Shrimp Summer Salad

simply marinate shrimp in some lime juice and creole seasoning with some extra garlic

lay out a bed of lettuce, sweet peppers, strawberries, onion

grill shrimp, add

sprinkle with feta, lemon juice and olive oil

Creamy Shrimp & Sausage Pasta

mmmm. 

YOU NEED:

• 2 cup cooked penne or farfalle or any pasta
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 sausages
• 1/4 cup shallots, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• milk or cream [add flour if using milk, or corn starch to thicken, or use sour cream]
• 1 cup fresh baby spinach
• 25 or so shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 tablespoons cajun seasoning

1 chili pepper, 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 3 tablespoons chives, chopped fine

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al-dente. Drain, coat with half the oil to prevent sticking. Cover and keep warm. • Mix sausage meat in a bowl to combine. Form mixture into bite-sized meatballs • Heat a skillet over high heat. Add meatballs and cook until no longer pink in center and light crust formed on outside. Remove to plate with paper towel, cover to keep warm. Pour out grease in skillet • In same skillet, heat over high, add remaining oil. add shallots. cook until translucent. Add garlic. Cook an additional 15 seconds. Add wine and lemon juice away from heat. add tomato paste and chopped chili pepper. Cook until almost dry, scrapping bits from bottom of pan • Add heavy cream, or milk and flour/corn starch and sausage. Cook until cream reduces in half. • Meanwhile, heat a dry non-stick skillet over high heat under high ventilation. Toss shrimp in cajun seasoning to coat, shake off excess. Cook shrimp just until no longer translucent • Add spinach, pasta, and half the Parmesan to the sauce. Toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Cook an additional 30 seconds or until spinach wilts • Divide among 4 bowls. Top with remaining Parmesan, chives, and shrimp. Serve with crusty french bread

Summer BBQ Skewers!

Make some exciting skewers for your next BBQ!

1. skewer corn on the cob, sausage [try chorizo] shrimp, and potatoes.

2. brush with a nice cajun or creole seasoning and some oil.

3. bbq!

Spicy Breaded Catfish

1. get a filet of catfish, halibut, cod, or haddock [any white fish]

2. coat in flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne.

2. dip in egg.

3. dip in breadcrumbs [corn meal or flour]

4. bake for 30-45 mins, or fry until crispy.

6. serve with spicy cajun mayo, or chipotle mayo. 

Parmesan & Cayenne Corn

1. preheat oven to 350 F.

2. toss corn in butter, salt, pepper.

3. top with Cayenne pepper powder, parmesan

4. bake for 20-30 mins, or grill.

Spicy Blackened Chicken Wings

BLACKENED BBQ SAUCE:

1. in a saucepan, heat 1 cup tomato paste, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 cloves minced garlic, salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon each of paprika, onion powder, thyme, and basil.

2. simmer, add 1 or 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper spice [more or less depending on spice preference]

3. mix 2 tablespoons water with 1 tablespoon corn starch. add to sauce, stir until thick.

4. cover wings in half the sauce.

5. grill until crispy, brush on the rest of the sauce, grill until done. 

* NOTE: high heat guarantees "blackened"ness. don't burn though, just char. 

"Fried" Green Tomatoes

Everything must be fried in the south. These are faux-fried!

1. slice green tomatoes.

2. coat in flour, then buttermilk, egg, or [vegan] just olive oil. for extra southern comfort, add some cajun seasoning or cayenne spice into the flour mix. 

3. coat in cornmeal or panko breadcrumbs.

4. bake for 15-25 minutes at 400 f. 

How about a blackened shrimp and green tomato sandwich? with Cayenne mayonnaise and greens. 

Blackened Shrimp

Blackened Spice:

1 teaspoon ground basil 

1 teaspoon ground thyme

 1 teaspoon garlic

 1 teaspoon white pepper 

1 teaspoon black pepper 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon onion powder

 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper 

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 clove or 2 minced garlic

1. get shrimp, peel, toss in spice mix.

2. heat butter on high heat.

3. put in shrimp, once outside has blackened a bit, turn down to medium heat.

3. sprinkle with brown sugar for a caramelizing effect, just a bit.

Serve with a spicy aioli, chipotle aioli or cajun spiced aioli.