Shrimp and Butter- what's not to love?

There have been few things that I have made that make Andrew really stop and gush about. I like to think that this is not because my food is not “wow worthy” but rather that I set the bar too high for myself early on. One of the first things I made for him was shrimp and grits (which he gave me a funny look about when I told him what I was making), but is so delicious that I feel most things are measured against it. When I made this, Andrew went gaga. So you know it really is magical. It is shrimp, layered with butter, lemon and spices and baked. Sounds simple, but is so delectable! And because the shrimp are baked in the shell, it is a fun meal and a long, enjoyable one, when you can chat and just let the butter drip down to your elbows as you unpeel the shrimp and mop up the sauce with a bit of bread. Yum!

Buttery Cajun Shrimp
1 ½ sticks butter, melted
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. garlic powder
3 scallions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 pounds medium shrimp, with shells on
1 lemon, thinly sliced
French bread, for dipping

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients but shrimp, sliced lemon and bread. Pour half into a 2 quart baking dish. Layer half of shrimp and half the lemon slices. Repeat layers of shrimp and lemon slices. Pour remaining sauce into the dish.
3. Bake, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are pink, about 20 minutes. Serve family style or ladle sauce into individual serving dishes. Serve with French bread for dipping in the tangy, buttery sauce.

(And yes, you know when there is butter, Paula Deen is usually involved! This is from her newest cookbook, the Southern Cooking Bible.)