The Perfect Shrimp for Any Recipe

There are so many amazing shrimp recipes out there, but so many fall flat on getting the shrimp just right. Here's my tried and true, perfect every time shrimp recipe. Short sweet and to the point.

First, you need good shrimp. One of my favorites is the Argentine Wild Shrimp from Trader Joes.

Defrost your shrimp and pat dry.

Toss with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

Spread out on a baking sheet and bake at 400 for 9-10 minutes.

Voila! Perfect Shrimp every time.
Tonight we had shrimp tacos so I added a little sweet paprika & garlic salt.

RECIPE

1 pound of Shrimp

Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees

Pat shrimp dry

Toss shrimp in olive oil

Spread on baking sheet

Sprinkle generously with salt and any other desired seasoning

Bake on 400 for 9-10 minutes.

Promptly remove from oven and add to any recipe.

Homemade Baked Potato Chips

In case you haven't heard the head of the Washington State Potato Commission recently finished a 60 day all potato diet.  Shockingly he lost 21 pounds & his cholesterol dropped 67 points!  You can read more about his diet here.  I don't like potatoes that much, but I am a big fan of the little root-veggies.

As you know potatoes are constantly being attacked as junk & not a vegetable on a regular basis even though they are actually quite healthy (hence Mr. Washington's potato diet) because most people only eat them in some sort of fried manner...potato chips, french fries, hashbrowns...

The way I see it, if it grows from the ground & you eat it in whole form it can't be bad for you - so long as you remember that little thing about moderation & don't deep fry it to oblivion.

Anyway, I've been on a potato kick lately.  Fingerlings, baby reds, purple passions, yukon gold, sweets & even the classic russet.  The other night we were having paninis with our good friends (another post on that later) & I felt like having some chips...which we don't usually keep in our house.  So I decided to try my hand at making homemade baked potato chips.

They are super simple.  Just thinly slice up your favorite potatoes - we used russets, sweets, baby reds & purple passions.

As you can see My slices aren't very uniform. This created various textures in the finished product.

Next rinse the potatoes in warm water.  Pat dry with a paper towel & lay on baking sheets (I recommend Williams-Sonoma Gold).  Spray with cooking spray - I used Pam Olive Oil Spray.  Bake for 15 minutes, then switch the pans from top to bottom rack so that both sides get crispy & bake another 15 minutes. {Time may very based on thickness of potatoes}

Sprinkle with Sea Salt & enjoy!

Cookies Part I

Some Days you just need cookies. 

Today was one of those days.

I Love Chocolate Chip Cookies! 

Of all the desserts in the world, a perfect cookie is my favorite.

I'm pretty sure it is because I have such great memories of making chocolate chip cookies with my Dad when I was little.  My Dad makes THE BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies.  

His secret? Maraschino cherries & lots of love. 

My sis sneaking some cookie dough circa 2006?

Memory plays a big role in food choices. There are foods we love or hate based on past experiences (See my very first post for more details). Making cookies with dad was always fun. No matter how many little hands were trying to help, he always made you feel like your job was the most important part.  He never got frustrated and he never worries about the mess we made. And the best part?  He always let us eat as much cookie dough as we wanted! Oh & he did the dishes!

I don't make Dad's cookies very often, because it's a pretty sticky process & I tend to like to experiment with making my treats a little healthier.  Plus it's just more fun to make them back home with Dad. 

Tonight I used the following recipe:

1 1/4 cup mixed flour (1/2 whole wheat, 1/2 unbleached flour)

1 cup oat flour (1 cup oatmeal blended in the blender)

1/2 cup oatmeal

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp real vanilla extract

2 free range eggs

1 bag chocolate chips (Ghirardelli to be exact)

Bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes

The Set up

I Love Love Love my Kitchenaid Mixer. My parents bought it for me 5 years ago when I bought my first place. One of the best gifts ever.  Also note the awesome collapsible measuring cups by Chef n. As you will note I have a thing for Kitchen tools. There is at least one kitchen tool on my wish list for every holiday.  My latest acquisition is a set of Williams Sonoma Gold nonstick insulated cookie sheets (I also got a set of matching muffin pans because my husband rocks!) Let me tell you, these cookie sheets are amazing! They really do not stick.  Your cookies slide right off, pure perfection. 

Baking away

So this was my first attempt at "Low Elevation Baking". I've always been a high elevation girl, I learned to bake nestled in the Rocky Mountains, I've been doing it for so long, that I forgot there was a difference when you change elevation. Well. Let me tell you. There is a difference.

The Proof

The cookies jumped off the pan so fast (courtesy of husband) I couldn't get a shot of the whole sheet. 

But these 4 little guys just couldn't bear to part.

Although they weren't aesthetically pleasing, they were delicious!

A few more batches & I'll have them back to perfection.

Happy Baking!