BAM!

Two of my favorite things in the whole foodie world are pasta & shrimp... this recipe is the perfect marriage of two... kicked up a little, of course :) My mom actually found this recipe and we fixed it a few weeks back and everyone raved about it... o much so that we fixed it again last night! Serve it alongside some crusty Italian bread and be ready to breath some fire!

Spicy Shrimp Pasta
(adapted from Emeril's Shrimp and Pasta with Chilis, Garlic, Lemon and Green Onions)


Ingredients
20 to 25 (1 1/4 pounds) large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon grated garlic
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound pasta (I prefer linguini)
1/4 cup chopped green onions


Directions
Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with the Essence.
Bring a pot of water to boil for the linguini. Cook & reserve one ladle of cooking water,
Place the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large 14-inch skillet over high heat.
Add the shrimp to the pan, spreading them evenly in 1 layer. Cook for 2 minutes then turn them to the other side.
Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the wine, lemon juice, lemon zest and remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter and cook for 1 1/2 minutes.
Add the salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
Add the ladle of cooking water & the pasta to the pot and let simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove pasta from heat, dress with green onions, and serve.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Yield: 2/3 cup

Channeling my inner Asian goddess

I, for one, love Asian style cooking... anything in an orange sauce or a szechwan style gets two thumbs up from me! I spotted this recipe for Szechwan Shrimp on another blog yesterday and knew I could adapt it for the chicken I was planning to have for this evenings meal. Needless to say, it was incredibly yummy. Lots of kick to it too... Myself and Mr. Tana-Licious' noses are still running!

Not only did I switch the shrimp to chicken, I also added a ton of blanched vegetables to give it a more rounded appeal for a meal... and served it over white rice. Enjoy!

Szechwan Chicken Stir-Fry



8 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoon soy sauce
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup sliced green onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
Mixed vegetables, blanched (I used broccoli, mushrooms, water chestnuts, green beans, and red bell peppers)
1 lb of chicken tenders, cubed
White rice (follow directions on box for serving size & cooking times)

In a bowl, stir together water, ketchup, soy sauce, cornstarch, honey, crushed red pepper, and ground ginger. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Stir in the garlic; cook 30 seconds.
Brown the chicken and stir in half the sauce.
Once the sauce has thickened, add in the vegetables as well as the remainder of the sauce.
Cook and stir until sauce is bubbly and thickened and vegetables are heated throughout.
Serve over white rice.