1.5 pounds shrimp, shelled, chopped coarsely
6 large potatoes, washed
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons margarine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped finely
6 large garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
6 ounces heavy cream
8 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons milk
2/3 cup cracker crumbs
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Slice potatoes long ways into 12 boats
Turn skin side up and brush with olive oil
Sprinkle with Kosher salt
Wrap each boat in tin foil
Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes
Meanwhile heat the margarine and olive oil over medium in a pan
Cook the onion and garlic until soft
Add the salt, Old Bay and cream
Add the shrimp and cook until pink
Add the Swiss cheese and stir until melted
In a small bowl mix the flour and milk until smooth
Turn up the heat to med-high to low simmer
Stir in the flour mixture
Let thicken and set aside
When the potatoes are done remove and let cool enough to handle
Unwrap and scoop out about 2/3 of each boat
(Save for another purpose… mash?)
Place the 12 boats in a baking dish
Divide the shrimp mixture between the 12 boats
(about 1/3 cup each)
Top with cracker crumbs and shredded cheddar
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes
Let cool slightly and set up before serving

Makes 12

Two favorites come together here: tomato pie and shrimp!  Enjoy the bounty of the sea and the garden in this version of the classic tomato pie!


1 cup coarsely chopped uncooked shrimp
1 9" deep dish pie shell, pre-baked 
2 large tomatoes, sliced 1/4" thick
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
flour to sift

Pre-bake the shell at 350 for 5-6 minutes.
Poke a few holes in the bottom with a fork before baking.
Slice tomatoes and let drain on slotted rack or draining board.
Mix salt, onion, mayonnaise, cheese and shrimp.
Spread 1/3 of this mix in the bottom of the pie shell.
Sift flour on both sides of the tomatoes.
Layer half of the tomato slices over the cheese mixture.
Cover with 1/3 of the cheese mixture.  Spread evenly.
Layer the remaining tomatoes on top.
Spread the remaining 1/3 of the cheese mixture on top.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
Let cool completely.

Makes 8 slices

Everything except the shrimp goes in the blender making prep and cleanup a breeze.  And using whole shrimp makes it eat like a meal.  Mix, bake, enjoy!  


1 pound shelled whole shrimp
4 eggs
1 ¼ cup half n half
¼ cup flour
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
8 ounces Swiss cheese
1 medium onion, cut into 8ths
2 deep dish pie shells

Put all but the onions and shrimp in a blender.
Mix well on high.
Add onions, blend briefly.
Divide the shrimp between the two pie shells.
(If they are especially large shrimp you may want to cut in half.)
Divide the blended mixture between the shells.
Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes.
Let cool completely before slicing.

Yield:  2 quiches or 16 slices

Fresh is best – when it comes to shrimp and also with your herbs when possible.  Check your produce section for fresh cilantro and if you like a bold taste try poblano peppers in place of standard green peppers.

1 pound shrimp, shelled
cooking oil spray
1 medium onion, chopped finely
1 medium green pepper, chopped finely
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cumin
1   4-4.5 ounce package long grain wild rice mix
3 tablespoons lime juice  
2 ½ cups finely shredded Colby / Monterey Jack cheese
10 8” tortillas

Heat a skillet to medium-high.
Spray with oil and cook the onion, pepper and garlic until soft.
Meanwhile chop the shrimp coarsely.
Leave the vegetables in the skillet.
Add the cilantro, salt and cumin.
Discard any seasoning mix that came with the wild rice.
Cook the wild rice according to the directions in the same skillet.
When almost all of the liquid is absorbed add the shrimp.
Cook until the shrimp are done.
Stir in the lime juice.

Assemble the quesadillas:
Spread 2/3 cup of the cooked mixture on each of 5 tortillas.
Top each with ½ cup cheese, spread evenly.
Top with a tortilla.

Cook in a quesadilla maker or one at a time in a skillet.
For a skillet: heat to medium-high.
Spray with oil.
Cook for 5-6 minutes or until starting to brown.
Turn carefully with spatulas or tongs.
Cook for 5-6 more minutes or until starting to brown.
Cut into each quesadilla into 6 wedges.
(Kitchen scissors are great for this!)

Makes 30 wedges

Fill this lasagna with shrimp and you'll have an instant family favorite!   The Marsala wine and onions are a sweet complement to our beautiful, tasty American shrimp.



3 cups raw, shelled shrimp cut in halves or thirds
1 16 ounce box lasagna 
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped
3 tablespoons margarine
2 cups Marsala wine
4 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce
2 lbs ricotta cheese (soften to room temperature)
4 ½  cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese to grate when serving

Cook lasagna according to package directions.  
You will only need 9 strips but cook them all since some tear.
Add oil before draining to help from sticking.
Drain lasagna.
Meanwhile heat a skillet to medium-high.
Cook onions in  margarine until soft.  
Stir in sherry or wine and reduce, stirring,  until wine is thickened.  
Cut off  and remove from heat.
In a separate bowl mix the shrimp with 3 cups of spaghetti sauce.
Reserve 1 1/2 cups of spaghetti sauce.
Spread 1/2 cup of the reserved spaghetti sauce in a 9"x13" pan.
Place 3 lasagna strips lengthwise in the pan.
Spread 1/2 of the ricotta cheese on top of the strips.
Top this layer with half of the onion mix from the skillet.
Top this with half of the shrimp-spaghetti sauce mixture.
Top this with 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella.
Repeat the previous 5 steps.
Top with the last 3 lasagna strips.
Top with the remaining 1 cup of reserved spaghetti sauce.
Top with the remaining mozzarella.
Cover with foil.  
Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.
Remove foil and bake a few minutes more for a bubbly, browned top.

Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Serves 6

“Fra Diavalo” literally means “devil brother” and is a popular sauce often used with shrimp.  The “devil” in this case is the peppers.  This is only moderately spicy.  If you like a bolder taste then go ahead and take it up a notch! 

1 ½ cups shrimp, unshelled, uncooked
2 14 ½ ounce cans whole tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped finely
3 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper
1 12” thin pizza crust
½ pound mozzarella, shredded

In a large skillet empty the two cans of tomatoes and their juice.
Slice them into small chunks in the skillet.
Add the onion, garlic, Italian parsley, salt and peppers.
Cook over medium-high stirring occasionally until the sauce is thick.
Add the washed but unshelled shrimp and cook 10-12 minutes longer.
(We cook them in the shells to enhance the flavor)
Cut off the heat and remove the shrimp to remove shells.
Cut the larger shrimp into several small pieces.
Spread the sauce on a store-bought 12” thin pizza crust.
Top with the shrimp and then the mozzarella.
Bake at 450 degrees for 12-14 minutes.

Makes 8 slices

This spread makes a great sandwich and here it is served on cornmeal English muffins.  What better than the two Southern favorites of shrimp and pimento cheese?


8 oz cooked, shelled shrimp, chopped
1/3 cup celery chopped very fine
2 tablespoons onion chopped very fine
1/3 cup pimento cheese spread
4 corn English muffins

Mix the first four ingredients. 
Toast the muffins. 
Divide mixture between the four muffins.

Makes 4 sandwiches

Appetizer time!  This is easy to make, tasty and presents well at a formal gathering.  And it's equally welcome in front of the TV or at tailgating.


1 cup finely chopped boiled shrimp
1 can crescent roll dough
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
½ cup finely shredded Swiss cheese
½ cup finely shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
½ cup finely chopped onion
½ cup mayonnaise

Open the can of crescent roll dough.
Separate into 4 rectangles, pressing together.
Cut each rectangle into 8 squares.
Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
Bake for 5 minutes at 350 degrees.
Mix all remaining ingredients in a medium bowl.
Use a fork to mash and blend well.
Divide the mixture between the 32 squares.
Bake 8-10 minutes until melted and lightly browned.

Makes 32 

House-Autry flattered me by using my shrimp fritter recipe in their Bicentennial Cookbook.  What an honor!  If you like to fry make a batch of these and eat up!




1 1/3 cups chopped shrimp
2/3 cup House-Autry Hushpuppy Mix with Onion
1 1/3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Chesapeake Bay seasoning
1/2 cup water
oil for frying

Mix all ingredients.  
Form into 1" balls.
Fry at 350 degrees for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

Makes about 3 dozen