BBQ Shrimp

Saturday my friend Veronica and I drove up to St. Louis to the Soulard Farmers Market to do some and shopping. I had to hit the Soulard Spice Shop to stock-up on some much needed spices, coffee and pick up some seafood and some goat cheese. Veronica bought some goat meat (which she prepare that night), goat cheese, okra and a few other things.

Being at the market Saturday made me very excited because in about two months farmers’ markets will be in full throttle. Beautiful produce, great tastes and visits with the farmers….I can’t wait.

The trip made me think of a great recipe that I made last summer for a bbq we had at our house with our friends. I realized I hadn’t even posted about this recipe on the blog today and wanted to share it with you.

When we made this BBQ Shrimp recipe a lot of my friends told me they had never had BBQ shrimp on the grill…..What a SHAME! Shrimp on the grill is one of my favorite ways to prepare shrimp.

Mr. Story’s BBQ Shrimp
Recipe courtesy The March Family
Boy Meets Grill
Big Texas Family Grilling

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 teaspoons coarse black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon hot sauce, or more if you like it spicier
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 pounds extra-jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), shell left on
3 tablespoons olive oil
Chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 loaf French bread

Heat the grill to high.

Place a few large cazuelas or a large high-sided saute pan on the grates of the grill. Add the butter, pepper, salt, lime juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire and thyme and cook until the butter has melted and the mixture begins to simmer. While the butter mixture is melting, toss the shrimp with the oil and place on the grill in an even layer. Grill for 20 to 30 seconds per side then transfer to the butter mixture, stir to combine and cook until the shrimp are just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.

While shrimp is cooking, split bread in half, sprinkle with olive oil and salt and pepper, and place on grill, cut side down, for 1 to 2 minutes until toasted.

Serve shrimp with the grilled bread.

(PHOTO: This photo is from the Food Network.)

Stromboli Anyone?

Today is my co-worker Shelley's birthday and we started the day with breakfast food (almond coffee cake, breakfast casserole, milk, oj, a Double Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake....yes that's right cake for breakfast...so good). Now, we are moving on to lunch and afternoon snacks (stromboil, spinach dip, hot wings, chips, key lime pie, cake, cheesecake dip, fruit and cream and much more!)

My friend Veronica made the Stromboli and I love these yummy sandwiches. Here is the recipe she uses. And if you are interested in the background of the word Stromboli here is what Wikipedia says.

This rolled baked sandwich is perfect for feeding a crowd of hungry sports fans, or a hungry family for a casual supper. You can really use any combination of meats, cheeses and even veggies you choose, so take our suggestions with a grain of salt. One hint however, the more veggies you use, the more liquid they'll release, so too many veggies can make a somewhat soggy stromboli. Use as many different fillings as you like, but it's important to not layer them too thickly, as this will make it difficult to roll the stromboli.

Corn Beef & Cabbage for St. Patrick's Day

From the recipe archives.....Corn Beef and Cabbage is one of my all-time favorite meals. Corn beef is also one of the easiest meal to prepare and can be excellent leftovers that will last and last.

This is from the archives... Happy St. Patrick's Day and hope you get the chance to grab a green beer.

Corn Beef & Cabbage
By Lane

1 corned beef (I usually get a 3-4 pound one)
1 head of cabbage
2 T. butter
1 red onion, chopped, coarsely
1 parsnip, chopped
4-5 new potatoes, quartered
Seasoning packet with corned beef.
Plus add:
1 T. garlic powder
1 bay leaf

Place all veggies in large crock pot on low setting. Place corned beef on top and add all seasonings (including the packet that comes with the corned beef.) Cook on low for about 8 hours. I usually put the crock on around 7:30 and turn it off when I get home about 5:00 pm. The meat will be so tender it will fall apart.

I like to serve this with a simple salad and dinner rolls.

Need a New Chicken Recipe

I’m not a “big” chicken fan when it comes to cooking. Why? Simple: I was a beef cattle girl.

But, I will give credit when credit is due. Giada De Laurentiis’s Roman Style Chicken is incredible!

I made this last night and tried something new. I cooked a pot of angle hair pasta and then mixed the pasta and chicken dish together in a large baking dish to make it easier to serve. The pasta soaks up all the goodness from the wonderful sauce this recipe makes. I add a little more garlic and more canned diced tomatoes because I like the extra sauce for my pasta.

I don't have any fresh herbs from my garden right now - so I just used dried herbs this time, and it was still a wonderful dish. BUT- I can't wait until the farmers' markets open and my herb garden is full of my favorite smells and tastes.

Great recipe hot off the oven and even better the next day!

Roman Style Chicken
By Giada De Laurentiis, Food Network

4 skinless chicken breast halves
2 skinless chicken thighs, with bones
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
3 ounces prosciutto, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a heavy, large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.Keeping the same pan over medium heat, add the peppers and prosciutto and cook until the peppers have browned and the prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, wine, and herbs. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, add the stock, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes.

If serving immediately, add the capers and the parsley. Stir to combine and serve. If making ahead of time, transfer the chicken and sauce to a storage container, cool, and refrigerate. The next day, reheat the chicken to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the capers and the parsley and serve.