Spring Break! Sunshine! Beach or Ski Slopes! Adventure Trip! Sleeping In! Good Food! Family Time! Fun Friends! No Work! (ok, maybe a little)
We all desperately yearn for this wonderful break during the long, cold, gray month of February as we dream of warm sunshine, a lot of relaxation, or just getting away from our routine. No matter where you are located, you start to itch for a little break between the Holidays and summer.
This past week we packed up the car and headed to 30A with some close friends (and half of Nashville families with teens) for a beach-side getaway. The weather is always a bit cooler here because we aren’t quite South enough, but nevertheless, my favorite pastime activities are always available – chillin’ on the beach (literally), biking around town, eating out, and cooking in.
One of our annual beach trip traditions is to have a Shrimp Boil or Bayou Shrimp dinner. Gathering with friends around a large farm table, and peeling and eating large, fresh off the boat Gulf shrimp, epitomizes good times at the beach. Eating this way is interactive and messy and everyone always has a great time.
When you think of Bayou cooking, Cajun and Creole seasonings quickly come to mind. Bayou cooking emerged from Texas and Louisiana, where the “bayous”, or marshy creeks, meander through the gulf coast region. Some of the classic dishes from the bayou are jambalaya, gumbo, crawfish boils, and po’ boy sandwiches. Cajun cooks know how to cook with tons of flavor, don’t they?! Naaww-lins anyone?
Rather than the usual shrimp and rice combo, I love to serve my Bayou Shrimp over angel hair pasta. The complex spicy, tangy, and lemony sauce from the shrimp is a fantastic complement to the smooth delicate swirls of angel hair. I could literally eat this every day. And this recipe is super simple. The shrimp is drizzled with a zesty liquid mixture, sprinkled with a combo of seasonings, and topped with fresh lemon slices and pats of butter. Bake in the oven for about 8-10 minutes, and you are done!
This Bayou Shrimp Pasta recipe has been adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks, Stop and Smell the Rosemary. Add it to your summer reading list! Published by the Junior League of Houston, it’s packed with some of the best recipes I’ve ever tried. I actually think it is out of print, but you can find it on Amazon from a used book seller.
Beach trips and shrimp just go together, and if this Bayou Shrimp Pasta style isn’t for you, try my Shrimp, Avocado, and Spinach Pasta with Mango Vinaigrette, Thai Shrimp Scampi, or Lemony Shrimp and Scallop Pasta with Basil. They are all delicious beachy meals that your family with love! Friends, enjoy your break time, wherever you may be and eat lots of yummy food!
