Shrimp Tacos

These are yummy! Even if you think you don't like fish tacos because they sound weird, you'll like these. I was one of those people and I *love* them. 


Shrimp Tacos

• 1 lb of frozen shrimp, defrosted, peeled, & deveined

• 6 oz sour cream

• ¼ cup chopped cilantro

• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 package shredded cabbage

• 8 corn tortillas

• 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

Mix yogurt, cayenne, lime juice, cilantro, & salt in a small bowl, set aside. Cut shrimp into thirds. Sauté in two teaspoons of olive oil and season with salt, pepper and a dash of cayenne pepper over medium heat just until done. (I also added a splash of white wine because I had it.)  They cook up in just a few minutes… so be sure to watch them! Heat tortillas over medium heat in a dry skillet until warm and starting to form small brown spots. Build your taco!  Place a scoop of cabbage on the warmed tortillas taco, then top with shrimp, and cilantro sauce. Add salsa and extra cilantro if desired.


Adapted from CLEAN AND DELICIOUS


Family Rating:
Brad: ****
Jordan: ****
Eli: *****
Phoebe: ***
Overall Family Rating: 16/20

Fast Fish Skillet

This was one of those rare dishes that actually took less time to make than I had allotted. When does that ever happen?! Well-received, but no fives.


Fast Fish Skillet
4 tilapia fillets
1/4 cup Italian dressing, divided
1 tablespoon pesto
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, cut lengthwise, then sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush fillets with 2 tablespoons of dressing and sprinkle with salt. Cook in skillet 3-4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes with a fork. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Add remaining dressing, pesto, and veggies to skillet. Cook 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon over fish.

Adapted from KRAFT FOODS

Family Rating:
Brad: ****
Jordan: ***
Eli: ****
Phoebe: ***
Overall Family Rating: 14/20

Shrimp, Mushroom, and Artichoke Pasta

I made this for dinner on a Saturday night. It was pretty good and the kids loved it, although Brad and I found it a little bland (it could've used more cayenne pepper) and the sauce was a little thick.

Shrimp, Mushroom, and Artichoke Pasta
8 oz fettuccine or linguine
10 tbsp butter, divided
4 oz fresh, sliced mushrooms
1 jar artichoke hearts, drained and cut up
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 oz cream cheese, cut into small pieces
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2/3 cup boiling water (from your noodle pot)
1 lb peeled shrimp
cajun seasoning
cayenne pepper

Boil and salt a large pot of water and cook your pasta. While your pasta is cooking, season the shrimp with cajun seasoning and cook in olive oil in a large skillet. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet melt 2 tbsp of butter over medium heat and saute mushrooms until soft and brown. Season with salt and pepper. Add artichoke hearts and heat through. Remove mushrooms and artichoke hearts and keep warm with the shrimp. Melt remaining butter in the skillet. Add minced garlic, cream cheese, and herbs. At this point, it will look like something has gone terribly wrong. The cream cheese doesn’t really melt and starts to look almost curdled. It will all smooth out and be wonderful when you add the water. Simmer cream cheese mixture until well blended. Get a scoop of boiling pasta water from the noodle pot and mix it in, stirring quickly to smooth out the sauce. Add a little more cayenne pepper (I didn't put enough because I was worried it would be too hot for the kids, but it really needed more.) Save a little more pasta water in case the sauce is too thick later on. Keep sauce hot and add shrimp mixture, mix well and simmer (stirring often) until everything is hot and thickened. Toss sauce with cooked noodles and serve. Add more pasta water if the sauce gets too thick.

Adapted from CHAOS IN THE KITCHEN

Family Rating:
Brad: ****
Jordan: ***
Eli: *****
Phoebe: *****
Overall Family Rating: 17/20

Broiled Tilapia

Baked Tilapia
6-8 tilapia fillets
2-3 tablespoons butter
Cajun seasonings
coarse salt

Turn the oven broiler on medium high. Place butter in a 9x13 inch pan and put in the oven until butter is melted. Swirl the pan around until butter covers the bottom of the pan. Dip one side of tilapia in butter and then flip it over; repeat with remaining pieces. Sprinkle lightly with salt and Cajun seasoning (you can always add more later if you want it spicier). Return pan to oven and broil 5-10 minutes or until flakes easily with a fork.

Family Rating:
Brad: ***
Jordan: ****
Eli: ***
Phoebe: **** (She did think it was a little spicy.)
Overall Family Rating: 14/20

Beach Shrimp

Photo by Ralph Anderson

Beach Shrimp
3 pounds unpeeled, large raw shrimp
1 (16-oz.) bottle Italian dressing
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 lemons, halved
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup butter, cut up

Place first 4 ingredients in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish, tossing to coat. Squeeze juice from lemons over shrimp mixture, and stir. Add lemon halves to pan. Sprinkle evenly with parsley; dot with butter. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. Serve in pan.

Recipe from SOUTHERN LIVING

Family Rating:
Brad: *****
Jordan: *****
Eli: *****
Phoebe: *****
Overall Family Rating: 20/20

Grilled Shrimp and Polenta

I *heart* grilled polenta. If you like cornbread or grits and all things grilled, then you'll love this dish.



Photo from Tina Rupp

Grilled Shrimp and Polenta
1-2 lbs. shrimp, deveined and peeled with tail left on
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 large lemon, plus 1 tablespoon grated peel and wedges for serving
1/2-1 teaspoon paprika
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (go easy on this because it can get hot quick)
One tube prepared plain or sun-dried tomato polenta (18 ounces), cut into 12 slices
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Pre-heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. In a shallow dish, toss the shrimp with 2 tablespoons EVOO, the lemon peel, paprika and cayenne.

Brush the polenta with 3 tablespoons EVOO and season with salt and pepper.

Cover and grill the shrimp and polenta, turning once, until the shrimp is opaque and the polenta is charred, about 6 minutes. Squeeze lemon juice over shrimp before serving.

Recipe adapted from RACHAEL RAY

Family Rating:
Brad: ****
Jordan: *****
Eli: ****
Phoebe: *****
Nena: *****
Overall Family Rating: 23/25

Shrimp and Grits

Photo from Our Best Bites

Shrimp and Grits
4 c. water
1 c. grits (regular or quick-cooking, but not instant)
3 Tbsp. salted butter
Tabasco sauce to taste
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 oz. regular (not thick-sliced or maple) bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
1 c. sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced

Cook grits according to package directions. When you have about 15 minutes left on the grits, cook the bacon until brown and crispy. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the bacon drippings.

Cook the shrimp in the bacon drippings over medium-high heat until they are just starting to turn pink (about 2 minutes). Add the lemon juice, garlic, mushrooms, parsley, and cooked bacon and cook for about 3 more minutes or until the shrimp are just pink all the way through. Season with kosher salt and Tabasco sauce to taste (if desired).

When the grits are done cooking, stir in the butter and cheese until smooth. Season with kosher salt and Tabasco sauce to taste. Ladle the grits into shallow bowls and top with the shrimp mixture for serving (although you’ll want to stir it all together before eating). Serve with a light green salad to offset the heaviness of the grits. Serves 4-6.

Adapted from OUR BEST BITES

Family Rating:
Brad: ***
Jordan: ***
Eli: ****
Phoebe: ***
Overall Family Rating: 13/20

Easy Fish Tacos

Picture taken by thedishbyish on Tasty Kitchen.

Easy Fish Tacos
4 (or more) pieces Tilapia Fish Fillets
2 Tablespoons Cajun Or Blackening Spice Mix
salt to taste
a pat of butter
¼ cups Sour Cream
2 El Pato sauce
1 cup Shredded Cabbage (Coleslaw Style), Divided
1 Tablespoon Oil
6 pieces Flour Tortillas (Soft Taco Size)
1 cup Shredded Cheese (mexican Blend)
1 whole Avocado, Sliced

Preheat broiler. Sprinkle tilapia with salt and seasonings. Melt butter in a large pan. Place tilapia in pan and broil until done. It only takes a few minutes. Mix the sour cream and salsa together and add about half of the shredded cabbage. Mix to make a creamy slaw. Set aside. When fish is cooked, break up into smaller pieces. Warm tortillas on an electric griddle, pile on a little tilapia, add cheese, coleslaw, avacado, and more salsa.

Adapted from TASTY KITCHEN

Family Rating:
Brad: **** (He wanted to give this recipe five stars, but I reminded him that THE PORT ARANSAS SPECIAL gets five stars because it's better so he should only give it four. He responded that Mexican food should always get five stars, but I made him change it to four.)
Jordan: ***
Eli: ****
Phoebe: * (she did not like the fish)
Overall Family Rating: 12/20

Fancy Shrimp Pasta

This may be my very favorite summertime dish! I adore everything about it. The shrimp. The sauce. The presentation. The whole recipe just screams "summer".


Photo from The Pioneer Woman

Fancy Shrimp Pasta

½ cups Olive Oil
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
3 whole 14.5 Ounce Cans Diced (or Whole) Tomatoes
½ cups White Wine
2 pounds Jumbo Or Large Shrimp, Peeled And Deveined
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Fresh Basil, chopped
1 pound Linguine, Uncooked
Red Pepper Flakes, to taste


Cook pasta for 1/2 the recommended cooking time. Pasta should still be very firm.

In a large skillet or pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for a minute. Dump in the tomatoes and wine. Stir the mixture together, season with salt and pepper, and allow to cook for ten minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare a large parcel of heavy duty aluminum foil. It should be large enough to hold the entire pasta dish.

Throw the shrimp on the top of the pasta sauce. Throw the drained pasta over the top, then pour the whole dish onto the foil. Tightly wrap the foil into a parcel.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and keep warm until serving.

Open the foil parcel right before serving. Sprinkle basil over the top. Check for seasonings because it always needs a lot more salt than you think.

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Family Rating:
Brad: *****
Jordan: *****
Eli: *****
Phoebe: *****
Overall Family Rating: 20/20

Notes: This is a very simple, but incredibly "fancy" meal. It makes a TON so be sure to invite over some friends because it doesn't keep well due to the shrimp.

Ocean City Crab Cakes

We called these Ocean City Crab Cakes because we first had these in Ocean City, NJ on vacation. :)



Ocean City Crab Cakes

Ingredients
1 (16-oz.) package fresh lump crabmeat, drained
4 large lemons, divided
2 large egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided
1/4 cup canola oil

Preparation


1. Pick crabmeat, removing any bits of shell.

2. Grate zest from 2 lemons to equal 2 tsp.; cut lemons in half, and squeeze juice into a measuring cup to equal 1/4 cup. Stir together lemon zest and juice and next 5 ingredients until well blended. Gently fold in crabmeat and 1 cup breadcrumbs.

3. Shape mixture into 8 patties. Dredge patties in remaining 1/2 cup breadcrumbs.

4. Cook half of patties, in 2 Tbsp. hot oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown; drain on a wire rack. Repeat procedure with remaining oil and patties.

5. Cut remaining 2 lemons into wedges. Serve crab cakes with lemon wedges and remoulade sauce*.

Southern Living JUNE 2011


*Remoulade sauce:
½ cup plus 2 tbsp. light mayonnaise
2 tbsp. stone ground mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1½ tbsp. pickle juice
½ tsp. prepared horseradish
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. hot paprika
Dash of hot sauce

Directions:
To make the remoulade sauce, combine all of the sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. (If you don’t have a blender or food processor, you can just mix it in a small bowl with a spoon.) Adjust seasonings to taste. Chill until ready to use.

From Annie's Eats

Ratings:
Brad: ***
Jordan: ***
Eli: **
Phoebe: (no stars because she didn't eat them)

Overall Family Rating: 8/20

Port Aransas Special

We first had this recipe when we went to Port Aransas in the summer of 2010.  Eli (who had spent the day battling the waves) ate it with gusto and declared it the Port Aransas Special.  The name stuck!
.
Port Aransas Special
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds tilapia, 4 fillets
Coarse salt
Ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin, eyeball it
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika, eyeball it
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 lime, halved
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 or 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 to 10 tomatillos, husks peeled and diced
1/2 bottled pale beer
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves, a palmful, plus a few sprigs for garnish

Maque Choux:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 ears fresh corn on the cob, husked
A sprinkle sugar
Dash cayenne pepper
Salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 ripe avocado
1 lime, juiced

Season fish with salt, pepper, cumin, paprika. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil, 1 turn of the pan. Heat an ovenproof serving plate in a warm oven. Saute fish 3 minutes on each side or until opaque. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lime over the fish and carefully slide the fillets onto warm platter. Cover the fish to keep it warm. Return pan to heat and add remaining tablespoon of oil, 1 turn of the pan. Over medium high heat, quickly saute the red onion, jalapeno and the garlic. Saute a minute or so, add the diced tomatillos with seeds and juices. Season mixture with coarse salt and saute the mixture of vegetables 5 minutes.

Once you get your sauce working, get a second skillet hot over moderate heat for your maque choux. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (1 turn of the pan,) chopped onion, jalapeno and red bell pepper. Saute 2 or 3 minutes. Working on a plate to catch the milky juices, scrape corn off the cob. Break up the kernels and pour into the skillet. Combine corn with peppers and onions. Season with a sprinkle of sugar, a dash of cayenne pepper and salt. When mixture bubbles, reduce heat to simmer. Cut butter into pieces and stir into corn mixture. Allow mixture to simmer and cook until creamy, 5 to 7 minutes.

While corn is working, go back to your sauce for the fish. Add the beer and the juice of 1/2 lime and cilantro to the pan. Simmer sauce 5 minutes longer, then spoon hot sauce down over the fish filets. Garnish platter with a few extra sprigs of the cilantro.

Cut avocados in 1/2 lengthwise and remove pits. Squeeze lime juice over the avocados to keep them from browning and season them with a little coarse salt. Arrange on the serving plate.

To serve, fill the avocados with maque choux, allowing the corn to spill down and over the sides of the avocado onto the serving platter. Serve with warm tortillas.

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Brad:  *****
Jordan: *****
Eli:  *****
Phoebe:  ******
Overall Rating: 20/20