Spicy Grilled Jalapeno & Lime Shrimp

Adapted from Cook's Country

It would appear that shrimp has been on my mind, considering the last 3 recipes I've posted have included them...just an interesting observation. Shrimp are great because they're healthy, easy, and very versatile. They usually remind me of spring/summer, so maybe I'm just subconsciously trying to bring the warm weather back! In any event, this recipe is meant to be grilled, but it's way too cold for that, so I used the broiler and they still came out great! I can thank a good friend of mine for introducing these to me -- she made them for us a couple of weeks ago and they were just delighful, so I had her send me the recipe. These would be great as an appetizer (as I did), or you could even top some pasta with them and I think it would also be good. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• Equipment needed: long skewers (I used wood -- make sure you soak in water first)
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Zest of 1 lime, plus 5 tablespoons juice (from 3 limes)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced (1 to 2 tablespoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (can substitute black pepper if you're out like I was)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 pounds extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
• 1 teaspoon sugar (save for later)
• 1 tb fresh cilantro, chopped (save for later)

Directions:
Combine the jalapeno, olive oil, lime zest and juice, garlic, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Set aside 2 tb of the marinade for later.

Butterfly the shrimp. Mix the shrimp with the marinade and refrigerate covered for at least 30 minutes, but not more than 1 hour. Place the shrimp onto skewers, alternating the direction of the shrimp. Sprinkle one side of the shrimp with the sugar.

Place the shrimp on a baking sheet and place under the broiler (about 3-4 inches from the top) on High. Cook with the sugared side down first, about 3-4 minutes. Flip the skewers and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Once done, top with the remaining marinade and cilantro. Serve immediately. (I just served mine in a bowl and just took them off the skewers before adding the remaining marinade and cilantro).

Lemon Herb Shrimp & Vegetable Fettucine

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

Life has been busy...in a good way...but busy nonetheless! I apologize for the lack of postings, but here's a yummy, light dish I was able to throw together last night. It was packed with flavor and I look forward to leftovers for lunch :) as usual. You can get creative with the veggies too, so have at it! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1-2 tb olive oil
8 oz. of your favorite pasta (I used fettucine)
1 cup veggie broth (or you can use chicken broth)
1 lemon, juiced (or 2 if you feel it needs more)
1 cup zucchini, cut into quarters
1.5 cups artichoke hearts, drained and cut into chunks (I used canned because I had them on hand)
3-4 cloves of garlic, diced
1 tb capers
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half or quarters (add more if you'd like)
healthy dash of lemon pepper seasoning
healthy dash of Italian seasoning
healthy dash of Lawry's seasoning salt
healthy dash of pepper
small dash of crushed red pepper (to your liking)
handful fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup feta cheese
1/2 - 3/4 pound shrimp (I prefer peeled & deveined with the tails cut off)

Directions:
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. In the meantime, heat 1 tb olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. In a small bowl, toss the shrimp with the seasoning salt, pepper, and italian seasoning. Once mixed together, add the shrimp to the saute pan and cook approximately 2 minutes per side, until light pink. Remove the shrimp and set aside. Add a little more olive oil if need be and add the zucchini. Cook for about 5 minutes until a bit browned and then add in the artichokes, garlic, capers, and tomatoes. Cook for another couple of minutes and add in the broth, lemon juice, shrimp, lemon pepper seasoning, and crushed red pepper. Cook the pasta until al dente and drain. Mix the pasta with the sauce and top with fresh parsley and feta cheese!