Shrimp Avocado Salad

This dish is doubly inspired by Claire Robinson of 5 minute fix...1st off, No Cook Dinner, 2nd 5-ingredient Taco Night. With the way we've been sweltering in this NYC heat, this was the perfect cool bite for a hot summer night.

It's also a great, inexpensive use of shrimp, and a dish that would cost a lot in a restaurant, but is pretty affordable and goes a long way at home :)

Ingredients:
- 1 avocado (diced)
- 1/2 tomato (diced -- seeds and membrane removed)
- 1/2 lb shrimp (pre-cooked, frozen is fine)
- 1/4 jalapeno pepper (minced)
- 1 lime
- lemon pepper
- salt
- olive oil

1. Dice shrimp (cut each into 3 bite sized pieces) -- If frozen, rinse with cold water to thaw and let sit til unfrozen; squeeze out excess liquid.
2. Season shrimp with salt, lemon pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Set aside.
3. Chop avocado, tomato (removing seeds), jalapeno (the green skin only). Season with salt/pepper, squeeze 1/2 lime.
4. Add shrimp. Stir (or mash for a smoother salsa) and season to taste with lime salt/pepper.

Serve with Tortilla Chips.

Goes great with...Mojitos!

Recipes to try: Drunken Shrimp

I HATE The Neely's from Food Network, but they are cooking a combination of a few great standbys that I bet taste even better together: beer and shrimp! Then they serve it with another great combination: cocktail and barbeque sauce!

Almost as easy as Shrimp Cocktail...you basically just dump the ingredients into a pot and boil the shrimp -- simple!

Can't wait to try it :)

Ingredients

• 2 (12-ounce) bottles lager style beer (recommended: Budweiser)
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 onions, quartered
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1 tablespoon Neelys Seasoning Rub, plus more for garnish, recipe follows
• 1 tablespoon crab boil seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 whole peppercorns
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Lemon wedges, for garnish
• BBQ Cocktail Sauce, for garnish, recipe follows

Directions

Add all ingredients, except shrimp and garnishes to a large saucepan on high heat. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Add the shrimp and cook until bright pink, about 5 minutes. Drain the shrimp from the cooking liquid and place in a serving dish. Chill or eat while warm, sprinkled with the dry rub before serving alongside Cocktail Sauce.

Neelys BBQ Seasoning:

• 1 1/2 cups paprika
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 3/4 tablespoons onion powder

Add all ingredients to a bowl and stir until combined. Keep in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

BBQ Cocktail Sauce:

• 1/2 cup Neelys Barbecue Sauce, recipe follows
• 1/2 cup prepared horseradish
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 lemon, juiced
• Dash hot sauce

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until use.

Neelys BBQ Sauce

• 2 cups ketchup
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 5 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
• 1/2 tablespoon ground mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 1 hour 15 minutes.

Yield: 3 1/2 cups

A twist on ceviche...

Spicy Tropical Shrimp Boats from "Cooking With all things Trader Joes"
All aboard! Shrimp, mango, and jalapeños set sail on endive boats. No utensils needed for this seafood adventure. The sweet flavors in the fruit salsa offset the slightly bitter taste of crunchy endive. Be prepared for the salsa’s spicy kick!

1 cup frozen Medium Cooked Tail-Off Shrimp, thawed ½ cup Fire Roasted Papaya Mango Salsa Salt and pepper 1 head fresh Belgian endive, leaves separated 2 Tbsp refrigerated Cilantro Dressing Cilantro for garnish

1. Dice shrimp into cubes. Mix shrimp and salsa. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Spoon shrimp mixture onto endive leaves. Arrange shrimp boats on serving platter and drizzle with dressing.
3. Garnish with cilantro.

Variation: For a more traditional (and less spicy) shrimp salad, use ¼ cup Cilantro Dressing or other creamy dressing instead of the fruit salsa. Garnish with cilantro.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Serves 4 (2 boats each)