Recipe Swap: Shrimp Tacos

The theme of this week's swap was a "secret," meaning we were assigned a fellow blogger and we could choose any recipe from their blog. I was given Carrie's Sweet Life, so I thought I should choose a dessert from her extensive collection.  I attempted her Vanilla Fudge Marble Cake, but half of the cake stayed in the bundt pan...whoops.   Miss F loves shrimp, so I searched for a recipe that had shrimp and would make an easy lunch for the two of us....Shrimp Tacos fit the bill. These tacos are originally from the swap's hostess, A Taste of Home Cooking.  The tacos were full of flavor and totally delicious!  I added some avocado to the sauce because I cannot have tacos without avocado.

Shrimp Tacos

1pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons Olive oil
Juice of half a lime
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 jalapeno, roasted, peeled and seeded
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 cup sour cream
½ avocado
corn tortillas
diced tomatoes
your favorite hot sauce

Combine shrimp, olive oil, lime juice, garlic and cayenne in a bowl. Marinate shrimp for up to 30 minutes. Broil or grill the shrimp until cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine jalapeno with ranch dressing, sour cream and avocado in a food processor and blend until smooth. Warm the tortillas while the shrimp are cooking.

To assemble: smear some sauce on a tortilla, then top with shrimp and tomatoes. Drizzle with extra sauce and a few drops of hot sauce

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Roasted Shellfish Platter

My parents came into town for Christmas and while C was away at work we feasted on shellfish. He won't touch the stuff, but Miss F loves shrimp. I heavily adapted this recipe from Epicurious.  I thought this huge platter would leave loads of leftovers with only three adults and a kid eating it...I was wrong.  We were left with about 10 shrimp, one set of crab legs and half a lobster.  Roasting seafood is so easy, but your guests need to be ready to get a little messy.  But who minds mess when you are having seafood dunked in butter?  I do need to invest in some crackers for crablegs.  I have had them a couple times now and they really do make things much easier with snow crab legs.

Roasted Shellfish Platter

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
¼ cup minced shallots
2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
½ teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
2 large cooked lobsters, cut lengthwise in half
1 pound jumbo shrimp
2 pounds cooked snow crab legs, cut lengthwise in half
3 tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Brush 2 large roasting pans with 1 tablespoon olive oil each. Mix shallots, minced parsley, and lemon peel in small bowl. Arrange lobster tails, cut side up, in 1 roasting pan; brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then 2 tablespoons shallot mixture.  Meanwhile, combine shrimp, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 2 tablespoons shallot mixture in medium bowl; sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss gently to coat. Arrange in single layer in second prepared roasting pan. Roast alongside lobster until shrimp are just opaque in center, about 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer lobster to large platter; cover with foil. Arrange crab legs in lobster roasting pan; drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with remaining shallot mixture, then drizzle with 3 tablespoons water. Roast just until heated through, about 5 minutes. Arrange shrimp and crab legs on platter with lobster. Pour any pan drippings over shellfish. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley sprigs. Serve with lemon butter for dipping.

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Father's Day Pork Chops

This was another recipe from the October issue of Bon Appetit. It instantly reminded me of my childhood favorite, Pork Things.  One thing I know for sure, next time I make Pork Things, I am going to try the vinegar marinade again.  I think it would be fantastic with balsamic vinegar.  So fantastic, that they might not even need ketchup.  The Panko got nice and crisp.  I used dried herbs instead of fresh because it was what I had on hand.  Only my basil plant is still living out on our front porch.  Fresh lemon zest is key and it adds a nice brightness.  Needless to say, these chops did not need a drop of ketchup, they were juicy and delicious on their own.  Miss F called them "pork nuggets" and wanted more "crispy pieces."

Father’s Day Pork Chops


4 bone-in pork chops (about 2 pounds total), pounded to 1/2" thickness (I used boneless chops)
½ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg, beaten
1 cups Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
Zest from half a lemon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (I used 1 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (I used 1 teaspoon dried)
6 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Arrange pork in a single layer in a large baking dish and cover with vinegar. Let sit 1 hour at room temperature. Set up your dredging stations: one small baking dish with flour; one with eggs; and one with Panko, zest, thyme, and oregano. Heat a large cast-iron or heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat and add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Season each chop generously with salt and pepper. Dredge each chop first in the flour, then in the egg, then in the Panko mixture; make sure they coat the sides as well as the tops and bottoms, as every inch of crust is crucial. Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Fry the pork chops until crispy and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.

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