Travels in the South

Every once in a while, your body just craves a good steak – well so says mom/dad.  And when mom craves steak, dad takes full advantage and takes her to a local steakhouse that they both love.  On this date, mom/dad shared this plate above, of course with a side salad.  This is one of mom’s favorites – a ribeye steak fire grilled on an open flame, medium please.  The juices were still running and mom licked her lips before jumping in with both feet to eat her way out.  And of course by splitting the meal with daddy, that does mean 1/2 the calories.  Dad said it was an awesome dinner.  When was the last time you had steak calling your name?

 

Shopping Around the World

Shopping Around the World this month is being hosted by our great friends Shoko and Kali with Canadian Cats – thanks ya’ll! ❤

  This month we are highlighting seafood recipes.  Now mom/dad usually go out to eat seafood but there is the rare occasion when mom uses the big box in the kitchen for something more than a paper weight and actually cooks dinner.  Now having this assignment of seafood, mom thought she would fix one of dad’s all time favorite meals in the world.  She fixed it and then dad sat and wondered did he miss an important date?  Was he in trouble for something?  Did mom overspend on a credit card?  What was the special occasion.  That’s when mom told dad that she loved him ❤  So, here it is my friends – mom’s seafood special.

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 Are you hungry yet looking at that picture?  I had to fix the hub unit’s favorite meal – ribeye steaks, french fries and fried shrimp.  Of course you don’t see the salad on the side.  I have to get the hub’s veggies in somewhere with this meal.  I’ll tell you the prices for everything and break down the shrimp for you.

◊ Ribeye Steak – I had some in the freezer.  I usually buy the entire loin and have the butcher cut them for me.  The last time I bought steaks, it cost me around $50 and I got 16 steaks. I then take them home and wrap everything up individually to freeze.  By buying the entire loin like this when it is on sale, the price per steak comes out around $3.15 per steak.  Two steaks $6.30

◊ Two large baking potatoes.  Buying a pack of potatoes at Sam’s Warehouse it costs $8.00 for about 20 potatoes.  That’s around $0.40 each potato.  Two potatoes $0.80

◊ One pound of fresh shrimp (or frozen but make sure they are thawed out).  I got large 31-35 count shrimp this date from the market.  They cost right $8.00 a pound.  And trust me, I fixed them all for dinner and none were left.  My hub will snarf these down like potato chips ❤

So the entire meal will cost less than $17.00 for two people.  And yes we could stretch the meal; but, this was the hubby’s special meal and he likes to pig out on it – and you will too.

How to fix the shrimp:

I like to put all of my shrimp in a colander and run them under cold water for a few minutes.  This makes sure that they are all thawed out.  Shake the colander and make sure all of the excess water is out and pour them in a bowl.  Here’s the fun part – making sure they are all clean and deveined.  Take this kitchen hint, you can buy them cleaned and already deveined.  You may have to pay a little more.  I have been cleaning shrimp all of my life.  It’s something that my dad taught me so it takes no time to fix them right up.  Once they are all cleaned, wash them again to make sure all of the ick is removed.  Once you start cleaning the shrimp, you will know exactly what that ick is that I’m talking about – LOL.  I like to take a mallet and pound my shrimp out a bit.  Don’t whack them too hard.  Just enough to smoosh them a little so they will lay flat.  (Look at mine above for size for flattening).

In a bowl mix together a cup of flour, a cup of cornmeal, salt, pepper and a little cayenne flakes.  In another bowl mix together, milk, 3 eggs, salt, pepper and cayenne.  (We like them a little spicy – you put as much or not at all according to your tastes).  Go ahead and put your grease on the stuff and let it get hot.  Here’s the secret to a really good crust on shrimp or chicken.  You want to dip your shrimp in the flour/cornmeal first, then to your wet mixture and then back to your dry.  After that, the little shrimp go for a swim in the hot oil.  When they turn a pretty brown, they are done.  If it’s like our house, most of the shrimp won’t make it to the dinner table because every one is hanging out in the kitchen eating them as they come up hot from the grease.  They are highly addictive.  Don’t say I didn’t warn you 🙂