Baked Bang Bang Shrimp

I was assigned to help conduct interviews this past weekend. Interviews are so much easier when you are on the other side of the table, and so much more entertaining.

It absolutely blew my mind some of the things that came out of the potential employees mouths, and truthfully had me ending the afternoon feeling much better about myself.

Everyone has a personality trait that's just a tad bit off, but I thought that the average college student could dull their craziness for a twenty minute interview. Clearly my expectations are set far to high.

There were some moments where I had to hold back a giggle, or hide my complete shock.

Q: What do you think will be the most challenging aspect of the job, and how do you plan to overcome this challenge?
A: I really don't like bugs, they kind of scare me. So definitely having to kill bugs.
(Bugs are not involved in the job description, whatsoever.)

Q: Talk about a time when you had to work with someone who was different then yourself.
A: I used to work at waffle house, and once this guy I worked with taught me all about East and West coast crack.

Q: Talk about a time you were on a team. What do you think makes a successful team?
A: Any team?
A: What type of team?
A: Like a sports team?
A: My soccer coach was a complete jerk, I wanted to stab him.

Thanks for applying, we'll get back to you in two weeks.

Since I don't get to conduct interviews every day I decided to take the task of making myself feel better into my own hands: BAKED BANG BANG! (Also known as oven fried.) Inspired by Bonefish Grill's amazing shrimp appetizer, which is tender shrimp, breaded and fried, and then tossed in a creamy sauce with a kick.

I got a copycat recipe for Bang Bang Shrimp here and made it feel-good worthy, aka much healthier!  And then I ate it, and felt darn near incredible. Here's to feeling better by the bite.

Sauce ingredients:

Breading ingredients:

Coat shrimp in flower mixture and then dip in egg wash. 

Then coat in Panko mixture.

Place the breaded shrimp on a cookie sheet.

Coat top with cooking spray, bake about 7 minutes. Flip, spray, and cook again.

Toss baked shrimp in prepared sauce.

Garnish with green onions.

Serves 2-4 as an appetizer

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled

Spicy Sauce:
1/2 cup lite mayonnaise
4 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon rice vinegar

Egg Mixture:
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk

Breading Mixtures:

Bowl 1:

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
Bowl 2:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil

Optional garnish:

1 green onion, chopped (green part only)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix together all spicy sauce ingredients in a small bowl, cover and set aside.
3. In a shallow bowl beat together egg and milk mixture. In two separate shallow bowls prepare breading mixtures by combining ingredients.
4. Bread shrimp by first coating with bowl 1 breading mixture, next dip into egg mixture bowl, then coat with bowl 2 breading mixture. Place breaded shrimp on a cookie pan lined with a silicon mat or parchment paper.
5. Spray shrimp with a layer of cooking spray. Bake for 7 minutes. Turn over shrimp, spray with a layer of cooking spray. Cook another 7 minutes.
6. Place cooked shrimp in a large bowl and coat with prepared sauce. Garnish with chopped green onions.

Note: If you run low on any breading or milk/egg bowls simply add reduced ratios of ingredients to replenish. Spraying the shrimp with cooking spray helps them crisp up and brown during baking. For spicier shrimp add more chili garlic sauce to the spicy sauce.


Linking to: Recipe Party, Tuesday Talent Show, Talent Tuesday, Shine on Fridays, Whats Cooking Wednesday, We Did It Wednesday, Strut Your Stuff, Shine On Fridays, Feature Yourself Friday, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Makin You Crave Monday, Made By You Monday, Show Your Stuff, Manic Monday