Shrimp Po'Boys

Yes, I'm way behind again in posts, quit yelling at me. I keep thinking uploading these cooking sessions in batches after a week is more efficient, but it's really not. It's just a cop-out because, really, roller derby takes a lot out of a girl. All I can do is promise to try harder to post more frequently.

So, first up for tonight: shrimp po'boys, chicken wings, and baked fries. I've already covered the chicken wings before, and they were just as tasty this time around. The problem is, I've started a (for lack of a better word) quest to find the perfect hot sauce. Tabasco and Texas Pete, while great flavors, just don't provide the heat I want now. So, for this time around, I did a half-and-half mix of Texas Pete and Yucatan habanero hot sauce (which, to my taste buds, is just a touch hotter than Tabasco; still not quite what I'm looking for, but a good start nonetheless). Again, heat is so subjective, it's really up to you how hot you want your wings (or any food, for that matter). Per usual chicken wing "protocol," just serve with your favorite dipping sauce, some carrots and celery.

I've also covered the baked fries multiple times; this particular night, I used salt, pepper and Old Bay seasoning for a little kick.

On to the shrimp po'boys...one of the great things I find about shrimp is that it is relatively hard to screw it up. I just seasoned some fresh white shrimp (NOT the pre-cooked stuff) with salt, pepper and a little Cajun seasoning (yeah, I know, probably backwards to use Old Bay on the fries instead of the shrimp, but that's just me, being a little rebel). I sauteed the shrimp on medium-high in about 1 Tbsp. of canola oil until a coral color. In the meantime, I used some leftover chicken wings sauce and mixed it with some mayo to taste. I spread the mayo on a toasted hoagie roll, topped with thinly sliced red onions, tomatoes and lettuce and served it up with the fries. Simple, but full of flavor.

To wash it all down, I've become a fan of sangria. There are a variety of sangria recipes you can find across the Internet, but I chose a Bobby Flay recipe for a rose sangria. You can search for white or red sangria recipes, but I like the semisweet taste of white zinfandel for this (even though I think it tastes like shit on its own, it makes for a great base for sangria). It's really quite simple, and something that is quickly become a weekend indulgence: grab a bottle (or two) of white zinfandel and chill. In the meantime, make a simple syrup (yeah, it really is simple: just bring equal parts water and sugar to a boil until sugar dissolves; remove from heat and let cool; I use one cup sugar to one cup water for this recipe). Thinly slice a green apple and orange. Pour the chilled zinfandel in a pitcher, add the sliced apples/oranges, drop in a pint of fresh blackberries or raspberries, and pour in the cooled simple syrup. Chill; just before serving, add some ice cubes to a wine glass, top with the sangria and add club soda or 7-Up and enjoy!