Pan-Seared Shrimp Po' Boys - August Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club

Welcome to my second Virtual Supper Club Dinner where myself and 4 other food bloggers get together for a meal all inspired by recipes from Cooking Light. This month's theme is Regional Cuisine. We each chose a recipe that represents where we live.

I live in Pensacola, Florida (click here for visitors information) which is a very unique part of Florida. This area is also known as the Florida Panhandle or Northwest Florida. Some even call it LA which stands for Lower Alabama since we are about 15 minutes from the Alabama line.

Did you know that Pensacola is celebrating it's 450th Birthday this month. It was back on August 15, 1559 that Spanish sailor Don Tristan de Luna and 1500 other people came to Pensacola. This area is considered the first European settlement in the Continental U.S. We have a nickname which is The City of Five Flags because Pensacola has been ruled by Spain, France, Britain, the confederacy and the United States. There is a military base stationed here. The Pensacola Navy Yard was built in 1826 and is now called Pensacola Naval Air Station. One of the most beautiful areas we have are the beaches. Sugar white sand beaches surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico. Pensacola is a mid-sized city but with all the charm and friendliness of a small Southern town.

Pensacola is on the Gulf of Mexico so when our Virtual Supper Club chose the theme of "Regional Cuisine", I knew I wanted to do a seafood dish. Specifically, I wanted to showcase the shrimp that comes from the Gulf of Mexico. Another influence to Pensacola is the close proximity of Louisiana. We are about three hours from New Orleans, which has a great effect on the local cuisine.

A well known New Orleans dish are sandwiches called Po' Boys. Po' Boys are submarine type sandwiches that are usually made with fried shrimp or oysters. They can come "fully dressed" with lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise. Some also include pickles and onion. So, when I saw Pan-Seared Shrimp Po' Boys in the July 2009 issue of Cooking Light Magazine, I immediately knew this was the perfect meal to represent my town, Pensacola, Florida.

This sandwich was a fantastic healthier alternative to the traditional Po' Boys with fried shrimp. The heat of the pan-seared cajun spiced shrimp was cooled off by the creamy homemade tarter sauce. We had ours "fully dressed" with lettuce, tomatoes and red onion.

Click here for the Pan-Seared Shrimp Po' Boys recipe

What did everyone else bring to our Virtual Supper Club Dinner?

(click on name to take a closer look)

Val - Bruschetta with Peach Salsa and Melted Brie

Helene - Spinach Salad with Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette

Aggie - Key Lime Pie

Shelby - Double Maple Cupcakes

What a wonderful meal and such a great way to learn more about where we live and how food is such a big part of our cultures and our communities. Join us next month for our Cooking Light Lunch Menu theme.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: This recipe calls for salt-free cajun seasoning. I could not find a salt-free brand at my grocery store. Click here for a salt-free cajun spice that I quickly put together at home. I did omit the white pepper since I didn't have any. Now, I have a batch made up that I can use for other purposes like grilled chicken or baked cajun fries.