Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

Photo by Katie Guymon

Last Friday, Catherine came over for happy hour, and I served roasted shrimp cocktail. We both easily became believers in this twist on a pretty standard appetizer. The shrimp is incredibly easy to prepare (especially if you gather a weird satisfaction during the peeling and deveining process, like I do), but it looks elegant and tastes more special than the norm. Serve these shrimp with your favorite prepared cocktail sauce and a spritz of fresh lemon juice, and there you go.

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail [adapted from Barefoot Contessa; serving size: 4]
-1 pound of 16-20 count shrimp
-1 tablespoon of olive oil
-1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
-1/2 teaspoon of fresh cracked pepper

1. Peel and devein the shrimp, then rinse clean with cold water.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the shrimp in a single layer on a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Roast for 6-8 minutes, just until pink, firm, and cooked through. Set aside to cool, or serve warm.

Greek Gazpacho with Sauteed Shrimp

Photo by Katie Guymon

Looking back on my recent recipe posts, it's pretty evident that I love Mediterranean flavors. I mean, nine times out of ten, you're going to find feta cheese on my shopping list. At least I recognize that a problem exists. That's the first step. With the addition of sauteed shrimp on top, this Greek gazpacho makes a well-balanced dinner. But, beware! This recipe makes enough to serve 8-10 people and your dog begging under the table. I think I'm going to freeze a batch and revisit the yummy in a month or so.

Greek Gazpacho with Sauteed Shrimp [adapted from Barefoot Contessa's recipe]

For the Gazpacho:
 -4 thick slices of a baguette
-6 large cloves garlic, chopped
-2 tablespoons freshly chopped oregano leaves
-2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
-5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
-5 tablespoons good olive oil
-1 red bell pepper, seeded chopped
-1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
-1 white onion, chopped
-1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
-4 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
-1 cup pitted kalamata olives, divided
-1 46 ounce can tomato juice
-4 teaspoons kosher salt
-2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1. Place the bread, garlic, oregano, and parsley in a food processor and process until everything is finely chopped. Add the vinegar and olive oil and process again until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

2. Place the peppers, red onion, cucumbers, tomatoes, and 3/4 cup of the olives separately in the food processor and process until very coarsely chopped. (Unless you have a very large food processor, you might need to process this step in two batches.) Add to the mixing bowl.
3. Add the tomato juice, salt, and pepper and stir well.
4. Taste for seasoning, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
5. Garnish with the crumbled feta, extra olives, and sauteed shrimp.

For the Shrimp:
-1/2 lb. of 12-15 count shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
-2 tablespoons of olive oil
-dried oregano, to taste
-kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat.
2. Rinse the shrimp and pat dry.
3. Sprinkle the shrimp with the dried oregano, kosher salt, and pepper. 
4. Cook on each side, 2-3 minutes, or until shrimp is bright pink.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Shrimp Fra Diavolo
-1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
-1 teaspoon salt, plus additional as needed
-1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
-3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons
-1 medium onion, sliced
-1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
-1 cup dry white wine
-3 garlic cloves, chopped
-1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
-3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
-3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

1. Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt and red pepper flakes. Heat the 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saute for about a minute, toss, and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a large plate; set aside. 

2. Add the onion to the same skillet, adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan, if necessary, and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. 

3. Add the tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic, and oregano. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. 

4. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the tomato mixture; toss to coat, and cook for about a minute so the flavors meld together. Stir in the parsley and basil. Season with more salt, to taste, and serve.

A Southern Dinner Party

Photo by Katie Guymon

Two nights ago, I hosted a southern dinner party for five of my girlfriends. This was an item on my summer vacation to-do list, so I am so thankful that we were all able to get together. The only thing missing was a bell to call them all to dinner. Not to toot my own horn, but toot! toot! The food was delicious, and if my leftover intake is any indication, you will probably like it, too.

Here is the menu (with recipes!) for a southern dinner party.

Hard Lemonade [recipe courtesy of Sunny Anderson]
What's more southern than a frosty glass of lemonade spiked with vodka? I doubled the batch and used some Minute Maid lemonade to supplement the freshly squeezed juice. A girl can only juice so many lemons, y'all.

Crab Dip [recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman]
Catherine was kind enough to bring over this delicious crab dip for an appetizer on Wednesday night. And, she kept with the southern theme! But, I'm not surprised. Girl knows how to work a theme.

Barbequed Shrimp [recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse]
The first time I ever tasted these shrimp was at a Viking Cooking School class. Let me tell you, this recipe is not good for you, but it is heavenly. I went to Bob's Seafood for the first time to buy the biggest shrimp I could find. Although I'm not a huge fan of peeling and deveining, it is so worth it to get the 20 count shrimp versus the little guys at your local grocery store.

Goat Cheese Grits
Okay, this recipe isn't really good for you either, but hey, special occasions are always diet-defiant. If you are a grit girl (or boy) like I am, this is dedicated to you. 

-3 cups whole milk
-3/4 cup stone-ground grits
-1/4 cup heavy cream
-1 4-5 ounce log fresh chervre
-1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
-salt and black pepper, to taste

1. Heat milk in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat; bring to bil. Whisk in the grits and reduce the heat to a low simmer.

2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the grits are soft and cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.

3. Stir in cream, goat cheese, thyme, salt and pepper. Add more milk if grits are too thick. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.  

Fresh Corn Salad [recipe courtesy of Barefoot Contessa]
I've written about this Barefoot Contessa recipe before. It is seriously the stuff that corny dreams are made of. Now that basil is in abundance, it's the perfect time to make this salad.

Marinated Asparagus [recipe courtesy of Paula Deen]
My mom and I discovered this recipe when we were in a "We heart asparagus, but what else can do with it?" phase. This preparation is perfect. It's easy. It's served cold. It's made the night before. And it's really very tasty.

Honey Cornbread Muffins [recipe courtesy of The Neelys]
Cornbread from scratch. Yum, yum, gimme some. And that's all I have to say about that. 

Rhubarb Cobbler [recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman]
I had never made this exact recipe before, but since I've been on such a rhubarb kick this summer, I wanted to try it. The only step I did differently was to swap out the lemon and add freshly squeezed orange juice. As my friend Courtney described it, "It's the perfect combination of sweet and tart." I completely agree. Top it with some homemade whip cream, and it's perfect.

Sweet and Sour Shrimp Stir Fry

Photo by Katie Guymon

 My best friend Britt gave me this recipe, and this is the second time I've made it. You know if it goes into the Guymon rotation, it's gotta be good. I adore this dish because it contains all of my favorite foods. The wondrous pineapple. The amazing tomato. The splendiferous snow pea. Anyway, just make it, okay?

Sweet and Sour Shrimp Stir Fry
-4 cups hot cooked rice
-1/3 cup ketchup
-3 tablespoons soy sauce (reduced sodium)
-2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
-1 tablespoons white vinegar
-4 teaspoons cornstarch
-1 20 oz. can pineapple chunks in juice, undrained
-8 oz fresh snow pea pods, trimmed, cut diagonally in half (2 cups)
-2 plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
-2 teaspoons vegetable oil
-2 garlic cloves, pressed
-12 oz. medium peeled and deveined shrimp

1. Prepare rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, combine ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, and cornstarch; whisk until blended.

2. Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Measure 1/2 c. reserved pineapple juice; add to ketchup mixture and set aside. Discard any remaining juice.

3. Trim pea pods and cut diagonally in half. Cut tomatoes into wedges.

4. Heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add pea pods and garlic pressed into skillet. Stir fry 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium. Stir ketchup mixture and add to skillet. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir 1 minute until thickened. Add pineapple and shrimp to skillet; cook shrimp for 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Gently stir in tomatoes. Serve over rice.