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

Dicing the ingredients well will help these patties form easier and stay together.  Remember you are forming cakes not making a stew!  Combining the ingredients thoroughly will help too!

1 pound shrimp, shelled, finely diced
1 7.5 ounce package cornbread mix
½ cup celery, finely diced
1/3 cup onion, finely diced
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 whole egg
1 additional egg’s white
cooking oil spray

Cook the cornbread according to directions in a 8” pan.
Turn out cornbread and let cool to reduce moisture.
In a large bowl crumble the cornbread well by hand or fork.
Add the diced celery, onion and shrimp to the cornbread.
Stir together, mashing with a fork.
Add the seasonings and mayonnaise and mix well.
Separately mix the eggs and then add, mixing well.
Heat a skillet to medium-high.
Spray with oil.
Form patties using 1/3 cup of the mixture.
Cook 5-6 minutes.
Spray w/ oil before turning for 3-4 minutes more.

Makes 12

Whether it’s called “Lowcountry Boil” or named after another locale, most boils have the same traditional ingredients.   And don't forget - the more shrimp the better!


4-5 pounds of shrimp, uncooked, unshelled
4 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
2 pounds small red potatoes, washed
1 ½ pounds smoked sausage
1 package 24 frozen mini corn ears, thawed


Fill a large stock pot with at least 6 quarts of water.
Add the Old Bay and salt and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile quarter the potatoes.
When the water boils cook the potatoes for about 20 minutes.
(until they are mostly but not completely cooked.)
Meanwhile slice the sausage into 1 1/2" - 2" slices.
Lower the heat to a simmer and add the sausage and corn.
Cook for 10 more minutes.
Add the shrimp and cook about 5 more minutes.
(or until shrimp are done.)


Serves 10

Wrapping egg rolls is easy to do and the directions are often on the wrapper packages (or you can google).   Look in the produce section for the wrappers.   We baked ours for less fat and less fuss.

1 ½ lbs shelled shrimp, cooked, chopped
1 16 oz package tri-color slaw
½ cup teriyaki sauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 package 20 egg roll wrappers
Cooking oil spray

Chop any big pieces in slaw package.
Heat skillet over medium-high.
Spray skillet generously with cooking oil.
Add slaw mix and stir, cooking until soft (10-12 minutes).
Add teriyaki sauce and cook until sauce mostly absorbed.
Add shrimp and stir, cooking until shrimp are done.
Strain if necessary so that mixture is not soggy for wrappers.
Spray a cookie sheet with oil.
Roll egg rolls using approx 2 heaping tablespoons of mixture per roll.
Place the egg rolls on the cookie sheet and spray tops with oil.
Cook at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
Turn over and cook for 4-5 minutes longer or until desired crispness.

Serve with a sauce of your choice.

Makes 20

If you like shrimp scampi, or simply if you're a fan of very easy recipes this might be one for you!  There are various versions of this around but here's our version.


20 ounces raw, shelled shrimp
1/4 cup margarine
2 lemons, thinly sliced
1/2 package Italian salad dressing mix

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Put the margarine in a 9"x13" pan.
Place in the heating oven to melt the margarine.
When the margarine has melted remove pan.
Lay out the lemon slices to cover the bottom of the pan.
Evenly top with the shrimp.
Sprinkle the half package of dressing mix evenly over the shrimp.
Bake for 20-25 minutes depending on the size of the shrimp.

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

Shrimp (“camarones” in Spanish) Relleno provides a little "South of the Border" flavor.   This easy to make Relleno Sauce uses ingredients found in most pantries so give this a whirl and serve over rice or in a tortilla.  

1 pound uncooked shrimp, shelled
cooking oil spray
1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon salt
1/16 teaspoon cinnamon
1 small bay leaf
¾ cups chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes, un-drained


Heat a skillet over medium-high.
Sauté the onion and garlic until soft.
Add the seasonings, broth and can of diced tomatoes.
Simmer until thickened (about 20 minutes).
Add shrimp and stir until shrimp are cooked (about 5 minutes).

Serves 4

Allow a little prep time for this and divide evenly between skewers.   Suggestion:  6 12" skewers with 6 shrimp each.




36  raw shrimp  (size “36-40 count”), shelled and de-veined
9 slices of bacon cut into 4ths
1 cup BBQ sauce

Wrap each shrimp in a slice of bacon and thread the skewer through     it in such a way as it secures the bacon at each end and around       the shrimp.
Put 6 wrapped shrimp on each skewer.
Heat grill to medium and grill skewers for 8-10 minutes turning frequently.
Brush each skewer with BBQ sauce and cook 4-6 minutes longer. 
(Bacon should be cooked before removing from the grill.)
Note:  A skewer set that has a rack that allows skewers to be turned is helpful.  Otherwise try a sheet of aluminum foil under the skewers.

Makes 36

Shrimp and grits recipes are as diverse as those who fix them. This is the typical way I fix them depending on what's on hand. Serve over grits for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Shrimp, shelled and de-veined (I allow ½ lb per person)
2 tablespoons oil
1 medium onion, diced well
½  large green pepper, diced well
1/3 cup crumbled bacon
1  15oz can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup bourbon
½ cup  BBQ sauce
½ cup water


Heat oil in large pot.   
Add bacon bits, brown onion and pepper.  
Add tomatoes, bourbon, BBQ sauce and water.   
Let simmer and thicken.  
Add shrimp and cook 3-4 mins or until done.

Serves 4-6