I LOVE TO COPYCAT!

One of my very favorite restaurants to go to for a special occasion is Red Lobster.  You might have figured out from my posts that I’m a real seafood connaisseur.  So I had to come up with some of my favorite dishes to make at home for dinners on the “not so special” evenings.  Shrimp Scampi is one of those dishes that makes any night you have it RALLY special.  Add some Cheddar Bay Biscuits and I’m as happy as Neptune’s Daughter!

COPYCAT RED LOBSTER SHRIMP SCAMPI

1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined

1 tablespoon pure olive oil

2 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped

1-1/2 cups white wine

1/2 fresh lemon, Juice only

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 cup of butter, softened

1 tablespoon parsley

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Heat medium sized skillet over medium high heat. You can tell that your skillet is hot by dropping a water drop onto the surface of the skillet. If it sizzles, your skillet is heated.

Add olive oil and cook shrimp 3-5 minutes until they’re pink.

Remove shrimp and set aside then reduce your heat to medium.

Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes then add the white wine and lemon juice and cook until the liquid is reduced to about half.

Reduce your heat to low, add the Italian seasoning and butter and cook until the butter is fully melted.

Once your butter is melted, add the parsley to your skillet then add your shrimp back in. Stir gently to coat your shrimp in the sauce and cook on low for a few minutes to heat and allow the sauce to cook to the shrimp a bit.

Remove your skillet from the heat and cover with Parmesean cheese.  Serve hot with a piece of crusty bread and salad

COPY-CAT CHEDDAR BAY BISCUITS

These copycat biscuits are unbelievably easy to make in just 20 minutes, and they are so much better than the original!

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

For the topping:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 450 degrees . Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, salt and cayenne pepper, if using.

In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together buttermilk and butter. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist. Gently fold in cheese.

Using a 1/4-cup measuring cup, scoop the batter evenly onto the prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

For the topping, whisk together butter, parsley and garlic powder in a small bowl. Working one at a time, brush the tops of the biscuits with the butter mixture.   Serve immediately.  Yield 10 biscuits