Lemony seafood pasta

Oh man. We made this for dinner tonight. Scott said automatically that it was one of the best things he's had in awhile. Feta cheese is definitely our kryptonite. I don't think there has been a single recipe with feta that we haven't loved.

One of the best things about this dish was the dressing. I got to use our new dressing shaker, which was a wedding gift. These things are awesome. It's much more fun gratifying to shake a bottle, than use a whisk. I just don't know that I've ever gotten the hang of whisks!

Overall, this pasta felt light, and having scallops and shrimp was a nice change from our normal chicken or beef routine. I think I would like the dish even with a different protein, or the dressing by itself!

Lemony seafood pasta-adapted from Perfect One-Dish Dinners by Pam Anderson
Total time: 25 minutes
Serves 8

• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 quarts water
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 8 ounce penne pasta (or pasta of your choice)
• 1 pound bay scallops
• 1 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup jarred roasted red pepper, diced
• 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano

Place garlic, lemon juice, mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper and oil in a dressing shaker and shake well. If you do not have a shaker, whisk well and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring 2 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for about 10 minutes, just until tender. Add in the scallops and shrimp, and cook until the seafood is opaque, about 3 more minutes. Drain and pour into a serving bowl. Mix pasta, seafood, tomatoes, red peppers, feta cheese, oregano and prepared dressing. Toss to coat.

Shrimp Jambalya

Anytime I come across a jambalaya recipe, I instantly think of my dad. He's a big jambalaya fan. Truthfully, I've never been a huge fan, usually because they're rather spicy. Because I can spice it to my liking, I've been trying to find one I like. This was not the one. There really wasn't any flavor to it. I'll have to keep searching. (At least the picture looks good, right?!)

Shrimp Jambalaya-adapted from Best Loved Slow Cooker Recipes by Crock-Pot

Total Time: 8 hours

Serves 6

• 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 pounds cooked shrimp

Combine tomatoes, onion, pepper, celery, garlic, parsley, oregano, hot pepper sauce and thyme in a 5-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Stir in shrimp and cook for 20 more minutes on low. Serve with rice.

Thai Noodles with Shrimp

I've never made anything before with Thai peanut sauce. Let me tell you, it's totally worth it! It's got a bit of a spice kick to it, but it really steps up the dish! This recipe just has 5 ingredients but it's fantastic and easy to make. It's even good cold the next day!

Thai Noodles with Shrimp-adapted from 5 Ingredient 15 Minute Recipes by Pillsbury
Total Time: 20 Minutes
Serves 4

• 4 ounces uncooked spaghetti
• 4 ounces fresh snow peas, cut into thirds
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 pound cooked, deveined, peeled medium shrimp, tails removed
• 1/2 cup Thai peanut sauce

Cook and drain spaghetti as directed on package. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients.

Shrimp and Noodle Stir Fry

Shrimp stir fry isn't something I make very often, but now I'm thinking I should. The flavors in this recipe were great, after I added some soy sauce to it. The noodles also give it just a little something extra over using rice.

As a few people mentioned on my Facebook post, you can make this with any kind of protein. Chicken, shrimp, spicy sausage-whatever you have on hand or are craving at the time! Adding in additional veggies is one of my favorite things about stir fries too!

Shrimp and Noodle Stir Fry-adapted from Every Day with Rachael Ray
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Serves 4

• 8 ounces rice noodles
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 4 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup carrots, cut into matchsticks
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup broccoli florets

Cook rice noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse and transfer to a large bowl.

In a small, heatproof bowl, combine the green onion, garlic, ginger, seasoned pepper and garlic salt. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons canola oil. Carefully mix the hot oil into the green onion mixture; reserve the skillet and set bowl aside.

Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the skillet and heat over medium high heat. Add the shrimp and soy sauce and cook for 1 minute. Add the carrots, bell pepper and broccoli to the skillet and toss until cooked through. 

Toss the stir fry into the noodles, and add reserved green onion mixture and stir until well combined.

Shrimp Dumplings

I was so nervous to try this recipe. The last time I made something with wonton wrappers, it did not turn out well. I'm so glad I gave these a try though! They were absolutely amazing! Getting used to the wonton wrappers and getting them to stick was a little bit tricky, but in the end, they were relatively easy once you got the hang of it.

Shrimp Dumplings-adapted from Easy Chinese Recipes by Bee Yinn Low
Total Time: 45 Minutes
Serves 4

• 12 store bought wonton wrappers
• 8 ounces peeled and deveined shrimp
• 1 tablespoon green onion, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sherry
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 3 dashes white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon oil 

Dice 2/3 the portion of shrimp into small pieces. With the other 1/3 of shrimp, place in a food processor to mince.

Combine the shrimp and all other ingredients except wonton wrappers in a large bowl. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Assemble wontons by placing about 1 tablespoon of filling in the middle of a wonton wrapper. Fold wrapper into a triangle and then squeeze both sides together with your thumb and forefinger. Use a bit of water to seal, if necessary.

Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a stock pot until warm for frying. Drop in wontons in batches. Deep fry until they turn golden brown, and set on a plate lined with paper towel while you cook the remaining wontons.

Hot 'n Spicy Shrimp

This was a very quick slow cooker recipe, that can be thrown together in a pinch. The original recipe is titled, 'Barbecued Shrimp,' however, I don't really get the barbecue. The hot sauce gives it a great flavor, but I'd more call it a buttery shrimp. They were still tasty and easy to make!

Hot 'n Spicy Shrimp-adapted from Make it Fast, Cook is Slow by Stephanie O'Dea

Total Time: 2 hours

Serves 8

• 2 pounds frozen, peeled and deveined shrimp
• 1 stick butter
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tabasco sauce
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon dried basil

In a 6-quart slow cooker, place all ingredients and toss lightly to coat. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours.

Shrimp Bisque

This was a great flavorful tomato soup! We ate it with the Cheesy Breadsticks, and it was so good! I love shrimp, I just wish it wasn't so expensive to cook with! This soup is so quick and easy to make and it is absolutely delicious! Just make it! (PS...yes I did realize I ended each sentence with an exclamation point.)

Shrimp Bisque

Shrimp Bisque-Adapted from Real Simple's "Dinner Tonight? Done!"
Total Time: 20 Minutes
Serves 4

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pound peeled, deveined shrimp
• 1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 2 tablespoons whiskey
• 2 cans tomato soup
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Toss the shrimp with pepper, garlic and salt until opaque throughout, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a plate.

Add the whiskey to the saucepan and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add the soup and cream and simmer until thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add back shrimp until heated through. Top with cheese.

PW's Penne a la Betsy

After making this dish, I have decided to make shrimp a regular meal. Just they way the shrimp is cooked (butter and oil) is delicious all on its own! Plus its so easy! The only difficult part is peeling them, but that's something I think I can live with.

I had seen this recipe on and off on the Pioneer Woman's website but never got around to making it until now, thanks to Pinterest! This was absolutely delicious, and you could add veggies of any kind to this dish too!

Photo Courtesy of the Pioneer Woman

Penne a la Betsy-adapted from Pioneer Woman

Total Time: 50 Minutes

Serves 6

• 3/4 pounds Penne Pasta
• 1 pound Shrimp
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 whole Onion (small)
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1/2 cup White Wine, Or To Taste
• 1 can Tomato Sauce (8 Oz)
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 1 tablespoon basil
• Salt To Taste
• Pepper To Taste

Cook the penne pasta until tender-firm, also known as al dente.

Peel, devein and rinse (under cool water) 1 pound of extra large shrimp. Heat about 1 tbsp. butter and olive oil in a skillet. Add the shrimp and cook for a couple minutes until just opaque. Do not overcook them. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Put the cooked shrimp on the cutting board and pull off the tails. Chop the shrimp into bite –sized pieces and set aside.

Finely dice one small onion. Mince two cloves of garlic. In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally. After the garlic and onions have cooked a bit add your white wine. Let the wine evaporate for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. If you would rather not use wine, you can use low-sodium chicken broth instead (about ½ cup).

Add an 8-ounce can of plain tomato sauce. Stir well until combined. Then add 1 cup of heavy cream. Continue stirring. Turn heat down to low and let simmer.

Add spices and chopped shrimp back into the tomato cream sauce. Give it a stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Throw in your herbs and stir until combined. Finally add your cooked penne pasta and give it a good stir.

Chopped Taco Salad with Shrimp

I absolutely love love LOVE tacos! I've recently learned to try fish tacos as well. So this recipe was a perfect blend of an old favorite and a new try. I was really excited to try this recipe, and, unfortunately, it fell very short for me. The dressing just wasn't good whatsoever. I'm just glad I tried it before putting it on the salad, so we could salvage most of it. I thought I'd still post it even though its a 1.5/5 for you to see how it went, but let me know if you have any suggestions.

Chopped Taco Salad with Shrimp-adapted from health.com

Serves 4

Total Time: 30 Minutes

• 2 lemons, thinly sliced
• 2 limes, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 ounces romaine lettuce, chopped
• 20 large shrimp, peeled and devined (about one pound)
• 4 (6-inch) tortillas
• 1 large ripe tomato, diced
• 1 peeled avocado, diced

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat; coat lightly with cooking spray. Quickly grill the citrus slices in batches, just until browned (about 1 minute per side); transfer to a cutting board, and finely chop. Transfer citrus to a medium bowl with any collected juices. Add the oregano, olive oil, salt, and pepper; mash with the back of a spoon to combine. Divide dressing in half.

Arrange lettuce on a serving platter; lightly coat the grill again. Grill the shrimp, in batches, until opaque, brushing with half of the lemon-lime dressing (about 2 minutes per side); transfer to the platter. Warm the tortillas on the grill until slightly charred (about 1 minute per side), brushing lightly with some of the remaining dressing; transfer to the platter.

Stir diced tomato into remaining lemon-lime dressing. Arrange avocado on the platter. drizzle with remaining dressing.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos

This was my Thanksgiving lunch. A little unorthodox I know, but who cares! It was definitely easy (the hardest part was skewering the shrimp), and as long as you like shrimp and you like tacos I would definitely recommend it!  The one tip in the recipe was to skewer the shrimp twice-once through the tail and fold them over and skewer the head-then you can lay them flat on the grill and they won't spin when you turn the skewer.  I really liked the green salsa I got that was recommended with this recipe. I normally don't put any kind of sauce on my tacos, but this was really good! I would suggest at least trying it!

Grilled Shrimp Tacos from Real Simple's Meals Made Easy

Grilled Shrimp Tacos

Serves 4

Total Time: 30 minutes

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and devined
• 4 limes, quartered
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 8-inch corn tortillas
• 3 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1 14-16-ounce jar green (tomatillo) salsa
• Wooden skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes

In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise, milk and cumin; set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the butter and garlic. Heat a grill or broiler. Rinse the shrimp and pat them dry with paper towels. Place the shrimp and lim wedges on the skewers. Brush the shrimp with garlic butter. Grill or broil until the shrimp are cooked through and the limes are browned, about 3 minutes per side. Season the shrimp with the salt. Transfer to a plate. Grill or broil the tortillas until warmed, about 30 seconds per side. Place them between clean towels to keep warm. To serve, remove the shrimp from the skewers, divide them evenly among the tortillas, and top each with the cabbage, sour cream mixture, and salsa. Serve the lime wedges on the side.