Ive been making Monday night dinner for a couple of my girlfriends for several weeks now, and the orzo with feta, tomatoes, and dill I made last night was their favorite so far.I made the original recipe a bit heartier and healthier by adding chopped spinach and sauted shrimp.It was good-looking, fragrant, and really delicious.Heres how I perfectly prepared the shrimp:

1. About 12 hours before you plan to cook them, place frozen raw shrimp in a small colander over a bowl in the fridge. This allows the ice to melt away without the shrimp sitting in water. Cover the top of the colander with tin foil or plastic wrap.

2. Once thawed, rinse the shrimp with cool water for a few seconds and remove tails and shells if need be.If shrimp are still a bit frozen, rinse under cool running water few minutes until they soften completely.Gather discarded tails and shells in a plastic grocery bag tied tightly before you throw them away to keep your kitchen smelling nice.

3. Swirl a large non-stick pan with olive oil and heat on high until oil is almost smoking.

4. Pat shrimp dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.I also like to add a couple shakes of dried red pepper flakes.

5. Place shrimp in the hot pan and let cook for 1-2 minutes on each side. Make sure the shrimp have enough room so they arent touching.This may mean cooking a couple separate batches.