Paula Deen - Get Cookin'

  Shrimps are delicious, I love making them scampi with lots of garlic, in soups and in fresh tasty salads. 
This recipes are so delicious, fresh and flavorful you are not going to want to share!
My family was fighting for the tasty shrimps.  I really like the combination of the avocados and the mangoes.


Shrimp Ceviche with Pico De Gallo

2 cups of Pico de Gallo( chopped onions, green onions, chopped cilantro, chopped garlic, chopped tomato, chopped  green jalapeno)
2 oz fresh  lime juice
Fresh cooked deveined shrimp(If you'd like to, use raw shrimp and marinate in lime juice, the citric acid will cook the shrimp)this is what a Ceviche is.  
Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine the Pico de Gallo in a bowl, add the shrimp, lime juice, salt and pepper.  Put in a martini glass and arrange the shrimp on top.
Enjoy!

Shrimp, Mango  & Avocado Ceviche

1 cup of Avocado
1 cup chopped  sweet and tangy fresh mango
1/2 cup of purple onion
2 oz fresh lime juice
Salt and Pepper to taste

For an amazing explosion of flavors, mix the Shrimp, the Pico De Gallo with the Avocado and Mango ceviche add some Tabasco sauce and spice it up!

Shrimp Cocktail Poppers

1 cup cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup cocktail sauce
1 package ritz crackers
1lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
fresh herbs for garnish if desired

1. Cook shrimp in boiling water until just pink- about 3-4 minutes
2. Drain and refrigerate until chilled.
3. In a small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and cocktail sauce. Mix well.
4. Spread 1 teaspoon of cream cheese mixture onto a cracker.
5. Nestle a shrimp on top of the cream cheese mixture.
6. Top with fresh herbs.

These shrimp cockail poppers are so delicious and simple to make!

I should just start a blog with my recipes, and this seems like the perfect spot.  I don't think I've ever just followed a recipe all the way through, so all of my recipes have a personal touch.  Usually I google the main ingredients I want to use, and find a recipe or two that have what I want, and then make my own recipe, going with the heat and order guidelines.  Sooooo, with that in mind, I will start with the excellent paella I made Saturday evening, since I didn't cook yesterday.  Just think Amerrrrican meets Valencian.... and falls in love!

Used:
1 bag of mussels--They are always pre-packaged at my grocery.  I don't like the frozen ones, because the fresh ones behind the counter are cheaper and probably better.  The bag is the size of a mini-basketball, more or less.
1 bag of frozen shrimp, tail-on--I have no clue what size.  They were cocktail-sized and I think there were 35-40 of them.
3 chicken breasts, deboned
5 tilapia filets--again, a bag, unknown size, but I counted 5 hand-sized filets
rice--3 cups
chicken broth--6 cups
2 Tbsp veggie oil (canola is good)
1 medium onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1-1/2 red bell pepper, or 1/2 ancient sweet pepper (aji dulce, I would use 2) per taste!
1 summer squash, 8 in long
handful of frozen mixed veggies, or a cup of your favorite colorful veggie that gets soft when cooked, like carrots, celery, corn, or peas.
1 can diced tomatoes
2 pinches of saffron
1 packet of Goya Sazon con azafran  (look in the ethnic foods, near Mexican.  They are in a box, and they are seasoning packets.  if you can't find them, add another pinch of saffron and some turmeric and crush a few coriander seeds and add them.)
 
I used an 11" pan with about 4" height.  It needs a cover or aluminum foil...... con't

Growing up, beer battered fish was one of my favorite foods.  I generally don't, however, like most shrimp.  But anything with batter has to be good!  And this shrimp sure is!

1 lb cooked, peeled and deveined large shrimp
1 c flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp Creole seasoning
1 egg, separated
3/4 c white wine (I use chardonnay)
Olive oil

Mix flour, salt, and Creole seasoning.  Add egg yolk and wine and whisk until smooth.  Beat egg white until stiff peaks form and fold into mixture. 
Heat enough oil in pan to cover the shrimp, over medium-medium high (about 375 degrees).  Deep fry shrimp.

We like ours slightly blackened, but if you prefer a lighter brown battering, lower the heat a little bit!