Bacon Wrapped Barbeque Shrimp

Original Photo and Recipe

 

I have made these a couple times with different seasonings... cajun blend, italian, montreal steak etc.  I am super laze and usually use the frozen pre-cooked shrimp and I definitely have to precook the bacon some or it turns out underdone bacon with overdone shrimp, not good.

Bacon Wrapped Barbeque Shrimp

Serves: 4
Approx. 200 calories per serving

• 16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
•  8 slices bacon (or I buy the center cut bacon which is shorter, then use a whole slice)
• barbeque seasoning, to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). 

Wrap shrimp with 1/2 slice of bacon, securing with a toothpick. Be sure and use the large shrimp--the cooking time for the shrimp and the bacon is similar. If you use medium-sized shrimp, you might want to precook the bacon a little--over cooked shrimp are tough and rubbery--and a real shame. 

Line a jelly roll pan with extra heavy duty foil, and place baking rack in pan. Place the shrimp on the rack, and sprinkle heavily with the barbecue seasoning, turn and sprinkle second side. Let the shrimp sit for 15 minutes. The bacon will turn from creamy white to a little opaque, and the seasonings will soak in. 

Cook the bacon for 10 to 15 minutes. The rack keeps the shrimp from sitting in the draining bacon fat. With a little luck, you won't tear the foil -- you can throw that away and only have to scrub the rack.

Shrimp, Black Bean, and Grilled Corn Pizza

Original photo and recipe

I thought the flavors of this were pretty good, but I wasn't a huge fan of the shrimp.  Matt preferred the shrimp part over everything.  

Shrimp, Black Bean, and Grilled Corn Pizza
Serves: about 4
Calories:  About 2500 per pizza

1 lb pizza dough  (I used a premade tube of thin crust dough from Pillsbury)
1/2 lb small shrimp, peeled and deveined  (I thawed out frozen precooked)
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tsp ancho chile powder  (I used regular chili powder)
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt
Pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup canned black beans, drained
1 ear of corn, grilled, and kernels removed
4 oz Manchego, grated  (I used some cotija cheese and a little cheddar)
4 oz Monterrey Jack, grated
Small handful cilantro, chopped  (yuck... but I threw on some parsley)

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Toss shrimp with lime juice and add chile powder, cumin, coriander, a pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Heat olive oil over medium-high and add garlic, cooking for about a minute.
4. Add shrimp and cook 3-5 minutes, until pink and mostly opaque.
5. Shape ball of pizza dough into a 12-14" round.
6. Sprinkle cheese over the crust, leaving the edges bare.
7. Toss beans, red bell pepper, and corn together and then sprinkle evenly over the pizza.
8. Bake 5-7 minutes, until pizza is bubbly and the edges begin to brown.
9. Remove from oven, sprinkle with cilantro, and let sit 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Original photo and recipe

I had every intention of making this recipe exactly as it was written, complete with the flambee... really, I did.  Well, that didn't happen.  And I didn't have any other dinners planned.... so I made this the lazy way.  If you want the original recipe to do it right, click the link above.  If you are lazy like me... see my way below.  I am sure the original is super tasty.

Also, this was delicious.  We had it on Friday and Matt asked for it again on Sunday.  That never happens.  We like things spicy so you will have to adjust the red pepper flakes to your liking.


Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Linguine (the lazy way)
Serves: 3
Approx. 560 calories

1/2 lb. frozen shrimp (I had the 50 ct/lb size on hand)
1 tsp. red pepper flakes, divided
4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tsp. salt
6 cloves garlic, minced (about 1/8 cup)... I have the pre-minced stuff that squeezes out of a bottle
½ tsp. sugar
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained (I had basil/oregano seasoned ones)
1/2 cup medium-dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
handful of minced fresh parsley
1/2 lb. linguine

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a pan and drop in a pinch of red pepper flakes.  Throw in the frozen shrimp and cook a little on each side until you see them start to curl up a little.  Remove them to a plate and rip off their tails.  Take the pan off the heat and reduce heat to low.  I also dumped out the contents because I didn't want all the shrimpy water.

Return the pan to the low heat and add the rest of the oil.  Once heated, drop in all the garlic and more red pepper flakes, frequently.  Watch for the garlic to turn golden and get foamy and sticky.  Turn up the heat to medium and add the wine.  Let it cook for a couple minutes.  Then add the salt, sugar, and tomatoes.  Let simmer until thickened, about 7-10 minutes.  Squish the tomatoes with the spoon every couple minutes to break them up.


While the sauce is simmering, add the linguine to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions until al dente.  Drain, reserving 1/3 cup of the pasta water in the pot.

Stir the reserved shrimp and the parsley into the sauce.  Simmer until the shrimp are heated through, about 1 minute.  Add the pasta and pasta water to the pan and toss to coat.  Sprinkle on some parm if you want.  Serve immediately.

Penne a la Betsy

Original recipe and photo.

The Pioneer Woman blog is a good one if you are looking for some yummy recipes with step by step instructions, fyi.

This is a pretty good pasta and it isn't difficult to make.  I personally think it needs a nice pinch of red pepper flakes.... but I think I say that about everything!  Since the original recipe feeds more people than we have in my house, I cut it down.  Plus I swapped the heavy cream for half and half.  I served this with some green beans.  Here it is my way:

Penne a la Betsy
Serves: 4
Calories:  Approx 525 per serving

1/2 pound Penne Pasta  (I used mini penne and ended up not stirring in all of the cooked pasta
3/4 pound Shrimp  (I used frozen, 26-30/pound size I think)
2.25 Tablespoons Butter
2.25 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3/4 whole Onion (small)
2 cloves Garlic1/2 cup White Wine, Or To Taste
1 can Tomato Sauce (8 Oz)
3/4 cup Half and Half
Fresh Parsley, to taste
Fresh Basil - To Taste
Salt To Taste
Pepper To Taste

Cook the penne pasta until tender-firm, also known as al dente.

Heat about 1 tbsp. butter and olive oil in a skillet. Add the shrimp and cook for a couple minutes until just opaque. Do not overcook them. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Now, put the cooked shrimp on the cutting board and pull off the tails. Chop the shrimp into bite –sized pieces and set aside.

Finely dice the onion. Mince two cloves of garlic.
In a large skillet heat 1.25 tablespoons of butter and 1.25 tablespoons olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally. After the garlic and onions have cooked a bit add your white wine. Let the wine evaporate for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. If you would rather not use wine, you can use low-sodium chicken broth instead (about ½ cup).

Now add an 8-ounce can of plain tomato sauce. Stir well until combined. Then add 3/4 cup of half and half. Continue stirring. Turn heat down to low and let simmer.

Now chop your herbs, about a tablespoon of chopped parsley and about the same amount of chopped basil, or if you’re feeling very proper, chiffonaded.

Now add your chopped shrimp back into the tomato cream sauce. Give it a stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Throw in your herbs and stir until combined. Finally add your cooked penne pasta and give it a good stir.

Cajun Pasta and Shrimp

(sorry no pictures) This was pretty darn tasty and we will definitely make it again.  Matt rejected my idea of Jambalaya for dinner last week so I snuck the flavors into our standard shrimp pasta we make sometimes.  Evil delicious genius.

Cajun Pasta and Shrimp
Serves: 2

-2/3 box linguine
-about 18 shrimp (the 36-40/lb size), tails removed
-1 tablespoon butter
-1 garlic clove minced
-2 tablespoons butter
-2 tablespoons flour
-3/4 cup diced green pepper (I used frozen)
-3/4 cup diced onion (again, frozen)
-1/2-3/4 can petite diced tomatoes, drained
-2 cups half and half
-1.5 tablespoons cajun seasoning (I used 1 T but it wasn't enough)

1.  Add 1 tablespoon butter to a 10" skillet and melt, add the garlic and the shrimp.  Cook just until done and remove to a plate and dump out any liquid.
2.  Start boiling a pot of water and cook the pasta according to the box.
3.  Add the other 2 tablespoons to the skillet and melt, add the flour and cook over medium until it thickens.  Add the onions and green peppers.  Cook until done.  Add the tomatoes.  Add the half and half and the seasoning.  Bring to a bubble and simmer over medium until thickened (about 10 minutes).
4.  Throw the shrimp back into the sauce to warm up.  Serve over pasta.

If you want to spice it up (because it is actually pretty mild) add some cayenne pepper or Franks Red Hot Sauce.  Yum.

Shrimp Etoufee

Yum yum!!  I combined a few recipes I found to make this winner.  We will definitely be eating this again.  (I am pretty positive I remembered the recipe for this, but if something doesn't turn out right, please let me know so I can revise it)

Shrimp Etoufee
Serves: 2+
Calories:  1300 in recipe

Ingredients:

-about a pound of shrimp, tails removed
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon pepper
-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
-1/4 cup butter
-1/4 cup butter
-1/4 cup flour
-1 cup diced onion
-1 cup sliced celery
-1 cup diced green pepper
-maybe some cornstarch
-1 1/2 cup water

Directions:
1.  In a large skillet, place 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup flour over medium heat.  Cook until it gets as brown as you can get it.  The longer the better without it burning or getting nasty.

2.  Throw in the onions and rest of the butter and cook for a few minutes.  Then throw in the celery and bell peppers for a couple more minutes.  The onions should be translucent and the celery and peppers should be softened but not mushy.

3.  Throw in the salt, pepper, and red pepper with the shrimp and water.  Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes.  If the mixture isn't thickened, take out some of the liquid and mix in a teaspoon or two of cornstarch, mix until dissolved, and then return to the skillet for a couple more minutes until it is as thickened as you like it.

4.  Serve with rice.  We used Zatarains yellow rice.

Shrimpalicious pasta

Sorry for the crappy picture. We couldn't wait to dig into this and we were not disappointed. This will definitely be a reoccuring meal. I hope I remember the recipe correctly, when I make stuff up I tend to forget what I did. =/

Shrimpalicious Pasta
Serves: 2

half bag shrimp, thawed and tails removed (the 30-40 count size)
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 box linguine pasta
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup diced onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup half and half
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon dried parsley

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water like you are supposed to.

2. Melt the 1 tablespoon of butter in a large saucepan. Add the clove of garlic and the shrimp. Cook shrimp until no longer pink. Remove and set aside. In the same pan, melt the rest of the butter and cook the onion and garlic over medium heat until soft. Stir in half and half, pepper, and parsley. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens. Add the cooked shrimp.

3. Plate the pasta, top with the sauce, sprinkle liberally with parmesan. Eat with garlic bread. Go into a pasta coma.

Shrimp Prima-scampi

I wanted pasta primavera and I wanted shrimp scampi... sooooo tada! This was tasty! Just remember this isn't supposed to be sop-it-up-with-garlic-bread saucy.

Shrimp Prima-scampi
Serves: 2

+1/2 box linguine
+1/2 bag shrimp, thawed & tails removed
+4-5 tablespoons butter
+Splash of olive oil
+4 cloves garlic, minced
+palmful of dried parsley
+fat palmful of dried basil
+1 box of Green Giant Immunity blend veggies
+Sprinkle of red pepper flakes

1. Cook the pasta per package directions.
2. Meanwhile in a large skillet, saute the shrimp and garlic in 2 tablespoons of butter and a splash of olive oil. Add in the remaining butter, herbs & veggies and the red pepper flakes (to taste). Add the 5th tablespoon of butter if you deem it necessary.
3. When the shrimp and veggies are cooked thru, toss in the pasta.
4. Serve. Top with a little sprinkling of parm if you like.

Blog Redemption!

Yay we got a good one... this came from Lindsay's Blog. It thought it was yummy and Matt really liked it... so thanks Lindsay!

Creamy Cajun Shrimp Linguine
Serves: 2

Ingredients
* 8 ounces uncooked linguine
*1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
*Appx 6 slices bacon or turkey bacon, cooked and chopped (used leftover turkey bacon)
* 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
* 8 oz package presliced mushrooms (we used a can of sliced)
* 7 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained & sliced or 1 large red pepper, chopped (used jarred)
* 2 tsp all-purpose flour
* 1 tsp cajun seasoning
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 2/3 cup half-and-half
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (We just used some dried)
* Addition: cayenne pepper to taste

Directions
1. Bring medium pot of water to boil. Add linguine and cook 5-8 minutes. Add shrimp to pot and cook 3-5 more minutes. Drain and keep warm.
2. Melt butter in large skillet. Add roasted red peppers and mushrooms; saute 4 minutes or until moisture evaporates.
3. Add flour, seasoning (& cayenne pepper if using), and salt to pan; saute 30 seconds. Stir in half-and-half; cook one minute or more until sauce thickens, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat. Add pasta mixture, bacon, and parsley to pan; stirring to combine.

Crunchy Shrimp

Matt loved these. I served them with garlic & butter flavored rice packet from Lipton and some cut up apples. It went really well together and Matt basically scarfed it up! Yay!

Crunchy Shrimp
Serves: 2

1. Get the rice going and immediately start on everything else.
2. I used the medium/large sized frozen shrimp THAWED that come like 55 to a bag with the tails still on. I had about half a bag left.
3. Put out 2 paper plates and 1 small bowl. On the first plate mix the following (adjustments may be made for the amount of shrimp you have to do):
-3 tablespoons of flour
-3 tsp cayenne pepper
-2 tsp black pepper
-3 tsp garlic salt
In the bowl, beat 2 eggs. On the second plate dump some Panko bread crumbs. Now you have an assembly line!
4. Heat up some veggie oil in a large skillet. Do not use olive oil for this. You want enough oil so it just about covers the entire bottom of the pan thinly.
5. Take a shrimp, dunk it in the flour mixture, then the egg, then the panko. Carefully put in the skillet. Repeat as necessary.
6. Fry each side about 2-3 minutes til golden brown.
7. Now your rice should be done. Serve together. No dipping sauce needed. YUM!