roasted shrimp and orzo

Happy Monday, y'all! Best news ever -- our AC is fixed! We were blessed with incredible weather -- 70 degrees in Dallas in JULY -- this weekend, but as the temp is supposed to climb back up to 100 this week, I couldn't be more thankful for some COOL AIR!

The return of hot weather calls for easy cooking and fresh, colorful meals. This roasted shrimp and orzo salad from (who else?) Ina fits the bill perfectly. It's got great salty flavor from the chunks of feta and perfect crunch from cucumbers and red onion. Lots of fresh herbs in the mix because... well, you know.

This is the perfect dish for entertaining because the longer it sits, the better it is! Let's have some friends over, serve this up in big bowls, and celebrate summer!

Roasted Shrimp and Orzo (from Ina Garten)

serves 6

you'll need:

kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

olive oil

3/4 lb. orzo 

juice of 3 lemons

2 lbs. peeled and deveined shrimp

1 cup minced scallions

1 cup chopped fresh dill

1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 English cucumber, seeded and diced

1/2 red onion, diced

3/4 lb. feta cheese, diced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt well, then add the orzo and cook according to package directions. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Pour over the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir well and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, place the shrimp on a sheet pan. Toss with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast the shrimp in a single layer for 5-6 minutes, until the shrimp are just cooked through and pink.

Add the shrimp to the orzo along with the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, and onion. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired. Carefully fold in the feta. Keep at room temperature for 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate up to overnight. (If refrigerating, bring back to room temperature before serving.)

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lemon rosemary shrimp scampi

Hey, hey y'all! Thanks for all your sweet words and encouragement as we moved into our first home last week. I'm happy to say that we are feeling settled and -- as of about 5 minutes ago -- actually have working internet again!

I'm curious - what are you cooking for Christmas dinner? Do you always do the same meal, or change it up every year? We never do the same menu twice, and I love it that way. Every year my mom picks a food theme and we create the menu together around it. We've done Italian, French, Spanish, etc., and this year all of our recipes are coming from my dearly beloved Jerusalem cookbook. So. excited.

Beyond actual Christmas dinner, there is Christmas Eve to think about, and New Year's Eve and Day just down the line. For those meals, I like something super simple and quick that still feels special and festive. Enter Campbell's Skillet Sauces! Y'all know I love these, and this Scampi variety is absolutely fabulous for an elegant holiday dinner that comes together in 15 minutes!

I'm thinking this is just perfect for New Year's Eve because it would go brilliantly with a glass of champagne!

Lemon Rosemary Shrimp Scampi
serves 2

you'll need:
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1/2 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp, tails on
1 (9 oz.) package of Campbell's Scampi Skillet Sauce
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1 lemon
for serving: lemon wedges, fresh rosemary

Preheat broiler.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt well, then cook orzo according to the package directions. Drain when done.

While the orzo is cooking, heat olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and cook until translucent. Add shrimp and cook until just beginning to turn pink. Add Skillet Sauce and bring to a boil. Bring heat to low and simmer until shrimp are completely cooked through. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, mix butter, panko, rosemary, red pepper, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Top each shrimp with a bit of the butter mixture. Transfer skillet to the oven and broil until the butter has melted and the breadcrumbs are beginning to brown (this took about 2 minutes in my broiler).

Spoon shrimp and sauce over cooked orzo. Serve with lemon wedges and chopped rosemary.

Happy holidays, y'all!

This post brought to you by Campbell’s Dinner Sauces. Weekend-worthy dinners with only weekday-level effort needed! Learn more at http://www.campbellsauces.com/

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spicy shrimp peanut noodles

Happy Monday, y'all! How was your weekend? I'm a little giddy from ours. Our great friends welcomed their sweet little daughter into the world, and two of our other best friends got engaged! It was a fantastic weekend to say the least!

My love for peanut noodles has been well documented on this blog, but let's revisit, shall we? These were absolutely delicious, did not require turning the oven on (!!), and took no time at all to throw together. Perfect summer supper in my opinion!

Spicy Shrimp Peanut Noodles
serves 4-6

you'll need:
3/4 lb. angel hair pasta
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 tablespoons soy sauce
6 green onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
juice of 1/2 a lime
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
handful of cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

Bring a large pot of water up to a boil for your pasta.

Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook until opaque and pink, about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium and add soy sauce, green onions, and garlic. Saute 1-2 minutes, until the garlic is beginning to soften and become fragrant. Add chicken stock and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to low and add peanut butter, sesame oil, lime juice, and red pepper. Whisk together until it creates a smooth sauce and simmer for 5-8 minutes.

Cook pasta according to the package directions. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta and add it to the skillet. Toss well so that the noodles are completely coated, adding more pasta water if needed to thin the sauce out.

Divide pasta into bowls and top with shrimp, cilantro, and chopped peanuts. Squeeze lime juice over the top. Enjoy!!

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greek roasted shrimp with olives and feta

Ohhh I am so excited to share this recipe with y'all! A couple weeks ago, The Naked Grape sent me their lovely Summer White Blend, and I immediately started thinking about how I could use this delicious, refreshing wine in a great summer meal. And while I still have about a million ideas floating around in my head, I think this one is definitely a winner!

This is a light and easy meal that is on the table in no time. Shallots, garlic, oregano, tomatoes, wine, and kalamata olives combine to make a vibrant, zesty sauce for the shrimp to roast in. Top with feta and breadcrumbs, and you have the best one pan meal ever! The Summer White Blend works perfectly here because its crisp, citrusy notes just brighten the whole dish up.

I served ours over quinoa, but it would be equally amazing straight from the pan with some crusty bread to soak up all those amazing juices. A fabulous summer supper!

Greek Roasted Shrimp with Olives and Feta

serves 2-3

you'll need:

olive oil

2 shallots, minced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup The Naked Grape Summer White Blend

1 (1 14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes

2 teaspoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

zest of 1 lemon

3/4 lbs. peeled and deveined shrimp
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, torn or cut in half

5 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, minced

juice of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat a bit of olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the wine has reduced about halfway. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, lemon zest, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove skillet from the heat and place the shrimp in one layer over the mixture in the skillet. Sprinkle the olives and feta over the entire thing. In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then sprinkle over shrimp-feta-tomato mixture.

Transfer skillet to oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, squeeze the lemon juice over the top, and sprinkle with parsley. Enjoy over quinoa, rice, or pasta, or simply serve from the skillet with a good hearty bread.

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pepper jack shrimp and grits

My husband Miles has a deep, deep love for New Orleans. So much so, that we've been there twice in our one year of marriage, and are headed there again with some friends in just a few weeks. It's only a quick one hour flight from Dallas, which makes it a perfect weekend getaway for us. There are so many things to love about New Orleans (and Miles could tell you all about all of those things), but what I really love about our visits there is the food. Beignets, po'boys, muffalettas... and of course, one of my personal favorites, shrimp and grits.

Shrimp and grits at home is surprisingly quick and easy -- and, most importantly, delicious. This particular version is absolutely divine, with a spicy kick from the pepper jack cheese grits and the spicy sausage. The recipe below serves two hungry people, and I would highly suggest that this be your next date night meal. Your date will adore you for it.

What about you - what city do you deeply love? If you've been to New Orleans, any restaurant recommendations for our upcoming trip? I'd love to hear!

Pepperjack Shrimp and Grits
serves 2

you'll need:
1/2 cup stone ground grits (or polenta)
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 lb. hot Italian sausage
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons chopped chives, plus more for garnish

Cook grits according to the package directions. Once grits have finished cooking, remove from heat and stir in butter and cheese.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add sausage to skillet (remove from casing if it's in one) and cook until completely done. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook until pink. Add lemon juice, wine and chives and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes.

To serve, spoon grits into a bowl, top with shrimp and sausage mixture, garnish with chives, and devour.

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scallops and shrimp with tomato and feta

I can't even begin to describe how insanely gorgeous and lovely Yotam Ottolenghi's Jerusalem is. Do you have a copy yet? I'd been hearing about it and reading about it for months, and finally got a copy for myself last week. And I haven't been able to stop reading through it, over and over, absolutely amazed at the diversity and creativity in these recipes (not to mention the stunning photography).

This dish caught my eye immediately for a couple of reasons. First, the colors are beautiful. BEAUTIFUL! Also, the name of this dish lists off some of my favorite things to eat. If you're wary of the seafood/cheese combo here, I promise that it is divine. The feta melts a bit and delivers a creamy tang to the entire dish that just can't be beat.

If you're staying in and cooking for Valentine's Day, consider this! It's quite simple and looks and tastes so special. Just be sure to serve some crusty bread alongside for soaking up the delicious broth. So. so. so. yummy.

Scallops and Shrimp with Tomato and Feta (adapted from Jerusalem)
serves 2-4

you'll need:
1-2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to finish
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup white wine
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 lemon
1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 lb. large scallops
4 oz feta cheese, broken into large (about 3/4 inch) chunks
3 green onions, sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

In a large frying pan, cook the garlic in the olive oil over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the wine, tomatoes, sugar, oregano, and stir to combine. Shave off 3 zest strips from the lemon into the pan, add some salt and pepper, and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Discard the lemon zest.

Add the shrimp and scallops, stir gently, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Transfer everything to a small ovenproof dish. Sink the feta pieces into the sauce and sprinkle with green onion. Place in the oven for 3-5 minutes, until the top colors a bit and the shrimp and scallops are just coked. Remove the dish from the oven, squeeze a little lemon juice on top, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

I served ours on top of a bit of rice with some toasted ciabatta to soak up the sauce. SO GOOD.

Are you going out or staying in for Valentine's Day? What will you be cooking?

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