Alexandra Roussos Theris and her husband, Nate, live in historic Midtown Mobile with their silver lab puppy, Willow. They are also the owners of Midtown’s BLOOM Play Studio, a creative children’s indoor and outdoor play space offering sensory and messy play experiences, children’s cooking classes, birthday parties, camps, and special events.
Both Alexandra and Nate come from Greek families with a background in the culinary arts and love creating special recipes for family and friends to enjoy.
“I am formally a Montessori teacher, and my love of cooking carries over into our studio. I offer a variety of children’s cooking classes and camps for our community,” shared Alexandra. “With endless options and lessons for children of all ages, our studio has become a place where we can share our joy of cooking with Mobile’s families! Every camp at our studio includes a baking or cooking recipe.”
Alexandra learned to cook and bake with her Yiaya, which is the Greek name for grandmother, at a very early age. That special bond has stayed with her into adulthood and her favorite thing to do is to share that love and passion for culinary creativity with her students.
“Our puppy, Willow, has grown up in the studio and can often be seen waiting patiently on the floor for snacks during camps and classes,” Alexandra lightheartedly shared. “She is a true studio, pup and enjoys being around the kids as much as they love being around her!”
Alexandra and Nate wanted to share one of their favorite dishes to prepare. They often cook dinner together at home because they enjoy quality time together and believe that life is sweeter when they eat around the dining room table.
“Greek spaghetti was always a staple in my Yiaya’s kitchen. I often think about how hectic and busy meal times can be for families with young children, and it doesn’t get much easier than Greek spaghetti,” Alexandra said. “This recipe is a beautiful blend of all the things we love most! Zesty Greek-style shrimp with the rich comfort of brown butter spaghetti and a touch of southern flair with Conecuh sausage, yum! This recipe is as easy as it is delicious and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser event with some of your pickiest eaters!”
Pan Seared Greek-Style Gulf Shrimp with Conecuh Sausage and Brown Butter Spaghetti
Ingredients:
- 1/2 package smoked Conecuh sausage
- 1 pound medium to large whole, peeled and deveined shrimp, fresh or frozen
- 8 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- fine sea salt, ground pepper, garlic powder, and oregano
- lemons wedges and fresh parsley
- 1 box linguine or spaghetti noodles
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 1-2 cup grated parmesan, asiago or romano cheese
Directions:
1. Prepare the Conecuh sausage. Remove the Conecuh sausage from the packaging and slice it into even pieces. Heat a non-stick skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the sliced Conecuh sausage. Cook the sausage for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until it is browned and cooked through. Set aside.
2. Prepare the shrimp. Season the shrimp with salt, pepper, garlic and oregano. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and pan-fry for 3 minutes turning them as needed to get even color on both sides.
3. Take the pan off the heat and let the shrimp sit in the hot oil for 30 seconds more then transfer to a plate. Add 2 tablespoons of the frying oil to a small bowl and mix with 4 tablespoons of lemon juice. Drizzle over the shrimp.
4. Prepare the Greek Spaghetti. Cook spaghetti until al dente. Drain spaghetti and leave in colander or drainer. Put the butter into the hot pan and put it back on the burner, making sure the heat is medium to medium-high. Stirring constantly, cook butter until it’s a nice, light to medium brown. Remove pan from heat. Quickly return the spaghetti to the pan, turning to coat the strands with the butter; the spaghetti should glisten with the light coating of butter. At this point, you can add a bit more butter if you like. Once butter coats the spaghetti, add cheese and mix well so that bits of the cheese stick to the spaghetti evenly.
5. Transfer pasta to a serving dish. Add the Conecuh sausage and top with Greek-Style Shrimp. Garnish with fresh lemon wedges, extra cheese and parsley.
Photos by Haley Ames Photography.
Author: Gabriele Jones
Gabriele has been married to her husband Daniel for 16 years. Together they have three incredible children - two boys, ages 15 and eight, and a sweet girl who joined the family last summer. She is a full time Pink Cadillac Sales Director for Mary Kay Cosmetics. When she isn’t spending time with family or building her business, she supports her husband who is the Lead Pastor and Planter of Forward Church in Foley.
