Gimme me some SHRUMP!

Bo's family used to eat shrimp ALL THE TIME!  His father was actually a shrimper (kinda like The Deadliest Catch, but kinda not), and the family ate shrimp about as many ways as Forrest Gump.  As for me, the West Texan, shrimp was reserved for anniversaries, graduations, and if you were good, birthdays.  It was kind of funny when Bo and I had our first conversation about shrimp.  He told me it was an "everyday" meal for his family, and I really thought I had hit the jackpot!  I knew these people must be loaded if they were eating this fancy dish for every meal!
Anyway, one of the many perks of living in Florida is the abundance of seafood at your fingertips, such as fresh fish, scallops, oysters and my favorite fresh shrimp!  I have been able to try many new shrimp recipes, but I have to say, these are two of my favorites.  My firiend, Becca, specifically asked my for a "simple" recipe, and it doesn't get much easier than these two recipes!

Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

by Ina Garten, 2002

found on foodnetwork.com

Ingredients
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
3/4 pound linguine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1 pound large shrimp (about 16 shrimp), peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 lemon, zest grated
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Directions
Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.
Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.
When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.

Roasted Shrimp

by Ina Garten, 2006



Ingredients
1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the shrimp on a sheet pan and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Pour the olive oil and juice over the shrimp, and roast in the oven for 5 to 6 minutes



The "I'm sorry for being a b#tch" meal

My momma knows how to get her a man.  Seriously, not just anybody can score a stud muffin like this...

Of all the little gems of life advice my mother bestowed on me, one of the most valuable was the love that men have for ladies who cook.  With a success rate of 98.7%, cooking a hearty meal can GET a man, KEEP a man, or in some cases, get your cute little behind out of the dog house.  I am well aware of the last issue.  In fact, just the other night, I had to employ my cooking magic powers to make up for being a horrible person to my lovely husband.  Assuming I am not the only  wifey that can get a little...let's call it moody...I thought I would be kind enough to pass along my "go to" recipe.

Kathy Baker's Beef Tender

from foodnetwork.com

(this is my FAVORITE beef tenderloin recipe of all time!!!)

Ingredients

2 pounds beef tenderloin (the butt end), tied with kitchen string
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 limes, juiced
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish, drained
Special Equipment: heavy duty aluminum foil

Directions
Prepare a heavy baking dish that is as close to the size of the beef tenderloin as possible by making an aluminum foil "basket" for it to sit in. It is very important to use heavy duty aluminum foil. Place 2 or 3 pieces of foil in the dish and put the beef tenderloin on top of it, leaving enough hanging over the edges of the dish to really wrap up the meat.
Rub the garlic over the entire tenderloin and season well with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the butter pieces evenly over the beef. Drizzle with Worcestershire and lime juice let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
Adjust the oven rack to the highest position and preheat the broiler. Place the pan right underneath the broiler and broil for about 8 minutes. (It will look like the flames are burning or touching the meat, but that is fine). Carefully pull the pan out and turn the meat over. Broil for another 5 minutes or until cooked to desired doneness. (When the meat is done under the flame it will look like it is burned, but it's not). Wrap it up very tightly in the foil and let it sit and continue to cook inside the foil on the kitchen counter for about another 1 1/2 hours.
Whisk together the sour cream and horseradish and season with salt and pepper. Slice the meat and serve with sour cream mixture on the side.

Dill Fingerling Potatoes

Ina Garten, 2009
found on foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/4 pounds fingerling potatoes, rinsed but not peeled
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Directions
Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot. Add the whole potatoes, salt, and pepper, and toss well. Cover the pot tightly and cook over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender when tested with a small knife. From time to time, shake the pot without removing the lid to prevent the bottom potatoes from burning. Turn off the heat and allow the potatoes to steam for another 5 minutes. Don't overcook. Toss with the dill, and serve hot.

Roasted Asparagus with Hollandaise

Shelby Neichoy

Ingredients

1 lb fresh asparagus

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Directions

Drizzle asparagus with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place heavy duty aluminum foil over grill grates and heat grill to medium high.  Grill asparagus until slightly charred but still crisp.  Serve warm and with hollandaise sauce if desired.