Some Like It Hot...Some Don't - 3 Days of Food Network Recipes

Last week, I was on a Food Network kick. Nothing fuels my passion for cooking more than watching an episode of Giada or Paula, or perusing the network's website for the top rated recipes. I tried to mix it up a little, choosing one shrimp dish, one beef dish and one chicken dish to prepare for the week. Since I made R.R's Spit Fire Shrimp first, I will start with that recipe. I made it last Monday, which was a day completely filled with chaos. I spent the morning running errands, bringing my son back and forth to pre-school, peeling my daughter off of chairs and chandeliers and tending to mountains of laundry. In short, my attention span was very limited.
I completely rushed to get dinner on the table. It took some time because I was intermittently cooking and prying my kids apart as they fought over Thomas the Train.
My kitchen smelled divine and the shrimp looked mouth watering. My husband can not wait for anyone else to start eating, so he dove in immediately. I noticed he wasn't commenting, just chewing slowly and thoughtfully. Then I noticed something funny. My husband is normally pasty white. I watched as his neck turned crimson and the heat moved up to his cheeks, then his forehead. Sweat dripped from his brow. He took a giant gulp of orange soda and said, "Wow! Spicy!" Now, I knew it would have a kick, I just didn't know how much of a kick. I took a bite. My eyes teared. My nose started to run. I breathed fire and nearly singed the dog's tail. In my case, I loved it. It is the kind of spicy I truly appreciate. As we finished dinner, I had a a moment of clarity. I had forgotten that I only made a half batch of shrimp for the recipe, so the sauce was a double dose of fire breathing hotness. OOPS! Up next: Bobby Flay's Grilled Bracciole

Rachael Ray's Spitfire Shrimp from foodnetwork.com
1 lime, juiced

2 ounces (1/4 cup) hot cayenne pepper sauce
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon crab boil seasoning
4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

2 shallots, chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
2 pounds jumbo shrimp peeled and de-veined* (I used frozen)
12 to 15 blades fresh chives, chopped, for garnish
Directions
Preheat large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.

Combine lime juice, hot sauce, cumin, red pepper flakes and seafood seasoning blend.
Quickly saute garlic and shallots in oil and butter for 1 minute, add shrimp and cook 3 minutes, tossing and turning frequently. Dump pink, firm, cooked shrimp from hot pan into hot seasoning blend and toss in seasoning mixture to coat shrimp evenly. Garnish with chopped chives. Serve warm or chilled.