dill
2t small capers (you find those with the condiments, like mustard and the like, they come in small jars and are green. People in their normal mind wouldn't eat them, I'd always decorate the edge of my plate with them, when my mom cooked with them, but who in their right mind would cook meatballs with raisins and capers in a sweet and sour sauce... I tell you, German cooking is quite something else. You are lucky I never subjected you to Koenigsberger Klops. And you wonder why I turned out the way I did...)

In small pan sautee over med. heat, combined sauce ingredients...ups, I forgot that part, it still tasted quit good. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Line a baking dish with tinfoil, put grill thing in pan, fish on top, then top with topping and bake for about 25 minutes at 350. If you use frozen Salmon and don't defrost it first, it will need longer. Test it before taking it out. It doesan't taste good raw, but if you cook it too long it gets tough. If you want to grill it, it only needs to be done for 10-12 minutes.

So what about those amazing salmon sandwiches you ask.... well if you have any left-over salmon, shredd it and mix in some mayo, like you would do with tuna for tuna salad sandwiches. Thats it. mix it up well and spread on a sandwich. I think those are my favorite sandwiches ever, and even Sam liked it. So I can be found at 4:30 am grilling salmon for sandwiches for a picnic later that day. But you don't have to get up that early to do it, it will taste just fine if done later in the day.

Coconut Shrimp

Featured in Kraft Foods Calendar 2007--November

Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes

1 cup flake coconut, toasted
1 packet shake n' bake, extra crispy seasoned coating mix
1/4 tsp each curry powder and cayenne
1 lb fresh or thawed extra large shrimp (16-20 count), cleaned
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400. Combine coconut, coating mix, curry, cayenne in shallow bowl. Dip shrimp in egg then roll in coconut mixture until eanly coated on all sides.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until shrimp are cooked through. Serve with chutney or sweet-and-sour sauce if desired.

Shrimp with Tomato Cream Sauce and Penne

Actually, on Pioneer Woman's site, it's called Penne a'la Betsy, but I thought mine was more descriptive and would help me remember what it was! This stuff is quite simply fabulous. I've made it at least 3 times and if I could, I would have it every week. Unfortunately, my hips may not agree, but since when have I cared what they thought! For beautiful mouth watering, step by step instructions and pictures, visit Pioneer Woman's site here. Otherwise, here's your ingredient list and basic directions:


3/4 lb. Penne (or Fusilli or whatever the heck you like best... I just happen to like the penne!)
1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp (Large or Extra Large is preferable)
3 Tbsp Olive Oil (divided)
3 Tbsp Butter (divided)
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth (or white wine for all you wino's--yes, you, Dacia!)
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped finely
Lots of fresh basil, chiffonaded (about 2-3 Tbsp at least) (I've only ever used the fresh basil... in fact, I liked the fresh basil so much, I went out and bought my very own basil plant! It was so worth it... I'm sure dried would work here, but if you can... definitely try the fresh. You'll feel so gourmet and it's sooooo good!) (Oh, and for directions for chiffonading, go to Pioneer Woman's site... she demonstrates... but basically you stack a bunch of leaves on top of eachother, roll them tightly and slice finely. I bet you could just chop them, too...)
Salt and Pepper to taste


First things first... bring a large pot of water to boil and add your pasta to the boiling water. Cook until al dente, drain and set aside. Oh, and work on your sauce while the noodles are cooking.

Saute shrimp in 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter in saucepan until your shrimp is pink, and just opaque. Don't cook them until they're rubbery! Remove to a plate and let them cool off a bit. Once they've cooled a bit, chop into large, but bite size chunks. You could do your chopping while your sauce is cooking... just a thought.

In that same pan, add remaining olive oil and butter, garlic and onion and saute, stirring occasionally. Once your onions and garlic have cooked down a bit, add 1/2 cup chicken broth and let that reduce a bit. Next add your tomato sauce and stir together well. Then slowly add your whipping cream, stirring well to combine. Now dump your shrimp in and add some salt and pepper to taste. And finally, add your fresh herbs and there's your sauce. It looks so good!

Drain your cooked pasta well and add to your sauce, stirring well to combine and voila'... it's done. And heavenly. And amazing. And one of my most favorite dishes ever!

Mom's Clam Chowder

This is my very favorite clam chowder, the one mom made all the time. I like that it's not overly fishy and you can play with how "soupy" or chunky you want it. As it's written, it's thick enough for a bread bowl, but not overly chunky. If you want it "soupier,", just add a bit more half and half. If you want it thicker, increase the amount of vegetables. I made it last week for dinner group and was reminded of how much I love it and how easy it is to throw together. The boys also love this soup and request it often.

Note: I experimented a little last time I made this and used bottled clam juice in place of the water for my vegetables. I couldn't tell a huge difference, although it's been a while since I made this. I'm not sure if it's worth the extra money (that clam juice is expensive!). You may consider just adding another can of clams to get a bit more clam juice in the soup.

2-3 6 1/2 oz. cans minced clams (drained, rinsed, with clam juice reserved)

2 8 oz. bottles clam juice (optional)
1 c. finely chopped onions
1 c. finely chopped celery
2 c. finely chopped potatoes
3/4 c. butter
3/4 c. flour
1 qt. half & half
1 1/2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
pepper, to taste

1. In a large pot, place your chopped vegetables, reserved clam juice, bottled clam juice and clams. Add enough water to barely cover your vegetables. Bring to a boil, simmering until veggies are tender.

2. While vegetables are cooking, prepare your white sauce. Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add flour, making a roux with a whire whisk. Constantly stirring, slowly whisk in the half and half and sugar. Cook and stir constantly, until smooth and thick.

3. Once your roux is slightly thickened and your vegetables are tender, slowly whisk the cream mixture into your vegetables.

4. Add red wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm for up to hour, but don't allow it to boil.