Shrimp, Tortellini, & Spinach

1 pkg. (9 oz.) refrigerated cheese tortellini
1/4 cup KRAFT Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan Dressing
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
3/4 lb. cooked cleaned medium shrimp
1 bag (6 oz.) baby spinach leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
Make It!

COOK pasta in large saucepan as directed on package. Drain in colander; set aside. Heat dressing in same pan on medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook 1 min. Add tomatoes and shrimp; mix well. Bring just to boil. Stir in spinach; cover. Simmer 1 to 2 min. or until spinach is wilted, stirring occasionally.

STIR in pasta and basil; simmer, uncovered, 3 to 4 min. or until sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally.

SERVE topped with cheese.

Ben and I really liked this, although I used chicken instead of shrimp cause it's cheaper! It was really good that way too!

Shrimp and Pasta in a Tomato-Chile Cream Sauce

Shrimp and Pasta in a Tomato-Chile Cream Sauce
(This is Quade's favorite I made a big batch of Essence because I cook it so much)
Ingredients

* 1/4 cup kosher salt
* 1 pound linguine
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 2 tablespoons Essence, recipe follows
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
* 1/4 cup finely chopped jalapeno
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 11/2 cups heavy cream
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 cup diced tomatoes
* 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water
* 1 cup grated Pepper Jack cheese
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Set a large 1-gallon stock pot of water to a boil and add the kosher salt. Place the linguine in the pot and stir the pot until the water returns to a boil. Cook the pasta until tender, but with a bit of resistance (al dente), about 12 minutes. Drain a reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.

While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce. Set a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and olive oil to the pan. Once the butter has melted, season the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of the Essence and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and add the shrimp to the pan. Sear the shrimp until well browned on both sides, about 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the onions and jalapenos to the pan and saute until the onions are softened and lightly caramelized, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cream, remaining 1 tablespoon of Essence, remaining 1 1/4 teaspoons of the salt and the pepper to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook the sauce until the cream is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

Return the shrimp to the pan, and add the tomatoes, linguine and the reserved cooking water to the pan and cook, tossing to incorporate for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and add the Pepper Jack, Parmesan, parsley and basil and toss to blend. Serve immediately.

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

Japanese Style Deep Fried Shrimp

Japanese Style Deep Fried Shrimp

* 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled (tails left on) and deveined
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 1 cup panko crumbs
* 1 quart vegetable oil for frying

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the shrimp in a bowl and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. In a small bowl, stir together the flour and paprika. Place eggs and panko crumbs into separate bowls.
2. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or deep skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Dip each shrimp into the flour mixture, then into the egg, and finally into the panko crumbs to coat. Fry a few at a time until golden brown. This should take no longer than 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels before serving.

Broiled Tilapia Paremesan Recipe

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan Recipe
(We love fish at our house and this recipe was awesome)

* 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
* 1/4 cup butter, softened
* 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
* 1/8 teaspoon celery salt
* 2 pounds tilapia fillets

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.
3. Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.

Shrimp Tacos with Citrus Cabbage Slaw

This recipe is from Real Simple magazine. They have some great, really easy recipes every month. I think most are available online at realsimple.com. (Picture via Real Simple, my picture didn't look very appealing!)

1/4 c. fresh orange juice
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
2 Tbs. sour cream (or plain yogurt)
Salt and pepper
1/4 small cabbage, shredded
1 c. corn kernels (from 1-2 ears, or frozen and thawed)
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped (I used WAY less, maybe 1/4 of one pepper)
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 lb. peeped, deveined shrimp
8 small flour tortillas, warmed

1. In a large bowl, whisk the orange and lime juices, sour cream, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Add the cabbage, corn and jalapeno and toss to combine. Let sit, tossing occasionally, for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes. (I used the precooked shrimp. Just heat those through, but don't cook for more than a minute or so or they will get rubbery.)
3. Serve the shrimp with the totillas and the slaw.

I've made this recipe probably four times in the last couple of months. It's really fast and healthy. One of my new favorites!

Brown Sugar Baked Salmon

This is a simple, tasty recipe perfect for a busy weeknight. Serve with a side of couscous, rice, or mashed potatoes and a vegetable.

2-3 lbs. salmon
1/2 c. brown sugar
4 Tbs. melted butter
3 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. white wine or water

Mix all ingredients and marinate salmon in a glass baking dish. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, basting occasionally.

*I buy the frozen salmon fillets at Costco and usually halve this recipe. I typically only marinate the salmon for about 30 minutes.