If I had to make a list of my top 5 sandwiches, a classic BLT would certainly be near the top. The toasted sour dough bread, mayo, juicy tomatoes, crunchy bacon and crisp lettuce nearly always yield a scrumptious sandwich. A sandwich that I thought could not get any better. That is until I tried a BLT with the addition of spicy, succulent Cajun shrimp. Now that my taste buds have experienced this delicious combination, this sandwich just might inch its way past the traditional BLT on my sandwich list.

Fish sticks were probably one of my childhood favorites. We didn’t eat them that often so whenever I sat down to a wonderful plate of fish sticks, french fries and some green stuff, usually broccoli,  I felt like it was a special treat. Between that and the fact I spent many recesses in the library for fun, I’m beginning to think I was a weird kid. But weird kid-ness aside, I must admit that it has been a long long time since I have had fish sticks.  To my surprise I was craving them lately. Instead of running to the frozen aisle, I decided to make my own from scratch. It was surprisingly easy.

Yesterday was pretty warm, well by Seattle standards anyway, and today is going to be even warmer. For some reason warm weather always makes me crave tacos. Who doesn’t love tacos? To me they just scream summer time. Perhaps it is all of the bright flavors or the fact that they go so well with a cold bottle of Corona. Either way, these shrimp tacos are definitely the perfect summer time supper. They are quick, easy and light. They also showcase some of my favorite flavors: cumin, chili powder, cilantro and lime.

I am at odds with myself as summer pushes on and the days get hotter. I love cooking, but some days it is just too hot to even think about turning on my stove or oven. On days like this I turn to light, flavorful dishes that are easy to prepare and can be cooked outside on a grill.

Mmmm…rolls. Not the kind you serve with turkey at Thanksgiving, but the Asian style wrap kind. The kind stuffed with tons of wonderful goodies. From ground pork to shrimp to veggies only.  I’m talking about egg rolls, spring rolls, lumpia, summer rolls, salad rolls. Whatever you want to call it, I love them.  You can get a variety of them in just about any Asian restaurant and I’ve even seen them popping up on many traditional American restaurant menus. Most of the time they are fried.  Now don’t get me wrong, they are delicious fried, but a recent trip to a Thai restaurant inspired me to try the non-fried version at home. They are cool and crisp and stuffed with a tangy mixture of shrimp, cucumbers, carrots, cilantro, green onions and sweet Thai chili sauce.

Last week I shared a recipe for Cajun Popcorn Shrimp that reminded me of my childhood. This week I thought I would add another twist to the recipe. I decided to place these crunchy little devils on a sandwich. Inspired by the classic New Orleans dish the Shrimp Po’ Boy, this french bread sandwich is filled with Cajun popcorn shrimp, a slightly spicy spread, shredded lettuce and tomato.

Something about the hot sunny weather makes me want to eat better. I have been proud of myself lately. I have been eating a lot more fruits and vegetables, cutting back on the fried foods and the trips to Taco Bell. Perhaps it was all of this healthy eating and the fact that it was cold and cloudy, that caused me to have a craving for something ultra creamy the other night. Since I had been eating so well,  I thought it would be perfectly fine to allow myself a little splurge. This pasta fit the bill perfectly. How could it not with succulent shrimp and tender scallops simmered in a garlicky cream sauce with a hint of lemon?

I’ve been on a real kick with these summer recipes lately, and its not even really summer yet. But when the sun is out and the temperature rises, I crave cool dishes like this spicy shrimp and avocado cocktail.  This really just came together when I was looking for some sort of side dish to go with my Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Chimichurri Sauce. I looked through the fridge and happened to find an avocado, tomato, red onion, jalapeno and cilantro. My first thought was guacamole and chips, but then I remembered that I also had some prawns and thought, wouldn’t a cool chunky avocado, shrimp and tomato concoction be yummy? And it was :)