Home again, home again.

Thanks to my reunion, it's been a couple of crazy days around these parts, kids.

Aside from marveling at how everyone looks exactly the same as they did at graduation ten years ago, we spent most of the weekend eating Dining Services' cooking and drinking, well, anything and everything. (And that's all I have to say about that.)

As a result, I was craving some simple, basic, homemade food on Monday. I kicked off the morning with a simple scramble (eggs, red pepper and scallions) and followed that up with a lunch of delightfully spicy shrimp cooked in a quick, easy tomato and basil sauce. (The basil is courtesy of my windowsill garden, which is thriving marvelously this season.)

It took about fifteen minutes, start to finish, and it was the perfect thing to eat on the couch, from a bowl, before enjoying a big glass of iced coffee (Stumptown, of course) and a few episodes of Twin Peaks.

And as much as I hankered for a simpler, collegiate life this weekend, it sure was nice to be home, alone, in my very own grown-up apartment.

Spicy Shrimp with Tomatoes and Basil

2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 lb. medium or large shrimp, shelled, deveined, rinsed and dried
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1 tbs. dry vermouth
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
5-6 large basil leaves, thinly sliced
Kosher salt

In a medium skillet, warm the oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the shrimp in one layer (cook them in separate batches if necessary) and leave them be for a couple of minutes, until their bottoms start to turn pink. Using silicone tongs, turn the shrimp over and cook until they are just barely cooked through (pink and opaque throughout). Remove to a plate and set aside.

If you need to, add a bit more oil to the pan, followed by the garlic. Saute for a minute, until fragrant but not starting to brown, then add the tomatoes and basil. Continue to cook for a few minutes, until the tomatoes start to break down just a bit. Add the vermouth and scrape up any little shrimpy bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the pepper flakes and cook for a few minutes, until most of the vermouth has evaporated.

Return the shrimp and any juices to the pan, and cook for a minute or two, until the shrimp are warmed through and evenly mixed with the tomatoes. Taste for seasoning (you'll definitely want salt) and serve immediately.

Serves 2 as a main course.