Make-Fast Mondays: Old Bay Shrimp with Tomatoes and Corn

I recently bought my first tin of Old Bay Seasoning and love using it to add some sass to seafood. Cook up this delicious dinner for two in just a few minutes, and bonus points for only using one frying pan to put it all together!

Old Bay Shrimp with Tomatoes and Corn
1 tablespoon butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
Kernels from 1 ear sweet corn
1 large Roma tomato, cored and diced
1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
Salt and pepper

In a large frying pan (nonstick if you’ve got it), melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for a minute, until fragrant. Add corn, tomato and jalapeño and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season vegetables with salt and pepper and distribute between two dishes. Heat olive oil in the same frying pan you used for the vegetables. Add shrimp and cook until pink. Dust with Old Bay Seasoning and stir to coat. Add half the shrimp to each of your two dishes and enjoy.

Make-Fast Mondays: Farro Salad with Shrimp and Corn

My local supermarket’s selling 5 ears of fresh corn for a dollar right now. What better time to take advantage of this seasonal favorite with a quick salad packed with chewy farro, succulent shrimp and sweet, summery corn?

Farro Salad with Shrimp and Corn 
Serves 6 

1 cup farro
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 ½ pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kernels from 2 ears of sweet corn
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 cup diced red onion
½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of water and farro to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the farro is tender, about 30 minutes. While farro is simmering, make the dressing by blending 5 tablespoons olive oil, 3 tablespoons lime juice, red wine vinegar, garlic and jalapeno in a blender until smooth. Set aside. Heat remaining tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan. Add shrimp and cook until pink. Remove from heat and drizzle with remaining tablespoon lime juice. Drain the farro and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the shrimp, corn, pepper, onions, onion, cilantro and dressing. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Adapted from Greens + Grains: Recipes for Deliciously Healthy Meals.

A soup with plenty of spuds and spice

We’re not big potato eaters but every once in awhile I’ll spot a ginormous bag of spuds at the grocery store, see that it costs mere pennies, and before you know it I’ve hoisted a bag into my cart.

This is what happened during my most recent trip to the supermarket, when I spent a whopping $2 on 10 pounds of white potatoes (this soup was the result of my last cheap-as-dirt potato deal). I also picked up some end-of-season corn for 25 cents per ear.

It’s finally cooling down and feeling like fall, and these super-cheap ingredients were the basis of one of the first of many soups and stews I plan to make in the coming months. I like the sweet flavors of the corn and the cooked red onion mixed with a little bit of kick from the jalapeno, diced green chiles and cumin.

Spiced Potato and Corn Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large jalapeno, seeds removed, diced
1 medium red onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
2 pounds white potatoes, cleaned and cut into small cubes
2 ears of corn, husked, kernels cut from cobs
7 cups chicken broth
4 oz. can diced green chiles
Salt and pepper, to taste
Green onion, for garnish

Warm oil in a large heavy pot. Add jalapenos, red onion, garlic and cumin and cook mixture, stirring occasionally, for just a couple minutes. Add potatoes, corn and broth to pot, cover pot and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Use two-cup glass measuring cup to scoop six cups of soup into blender. Puree soup mixture and pour back into the pot. Stir in the green chiles and simmer for just a couple more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.