Spicy Shrimp Cacciatore

Spicy Shrimp Cacciatore

Servings: 4

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

12 oz. shrimp (frozen, cooked, small or medium) - fresh shrimp is even better!

1 jar of Classico pasta sauce (we used the triple mushroom)

4 bell peppers (multiple colors, medium to large)

16 oz. of whole mushrooms (white or baby bella)

1 medium spanish onion

5 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon Oregano 

1/2 teaspoon Crushed red pepper 

1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt or your favorite seasoning salt (we used Italian seasoning w/parmesan cheese used for dipping oils).

Optional: 

Pasta (vermicelli, angel hair, spaghetti)

Grated parmesan cheese

Garlic bread

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and prep mushrooms by rinsing, trimming stems, tossing in olive oil and your favorite seasoning salt.

2. Prep onions and peppers by chopping into bite-sized squares.

3. Spread whole mushrooms on a foiled baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes. When finished, set aside.

4. Heat a tablespoon of coconut oil (or olive oil) on MEDIUM heat in a 12" or larger skillet (make sure it's deep). 

5. Saute chopped peppers, onions, crushed red pepper, oregano, and seasoning salt until they become tender. 

6. Next add minced garlic and allow to cook for one minute.

7. Now add the sauce to the peppers and onions, turn heat to MEDIUM LOW, and cook for five minutes stirring occasionally.

8. Thaw your shrimp by running cool water over them in a colander. If you are using fresh shrimp, peel and devein. 

9. Stir thawed shrimp and baked mushrooms into the sauce and cook for an additional 5 minutes until everything is heated through. If using uncooked shrimp, cook the shrimp separately before adding to sauce (pan fried works fine. Be careful of overcooking.).

You're ready to eat your Spicy Shrimp Cacciatore over a bed of pasta, with garlic bread, or on it's own - just top your serving with grated parmesan cheese and VOILA!

Enjoy!

Simple Shrimp Pasta

Simple Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients:

1 bag of small shrimp (frozen, cooked)

6-8 multi-colored mini bell peppers (onions, tomatoe, mushroom work as well...really any vegetable you have around)

5 cloves of garlic

Olive oil

Parmesan cheese

Crushed red pepper

Garlic salt

Angel hair pasta

Steps:

1. Cook pasta al dente. Toss in olive oil when cooked to prevent sticking.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over MEDIUM heat and cook chopped peppers (or vegetables until tender).

3. Add 2 additional tablespoons of olive oil and wait until hot.

4. Add garlic, crushed red pepper, and a few dashes of garlic salt; cook for one minute.

5. Next, add thawed shrimp, and cook until hot.

6. Lastly, transfer cooked pasta to the pan with shrimp and veggies and toss in the olive oil based mixture (add parmesan cheese now).

*If your pasta seems too dry, don't be scared to add more olive oil.

Bon Apetit!

"Bang Bang" shrimp

"Bang-Bang Shrimp"

It's been years since I've eaten at Bonefish, however, there is a great place in town, Pacific Rim, that serves these "Pac Pac Shrimp" as an appetizer during happy hour for only $4.00! I feel ridiculous when I want to order multiple orders of this appetizer when I go out...so I decided to try a copy-cat recipe I stumbled upon on Pinterest.

I SLIGHTLY modified the recipe from: http://fakeginger.com/2011/10/02/bang-bang-shrimp/

The only thing I did different was the breading process. Instead of coating shrimp in the breading mixture, egg, then breading mixture again...I coated the shrimp with cornstarch first, then dipped in egg, then in the breading mixture.

It's very important to cool the breaded shrimp for at least the 20 minutes...I allowed for about an hour (I had some time to spare). This made the frying process SO SIMPLE-no mess!!!!

I tried a few by pan frying before deep frying an entire pound....and both methods equaled perfection!!