Eliza Ferree

Did you know the word Scampi is actually Italian for Shrimp? That is right, so the next time you order Shrimp Scampi just think you are actually saying, "Shrimp, Shrimp." It is kind of funny. Just a little trivia for you.

Here is a simple recipe for you:

1 pound of shrimp
lots of butter in a skillet
seasoning of your choice

Boil you butter in the pan, throw in shrimp. Do not forget to stir it; otherwise it will stick to the pan. (trust me, it has happened to me several times already) Sprinkle in your choice of seasoning, and wait for it to turn pink. (I love garlic on everything, so that is what I am adding) This normally takes about 5-10 minutes, depends on the size of your shrimp and if they are thawed or not. Serve over a bowl of rice and presto.

I am still learning as I go, but I plan on practicing a lot of new dishes in the next couple of months. Do you have any favorites? I think I want to try them on a stick and in barbeque sauce as well. There is nothing better than sitting back and smelling a barbeque and when you add seafood to the mix than that is perfect.

Speaking of barbeques, make sure you know how to light one. I am not kidding, last year this happened to me. It was just a simple grill, the type you throw the tiny black squares inside (yes I know what they are called, charcoal) and light. That is it, nothing to turn on, nothing to worry about exploding on you. I had thrown the charcoal bits in the grill, poured LOTS of gasoline on top of them and tossed in a match, two matches, no wait oh I probably threw in half the box of matches but it would not light. I ended up going over to a neighbor's house to ask how to light it. I had not put the charcoal pieces in a pyramid; I will never make that mistake again. The next time I will succeed at lighting it and not have to ask a neighbor for help.

I can almost taste those barbequed shrimps on a stick; maybe I will even add a bit of pineapples on with them.

Popcorn shrimp is very addicting!

That is right, I was rummaging around earlier looking for something quick and easy to make and decided on a bag of frozen popcorn shrimp. You know the type that come in a box and you throw in the stove at 450 for 10 minutes. These were the popcorn shrimp that are tiny and breaded. I only did half the bag as my glass dish I was using would only hold that much, but within minutes of them being done they were gone; I did what anyone else would do. I cooked up the rest of the bag.

Popcorn shrimp is one of those things that you do not have to make with anything else, they are good just by themselves. Of course if you want to mix something with them (making this into a quick and simple meal) I am sure you could quickly fix up some noodles or rice as a side or maybe you would just throw them in. You do not need anything fancy just an 8 oz bag of noodles, boiled, drained and toss in the butter, parmesan cheese and any other spices you may want. Eat up.

Frozen popcorn shrimp in a box is not a favorite for many but when they are this quick who can argue. They are the type of thing to make if you are about to run out of the house or want to heat something up for lunch or a midnight snack, however if you are planning on eating them late I would only make a few. But if you are anything like me the box will be gone by morning.

A Decadent, Romantic Dinner For Two
By Kat Yares

When my husband and I are feeling the full combination of a little bit flush, very romantic and highly decadent we always start the evening with dinner.

Living as far away from a big city as we do, our choices are always limited by the selection at the local super center. It is indeed a limited selection, but it never fails to make us feel like we're special.

So, what does this decadent dinner consist of? First, we start with shrimp. Big, large shrimp, not the tiny popcorn size that you've barely noticed you've eaten. Next, we add scallops to the mix. The big meaty ones that you have to cut with a fork.

Then we add the cheeses. A little Brie, a round of Gouda (preferably smoked), a little Baby Swiss and of course, the required sharp Cheddar.

Our next stop is for bread and crackers. Not for any regular bread, but for what we call tiny bread. Comes in those one inch square packages and is perfect for the cheese. Same with crackers, they have to be the special, expensive ones also.

Now that we have our shopping done, it's time to head home. We put a bottle of wine on ice, and start the shrimp boil. When we're ready, he'll start the shrimp and scallops all in one pot. They are truly delicious that way. Me, I'll slice cheese.

We put all of this on a beautiful silver platter, grab two china salad plates and an empty bowl (for the shrimp shells). We take all this to the sofa and lay it out between us. The wine and the goblets are already there waiting for us.

Then we put on a romantic movie. We watch as we eat and feed each other. We giggle, laugh and cry at the movie while we enjoy a wonderful meal together with no interruptions.

While this may sound very silly and very simple, I can tell you that this meal is much better than anything we could be served in a restaurant, no matter what the price.

Often new cooks back away from serving seafood because it is an unknown to them. I offer a step by step recipe for a fabulous seafood main dish. You can now assure yourself that you, too, can serve a great seafood meal with very little effort. Just follow the steps one by one and amaze yourself, your family, or your guests. Your home cooked meal will have a main dish called Scrumptious Scallop Casserole.
The things you will need to have on hand are: 24 ounces of frozen scallops, 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine, 1/4 cup of onion that has been chopped finely, a can of cream of mushroom soup, a half cup of milk, 1/2 teaspoon of curry powder, pepper, 1 cup of shredded Cheddar or American cheese, 16-ounch can of canned french-style green beans *or* another favorite green vegetable, 2 additional tablespoons of butter, and bread crumbs (from a regular loaf of bread you will be tearing up yourself.)
There, that was easy, making sure that you have the ingredients, but the rest will be as easy as 1-2-3 as well.
Step 1:Simmer your frozen scallops in boiling water for 4 minutes and then drain them. There is no need for a large amount of water, just enough to gently simmer them.
Step 2: Melt your first 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine and cook your chopped onion in it until the onion is soft and tender, but don't allow it to get brown. A high heat is not good for this.
Step 3: When your onion is soft, add your can of soup, the milk, the curry powder, the pepper, and one half cup of the cheese, but keep the rest of the cheese for later use. Stir this mixture until the cheese is melted.
Step 4: Cut through the scallops that you have cooked. Just one slice will be fine unless they are very large to start. This is a matter of preference, cut them to the size you want them to be. Combine the scallops with your french green beans or other green vegetable of choice. If it is a frozen vegetable, make sure it is cooked prior to this step.
Step 5: Put this mixture into your baking dish. A 10 inch by 6 inch dish works well.
Step 6: Pour the mixture you made with the soup over the scallops and vegetable in the baking dish.
Step 7: Put the rest of the cheese you saved over top of the soup mixture.
Step 8: Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and combine it with a cup of soft bread crumbs that you tear up. A piece or two of bread will be all that is needed. When the bread crumbs are combined with the melted butter, put it over the top of your casserole.
Step 9: Bake your masterpiece in a 400 degree oven (that you have pre-heated) for 20 minutes to half an hour until your cheese is nice and melted and the rest of the mixture is warmed throughout.
That is all that is needed, nine steps to a home cooked seafood dinner. Serve this with a side dish or salad, and a dessert of your choice and cooking will never have seemed easier.

Here is a website I found on the Net.

http://www.oceana.org/mercury/testimonials2.html

It's about people getting mercury contamination from seafood. Believe me, it's unavoidable. Whenever we eat animal products, we are essentially are eating everything that animal has ever eaten. That's why it is probably better to avoid meet all together. Okay, maybe this is not the proper forum to espouse a philosophy, or maybe it is, I do not know. But, in any event, I am right. That's why if you absolutely cannot avoid meant; I mean, if you crave beyond life and death, cannot live without it, and if you did not eat it, you would die, it is best to eat meat without the added hormones and antibiotics that these large factory farms add to their meat and dairy products. Most people, actually close to all people, have no idea where their food comes from. I would think that something as essential and fundamental to human survival as eating would not be as impersonal as it is. It seems we, in our modern world, just eat anything without thinking. And believe me, I have been guilty of it all my life.

Where do we get products that do not have all the added crap in it? (I guess I should stick to talking about seafood, huh?) Well, in order to get good quality seafood, you need to get it at a place like Whole Foods Market or Trader Joes, or some other health or whole foods store. Don't buy the Van de Camps crap. (I wonder if we're allowed to trash products on here). You will pay more for it but, believe me, it is worth the extra few dollars that you will spend. I like fish, actually I love most of it, and I do not buy the boxed stuff. Also, if you buy frozen, make sure that it is "flash frozen"; that is, it is quickly vacuum packed right after been caught and skinner and everything. That way, it keeps outside contaminants out. Anyway, don't take my advice. Do the research on good seafood for yourself.

Attention all you seafood lovers! Especially the ones that love to eat shellfish. I have news that might concern you. There is a small chance that various shellfood, such as clams and oysters can make you very ill.

There is a strange bacteria found in certain shellfish that can make you feel like a bad hangover is a mild headache, and maybe even worse. Thousands of seafood coinsurers have been hospitalized with this "poison". Some have even died. People who have diabetes, asthma, liver weakness, or immune deficiencies have the most problems with this bacteria. But if you are a healthy, young seafood eater, you have nothing to worry about. You only have to look forward to a bad, I mean really bad stomachache if the bacteria is ingested.

This information may hurt the restaurant businesses, but I doubt it. If you are anything like me, you will not let this information ruin your dinner. Most shellfish are safe to eat. If you are worried, however, just ask your server where their shellfish come from. If they answer that their fish come from a cold region, you have nothing to fear. The bacteria can only survive in warm waters. So, go crazy, live on the edge, eat some shellfish! Restaurants like Phillps Seafood will thank you.

Have something you would like to share that is related to seafood? Post is as a comment to this message. We'll review it within a couple of days and, assuming it is appropriate and reasonably relevant, then post it to the front page of the site as a new article.

Good golly, we welcome anything related to seafood whether it be recipes, seafood trivia, seafood cooking tips, or even fishing stories.

Check back soon. In the near future we will have articles related to seafood posted at this site. Hopefully you will learn something you did not know before. Perhaps you'll find a new seafood recipe?