Sriracha Shrimp and Candied Bacon Crostini…and a Giveaway

Good news, you guys…I’m back.

Have you missed me?  Oh come on now…certainly ONE of you has.  Mom?

Yeah, okay.

Anyway, life has been a bit nuts lately, and travel and television spots have kept me beyond busy, but I’m still here and I’m still cooking.  This time…for National Shrimp Day.

Yes, it exists.

National Shrimp Day is May 10, just in time to kick off summer and seafood and beach trips and bonfires.  Grills will fire up and sandy toes will be the trendiest accessory.  I am SO ready for this.

Lucky for me, I was just recently approached by SeaPak to work with them on a long term basis, and I am THRILLED.  Their products were already in my freezer, they are available at my local grocery store, and we absolutely love the products.  If you’ve not tried it, you should…the quality is undeniable.  Living in the mountains means seafood is a treat for me, so to be able to get it in a safe, convenient, and great tasting way means a lot to me.  SeaPak delivers.

And yeah, I would have said that anyway.  No one needed to pay me.

So…National Shrimp Day. SeaPak has a huge collection of great ideas and recipes on their site, but I was challenged to create my own.   I wanted to make something perfect for summer entertaining.  The key is simple and yet delicious.  You don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen. You don’t want to have to dirty up a million dishes.  You don’t want to be so busy prepping that you can’t enjoy your company.

Crostini is perfect.  Sriracha Shrimp and Candied Bacon Crostini is even better.

Oh Yes I Did.

Super simple.  So simple, in fact, I feel kind of lame calling it a recipe.

Bread, SeaPak Popcorn Shrimp, Candied Bacon.  That’s pretty much it.  But when it comes together, you have a symphony of yum.

To keep things even easier,  I take advantage of the grocery store and bakery, and I make no excuses.  Sure, I can make my own baguette, but why?  My local bakery makes them every single day and they are delicious!  And that lady needs a job, so, I’m saving my economy, right?  One loaf of bread at a time, kiddos.

The candied bacon? Easy as well.  I make a huge batch in advance and just keep it around for occasions that call for sweet, delicious candied meat.  A baking sheet full of bacon, sprinkled with plenty of brown sugar, then baked at 350 until crispy?  That’s all it takes.  Be warned though – it is terribly addicting.

And then the SeaPak Popcorn Shrimp.  Literally heat and eat. Plus, If you are clever and lay down a piece of aluminum foil on your baking sheet, you won’t even have to wash the pan!  You can thank me later.

Yes, there is a little more to the recipe than the above, but trust me, it’s a snap, and you’ll get rave reviews.  Pull it together for your next shindig and watch the plate disappear.

Enjoy!!

Sriracha Shrimp and Candied Bacon Crostini

Ingredients

• 1 French Baguette, sliced
• 2-3 tablespoons butter
• 1 12 oz box SeaPak Popcorn Shrimp, prepared
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons Sriracha
• 1/2 cup candied bacon, chopped
• Cilantro, to top

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Spread butter onto each baguette slice, then bake until slightly crispy.
2. While bread is baking, combine mayonnaise and sriracha in a small bowl.
3. When bread is crisped, remove from oven and top with mayonnaise mixture.  Top with prepared shrimp, then replace into oven for 2 minutes.
4. Remove after baking and add candied bacon pieces and cilantro.  Serve and enjoy!

The Giveaway

To help YOU all celebrate #NationalShrimpDay, SeaPak is giving away one 12-Piece Rachael Ray Porcelain II Nonstick Cook Set and one free SeaPak product coupon, so that you can have all the tools you need to make your favorite shrimp dishes. Enjoying the fresh, coastal taste of shrimp would be so much easier with these great tools! Want more ideas on ways to enjoy shrimp? Head to SeaPak’s Facebook page for delicious ideas and ways to save!

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Disclaimer:  I am an ambassador for SeaPak.  All thoughts and opinions are my own. Giveaway courtesy of SeaPak.