grilled shrimp tacos

Now that summer is finally here, we try to avoid turning the AC on in order to avoid high energy bills. Which means grilling is in full force.  This was a recent meal we made on a lazy Saturday which came together really quickly. The crunch of the tacos and shrimp, combined with the coolness of the "crema" and heat from the tomatillo salsa make this one of my newest summer favorites.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos
from Real Simple, serves 4

1/2 c sour cream
3 tbs mayo
3 tbs milk
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1.5 lbs shrimp, peeled
3 tbs butter, melted
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 limes, quartered
kosher salt
8 6-inch corn tortillas
2-3 c finely shredded green cabbage
bottled green tomatillo salsa

Directions
Heat grill to med-high.  In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayo, milk and cumin. Set aside.

Skewer the shrimp. In a small bowl, combine the butter and garlic.  Brush the shrimp with the garlic butter.

Place shrimp on grill with the limes.  Cook for about 4 minutes on each side or until the shrimp are opaque and limes are browned.

Remove from grill. Lightly salt shrimp.

Grill tortillas for 30 seconds on each side, then place inside a paper bag to keep warm.

Pull the shrimp off skewers; divide evenly among tortillas.  Top with cabbage, sour cream sauce, tomatillo salsa, and a squeeze of lime.

Shrimp Pasta

This was a delicious, fun, quick, and easy recipe to make on a weeknight. I used whole wheat pasta I had on hand. I think I might modify this sometime as a shrimp scampi by omitting the tomatoes and adding more garlic and tons of lemons. Also, this could easily feed a crowd. Like today, the unofficial holiday, Super Bowl Sunday.

PS - The Pioneer Woman rules.

Shrimp Pasta
Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

1/2 cups olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 whole 14.5 oz cans diced or whole tomatoes
1/2 cups white wine
2 lbs jumbo or large shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt & pepper to taste
fresh parlsey, minced
1 lb linguine, uncooked
red pepper flakes, to taste

Cook pasta for 1/2 the recommended cooking time. Pasta should still be very firm.

In a large skillet or pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for a minute. Dump in the tomatoes and wine. Stir the mixture together, season with salt and pepper, and allow to cook for ten minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare a large parcel of heavy duty aluminum foil. It should be large enough to hold the entire pasta dish.

Throw the shrimp on the top of the pasta sauce. Throw the drained pasta over the top, then pour the whole dish onto the foil. Tightly wrap the foil into a parcel.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and keep warm until serving.

Open the foil parcel right before serving. Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil over the top. Squeeze on lemon juice, if desired.