Shrimp with oven roasted tomatoes and sweet corn

We live on the Alabama Gulf Coast. That means miles of beaches. That means mild winters. That means we can drive in any direction and in a few short minutes we hit water. It really is a good life.

That means fresh seafood. Again, it really is a good life. And field after field of farmland where diligent farmers are busy growing plump juicy tomatoes and beautiful sweet corn. 

The shrimping industry along the Gulf Coast took a hit after the 2010 BP oil spill. The tar balls and oil slick brought shrimping boats to dock, meaning a loss of revenue and livelihood to our local shrimpers. The fear of possible contamination meant, even after the seafood had been declared safe, people didn't want to touch it. 

Even months later 4,200 square miles of the Gulf were closed to shrimping. It was sad. But now it's safe. I guarantee you it is safe. And it is a joyous thing. 

I want to consider myself a locavore. I don't have anything against the super market, but if my neighbor can grow it, make it, catch it and sell it why shouldn't I support them? That includes shrimp. 

We love shrimp at this house. I often get a hankering for some shrimp. And on one particular afternoon I felt the need to combine Baldwin County's finest. I had just picked up some tomatoes from the farmers market. So I decided to combine all our favorite foods in this house (minus chocolate, cubed steak and bacon) and make Shrimp with Oven Roasted Tomatoes and Sweet Corn served over Rice.

What you'll need:

1 lb shrimp

4 ears sweet corn

2 large, plump tomatoes

2 cups rice cooked

Garlic salt

Dried Cilantro

Kosher salt or seasoned salt

Cooking Spray.

Preheat your oven to 350.

Clean each ear of corn and spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle with kosher salt or seasoned salt. Wrap each ear in a piece of aluminum foil and place in oven for 30 minutes.

Next, slice your tomatoes in halves and spray with cooking spray, then sprinkle with garlic salt. You will also roast for 30 minutes. This makes them even sweeter. You will be so happy.

Next, peel and clean your shrimp if you didn't buy them peeled. Place the shrimp in a casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with cilantro. You will roast them in the oven for 20 minutes.

Once your corn has finished cooking you will cut it off the ear. Slice your fully roasted tomatoes and mix your cooked rice, corn and tomatoes together in a big bowl. Serve with the shrimp on top.

It's so good.

Date Night Honey Cilantro Shrimp and Quinoa Salad

Ah, date night. I vaguely remember date night. I can see it now through a fog of diapers, teething and footed pajamas. I remember getting dressed up in high heals (I vaguely remember high heals) and going to a movie.

Now date night is in the living room after baby boy has passed out. I love it. I really do.

A few nights ago I made this Honey Cilantro Shrimp and Quinoa Salad along with these brownies for date night. Then we watched the Sherlock on Netflix.

Make sure you watch the video. Head over to YouTube and leave a comment and give that like button a click.

I made the shrimp with a few things I had in my cabinet. It turned out great. Roasting shrimp makes it sweet and plump and it's so easy.

Honey Cilantro Shrimp:

What you'll need:

1/2 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
A bunch of fresh cilantro - about 1/2 a cup.
2 -4 tbsp honey
2'4 tbsp olive oil (I used Extra Virgin Kalamata Oil)

Combine honey, olive oil and cilantro. Add in the shrimp and mix with your hands.
Place in a greased pan and roast on 350 for about 20 minutes.

Quinoa Salad

What you'll need:

1/2 cup uncooked Quinoa - cook according to package instructions.
2 tbsp dried cilantro
1 tbsp lemon juice
One avocado cubed
2 cups cubed mango
stir together and add some fresh cilantro as garnish

Idiot proof shrimp

Need a dinner in a hurry that is sure to please? Try idiot proof shrimp! There are only three ingredients (four if you count olive oil, which you shouldn't).

My mother makes something similar and I pulled this together one night when cooking for my husband for "date night." (When you have an infant date night usually means you just eat off the good china.)

What you'll need:

A pound of shrimp (pealed and deveined)

1 cup white wine

4 tbs (1/4 cup) minced garlic

I love the look of the oil mixed with the wine.

Warm up a little olive oil over a medium heat. Add in the shrimp. Once they have just started to turn pink pour over the wine and add the garlic. Be sure you continue to keep everything moving in the pan or else the garlic will burn and be gross.

After the shrimp are good and pink remove from heat and serve immeidatly. This is great over pasta or paired with a salad. And if you want to finish off the wine you cooked the shrimp in, have at it!