Rosemary Skewered Shrimp

I took these little guys to my friends Alisha and Molly's dinner party. I served them with my Creamy Herb Dip. They were easy, tasty and very pretty! There were ten people at the party, so I only put one shrimp per rosemary stem. If you're cooking for more people, or have less rosemary to work with, add two or three shrimp per stalk.



Rosemary Skewers

You'll need a lot of thick rosemary steams. Clean and dry them. Then trim them, if needed.

Firmly hold the top of a rosemary stem between your fingers. Use your other hand to grab the bottom of the herb. Slid your fingers down away from the tip of the rosemary, removing the needle like leaves. You want to clear a space large enough for your shrimp to fit on it.

Set the skewers aside.

Chop the rosemary that you remove from the stalk and use it in the marinade, stalk, and dip.

Marinade

24 Shrimp - peeled and deveined (reserve the heads and shells)
1/5 cup Evoo
1 T Soy Sauce (I used gluten free)
Lemon Juice from 1/2 a lemon (reserve the squeezed lemon)
3 cloves Garlic - crushed and peeled
Black and White Pepper
Cayenne
Smoked Paprika
Thyme
Rosemary
Chives
Sugar
splash of White Balsamic Vinegar
splash of Water

Mix everything together in a bowl. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Creamy Herb Dip - Dressing

I made this for a dinner party appetizer of Rosemary Skewered Shrimp. The dip was great with the shrimp, and I have used the leftovers for lots of things since then.



2 c Mayo
1/2 c Buttermilk
8 oz Sour Cream
Juice from 1/2 a Lemon
2 T Fresh Chives - thinly sliced
2 T Fresh Parsley - chopped
2 T Fresh Rosemary - finely chopped
1 T Fresh Thyme
2 T Capers - drained and chopped
1/2 t Smoked Paprika
1/4 t Cayenne Pepper
1/2 t Garlic Salt
White Pepper

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl.

Thyme for Biscuits

The smell of fresh bread is always a crowd pleaser. Biscuits are quick and easy, but still give you the same satisfaction as freshly baked bread.



1 Egg
2/3 c Cold Milk
2 c Flour
4 t Baking Powder
3 t Sugar
3/4 t Garlic Salt
2 t Fresh Thyme (leaves only)
dash White Pepper
1/4 c Shortening
1/4 c Cold Butter

Preheat oven to 450°.

In a small bowl, beat an egg and the cold milk together. Then place it in the fridge.

Mix the next six ingredients together in a bowl.

Spicy Red Wine and Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce

It snowed another couple of inches last night, so we stayed in. I made this sauce from what was on hand. It turned out to be very tasty! I served it with fettuccine and broccoli, but any pasta and vegetables would work. I think shrimp would be a nice substitute for the chicken too. As always, have fun with it!



1-2 T EVOO
1/2 Onion - diced
1 Celery stalk - dice
s/p
1 Chicken Breast (boneless, skinless) - diced into small pieces and seasoned with s/p (optional)
3 cloves Garlic - diced
1/4 - 1/2 c Red Wine
Garlic Chili Sauce (or other hot sauce)
1/2 28oz can Muir Glen Whole Fire Roasted Tomatoes
fresh Thyme
Fresh Basil - chiffonade
1 T cold Butter
1 1/2 c Broccoli Florets - Blanched, Chilled in an Ice Bath, and Drained (not needed for the sauce, but it adds flavor, color and great texture)

If you're making pasta with the sauce, start to boil a large pot of water. I blanched my broccoli, and then cooked the pasta in the same water. Don't forget to heavily salt the water before cooking anything in it.

Heat EVOO in a skillet over med-low heat. Then, add the onions and celery. Stir occasionally.



When the onions are clear, add the chicken pieces to the pan.



Turn the heat up a little so that the chicken browns, but doesn't burn. You're looking for a golden brown.

Stir in the garlic.

Once the chicken has started to brown, deglaze the pan with your red wine. You want the pan to be hot when the wine is added. If you're scared of the alcohol flaring up, turn the flame off as you add the wine. Then, turn it back on.

Use a spatula to scrape up and incorporate any brown bits from the bottom and sides of the pan into the sauce.

Carrot Soup

I made this soup for a Thanksgiving starter, but I think it would be a great spring/summer soup as well. Adjust the amount of garlic, ginger, and juice to your taste. If you want a sweeter soup, add more apple juice (or you can also substitute orange juice). For a spicier soup, add more garlic and ginger.



2 T Butter
1 T EVOO
2 Celery Stocks - diced
1 Onion - diced
1/2 Orange Bell Pepper
Garlic - minced, diced, or crushed
Ginger - peeled and cut into small pieces
s/p
1 bunch Fresh Thyme
1 t Turmeric
8 Carrots - peeled and sliced
1 large Potato - peeled and diced
1 can Coconut Milk
Apple Juice
4 cups Vegetable Stock