Weekend Round-Up Part One

Late Summer's Taste 

Scampi is a term used to denote a special kind of sea food preparation. The scampi recipe is usually simple with the shrimps being sautéed or boiled and served in accompaniment to a garlic and butter sauce. The recipe is popular all across the United States of America and Canada while the Italians call the Dublin Bay prawns as scampi. The different meanings for the same word often give rise to confusion. Certain food dictionaries also refer to the term scampi as the plural of the Italian word scampo meaning prawns.

Fire Up the Grill and use the foil packet grilling method for your favorite shrimp scampi dish. Shrimp Scampi is usually served over rice or  pasta but cooked polenta would be another tasty alternative. Pair the meal with a fresh, colorful and simple summer salad Tomato, Cucumber, and Avocado Salad. Add a sweet finish to the meal with an old fashioned summertime treat Root Beer Floats and Chocolate Chip Cookies.  

Shrimp Scampi

Cook's Notes: 

One 16. oz. package of shrimp serves four when divided about 7-8 pieces of shrimp per person. Recipe adapted from damndelicious.com

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Uncle Ben's Wild and Long Grain Rice 
• 1- 16. oz. package uncooked thawed shrimp with tails, peeled and deveined
• 4 tsp. of melted butter
• 2 TB. dry white wine
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• fresh herbs-total of 3-4 TB. parsley, rosemary, thyme 
• 1-2 TB. fresh lemon juice
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• Sea salt and ground pepper to taste

Directions:

• Make rice according to box directions.
• Preheat gas grill to medium high.
• In a large bowl, combine shrimp, wine, fresh herbs, lemon juice, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Marinate for 5 minutes. 
• Cut 4 pieces of foil about 12 inches long. Use a slotted spoon and divide shrimp mixture evenly into 4 equal portions in the center of the foil. 
• Then divide the liquid equally. 

• Fold up all 4 sides of foil packets covering completely and sealing packets closed. 

• Place foil packets on grill and cook just until cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. 
• Serve immediately over rice.

Another meal option is cooking shrimp in foil packets with half an ear of corn.  

Tomato, Cucumber and Avocado Salad

Cook's Notes: Recipes serves four.

Salad Ingredients:

• 2 cups tomatoes (red, yellow and orange), diced and patted dry on a paper towel 
• 1 large English cucumber, peeled and diced
• 1 large avocado or 2 small, peeled, pit removed and chopped
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• Optional chopped Romaine

Dressing Ingredients:

• 2 TB. each fresh basil and parsley
• 3 TB. white balsamic, Pomegranate Quince or Oregano Balsamic 
• 2 TB. Olive oil or Lemon Olive Oil
• 1 TB. honey
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 garlic cloves, diced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Place all dressing ingredients in screw top jar or blender and mix well. Refrigerate for one hour. 
• Re-shake and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over salad right before serving.

Old Fashioned Summertime Treat-
Root Beer Floats and Chocolate Chip Cookies