Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto

I made this tonight and it came out really good. I think it might be good with a little bit of bacon too, add some flavor to it, because everything is better with bacon! ^_~

Ingredients:

24 + shrimp (depending on the size) cleaned

1lbs- Asparagus, chopped

1 (14oz) can low sodium chicken broth

enough water added to chicken broth to make it 2-3 cups

2 cups Aborri rice

1tbsp butter

1tbsp EVOO

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 small chopped onion

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a medium saucepan over medium high heat melt the butter in the EVOO. Saute onions and garlic until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Add rice and stir-fry until rice gives off a nutty smell. Slowly stir in 1 cup of water and chicken broth mixture, stirring constantly. Once broth is absorbed stir in 1/2 cup at a time in to rice and stir until broth is absorbed, do not add too much liquid (you might not use all the broth). Allow rice to absorb broth and cook until it is al dente.

In another sauce pan at the same time saute shrimp with asparagus in a little butter, season with salt and pepper. Once shrimp are pink and cooked all the way through pour into rice and mix well.

Add more salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Shrimp and Cheese Grits

Ingredients:

For the Grits:

3/4 c grits

1 14oz can Chicken Broth + water (Should be 3 cups of liquid)

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or your cheese preference)

1 tbsp butter

pinch of salt

For the Shrimp:

24 shrimp, cleaned

4 slices of bacon

1-2 cloves garlic minced

1 lbs asparagus, cut into pieces

pinch of red pepper flakes

pepper to taste

Directions:

Bring chicken broth-water mixture to a boil, stir in grits and lower heat to medium-low and cover, stirring occasionally, let cook for 5-7 minutes. Add butter and gradually stir in cheese.

Brown bacon in pan, remove crumbles to a plate lines with a paper towel. Drain bacon fat, saving about a tablespoon. Add garlic to bacon grease and stir until fragrant, about a minute. Add shrimp, pepper and pepper flakes, cook until shrimp is almost done. Add asparagus and bacon, cook until done.

Serve warm.

My grits came out fairly thick and cakey, if you want more creamy add more liquid, but I like grit cakes ^_^

Asparagus Tart

So this really isn't a tart, but I don't know what else to call it...maybe a flatbread thing? But I don't care what you call it, it's still tasty!

Ingredients:

1 container/roll refrigerated pizza crust, or fresh

1.5-2lbs of fresh asparagus, depending on the size of the spears

1/2 lbs of shrimp

1/2 container of button mushrooms sliced

1 container shredded parmesan cheese

1tbsp EVOO, enough to drizzle

salt and pepper to taste

1tsp Italian Seasoning (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F

On a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick spray, unroll pizza crust and press into pan, be sure to fix any holes made. Poke holes with a fork in the middle of the crust leaving about a 1/2-1 in border. Bake crust for 3-4 minutes. Pull out of oven and place asparagus tip to end to cover crust. Spread mushrooms and shrimp evenly over top of asparagus. Drizzle EVOO and then sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 15-20 more minutes or until shrimp are cooked through. Pull out of oven and sprinkle cheese and italian seasoning over the top and put back into oven for a couple more minutes until cheese is melted.

*Dipping in fat free ranch is very tasty, marinara is good too ^_^*

Semi-Homemade Chicken and Shrimp Gumbo

Ingredients:

1/2 lbs chicken breast (about 2), cubed into bite size pieces

1/2lbs shrimp, uncooked shelled and deveined(I used frozen)

1-2 cups chopped okra (I used frozen, less slimy that way =p)

1 -14oz can Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth

4 cups water

old bay seasoning

salt and pepper

onion and garlic powder

1 box Zadarans Gumbo mix

Directions:

Sprinkle chicken bites with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and old bay on all sides. Brown chicken in a little drizzle of EVOO. Once browned add Zadaran's seasoning, chopped okra, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil and cover, let simmer for about 15 minutes. Add Shrimp and let simmer covered for another 10 minutes.

Your basically following the directions on the box, I'm just adding to it =p

I added a little more cooked rice because I like lots of rice and the served it with a side of cornbread!

Spicy Shrimp and Broccoli with Brown Rice

Ok, so this is me trying to replicate Zen's spicy shrimp bowl, which is delicious. If you've never had it (and can eat shrimp and in the Austin area) I highly recommend you go and try it, and if you're not a shrimp person go to Zen anyway, they have really good food!

Anywho, to make this, I did brown rice, but it's good with white rice or maybe even lo mein, so cook that according to the directions on the package.

So here's for the Shrimp:

*this is all for single serving, feel free to double or whatever if it's more than one person*

Ingredients:

- 8-12 medium shrimp, I used frozen and thawed them

-1 clove of garlic, minced

-2 tbsp oil(something with a high smoke temp, ie-vegtable, canola...)

-1cup broccoli, I used frozen but you can use fresh

-1.5 pinch of red pepper flake, depends on how spicy you like it

1-2 tsp soy sauce, I used the cap on my soy sauce to measure(1.5 of them)

Directions:

-In a large skillet (or wok) warm oil over medium-high heat.

-Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, let cook for 1-2 mins

-Add shrimp, broccoli and soy sauce.

-Cook until shrimp are cooked all the way through and serve over the brown/white rice or lo mein.

When I made this it wasn't very "saucy" next time I'm going to try and get a little more liquid so that the flavors can get all over the rice and stuff. If I like it I'll post how I did it ^_^

*OK so to make the sauce "saucy-er" I added a little more soy sauce/oil and then cornstarch mixed in water to help thicken it*

*Also the next day when I made this I put in about a palm full of red pepper flakes(If you want to know the exact measure Rachel Ray measures that way so she'll be able to tell you =p), it was really good if you like the "mouth kinda on fire/runny nose" kinda spicy-ness that I like.*

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 pound Mexican-style chorizo
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1 cup short-grain rice
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 large, fresh poblano chiles
• 1 pound shrimp, shelled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup Cheddar, shredded
• 3/4 cup Jack cheese, shredded

Directions

In a medium saucepan, heat oil and chorizo, cook for 3 minutes. Add peppers, jalapeno, onions and garlic. Cook until translucent, then add rice and cook until all the grains of the rice are coated with oil. Add all liquids and stir over high heat for 3 minutes, cover and reduce heat to low. Check rice for doneness after 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place poblano chiles on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cool, cut top 1/4 of chile off and remove ribs and seeds.

When rice is finished cooking, fluff with fork and stir in shrimp. Stuff chiles with 1/6 of the rice mixture. Place all the chiles on baking sheet and place into oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, mix cheeses together and cover pepper with cheese. Broil for 3 minutes to melt and brown the cheese.

Roasted Shrimp with Broccoli

I'm trying this tonight!!

Ingredients:

2 pounds broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
4 tablespoons ( 1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds (you might consider grinding them up- your call)
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds (see above)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon hot chili powder
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 1/4 teaspoons lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
Lemon wedges, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss broccoli with 2 tablespoons oil, coriander, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and chili powder. In a separate bowl, combine shrimp, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, lemon zest, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

2. Spread broccoli in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes. Add shrimp to baking sheet and toss with broccoli. Roast, tossing once halfway through, until shrimp are just opaque and broccoli is tender and golden around edges, about 10 minutes more. Serve with lemon wedges, or squeeze lemon juice all over shrimp and broccoli just before serving.

*I tried something like this. It turned out really good. I didn't have the lemon or the cumin. I put some cayenne pepper, and did everything else. I paired it with couscous cooked in chicken broth, the couscous came out a little bland some I'm going to have to to try some other different ways to make it as flavorful as the shrimp and broccoli came out. But over all it was still really good and I'm going to have to make it again...maybe try it with some pasta next time =D*

Shrimp Tacos

I'm totally trying this when I feel like buying shrimp and avocados!!

Ingredients:

Avocado Salsa:
1 small onion, quartered
1 jalapeno, quartered, seeds optional
1 garlic clove, smashed
4 medium tomatillos, (about 8 ounces) husked, rinsed, and coarsely chopped
1/2 Hass avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

Shrimp:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chipotle or blended chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound medium shrimp (about 20), peeled and deveined
8 corn tortillas
8 sprigs cilantro for garnish
2 limes, cut into wedges

Directions:

Put the onion, jalapeno, and garlic in a food processor and finely chop. Add the tomatillos, avocado, and salt and pulse until chopped but still chunky. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cilantro.

Heat a stovetop or outdoor grill to medium-high. Mix the olive oil, chipotle or chili powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Grill the shrimp until translucent, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side.

Grill tortillas, until slightly charred and pliable, about 20 seconds per side. (Alternatively, wrap in a damp paper towel and heat in a microwave.) Spoon sauce on the tortilla, then top with about 2 or 3 shrimp and a sprig of cilantro. Serve 2 tacos per person, with a lime wedge on the side.