Food Friday

Happy Friday! Any big plans for the weekend? Not us. We (mainly me) are thinking about maybe a movie one night and then a drive with the top down one afternoon. It's almost reaching the boiling point here in Georgia so you have to schedule your drives for just the right time. Otherwise your makeup drips right off your face and your nose get sunburned. Not that I would know.

Okay let's talk about food. I am totally consumed with shrimp right now. I am eating them for lunch and supper. This is what I do: I buy about 2 or 3 pounds of fresh shrimp at a time; peel, devein and de-tail; throw them in the grill pan with just a dash or two of Mrs. Dash (garlic flavor is my favorite) and about a tablespoon of olive oil ; then cook them until they turn pink (that's about 5-7 minutes). I just put a few on a salad for lunch or with some veggies on the side for supper. Oh, I just can't tell you the deliciousness. Just fyi - J and J has a fresh seafood counter at all of the stores. I happen to know for a fact that the seafood is extremely fresh and good quality.
Please don't be intimidated by the whole peeling and deveining process. It is not that difficult. It may take a few minutes if you are doing a few pounds at one time but it is well worth it for the fresh flavor. There is natural break in the shell on the back of the shrimp. Just put your thumb nail in the break and pop off the shell. Then grab ahold of the tail and pull the meat of the shrimp away from it with the shell. The veins are obvious so they are easy to get out.

This week on the "What's for Supper?" segment we have been talking about salads: black eyed pea salad, fruit salad, taco salad, and the ever-popular chicken salad. This chicken salad recipe has a twist and good one at that. All of the recipes are available on the J and J Foods website; http://www.jandjfoods.com/; just click on the What's for Supper link. The current day's recipe will appear and the previous recipes are archived.
This Shrimp Salad is just amazing. It's good on toasted bread, crackers or of couse, just with a fork. I've served this for occasions such as showers and parties for years.
You really need to make this. You do.


Shrimp Salad

Ingredients
• 1 pound large peeled and deveined cooked shrimp; cut in half
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 large carrot, shredded
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. In a large bowl, gently toss the shrimp, celery, carrot, onion, eggs, and mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Chill until ready to serve.
3. Serve alone, on toasted bread; with crackers or on a bed of romaine lettuce.