Barbecue Shrimp- NOLA Series Part 1

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BBQ, fresh, New Orleans, seafood, shrimp, South, Southern

In honor of Mardi Gras and the amazing Southern culture it celebrates, this whole week will be devoted to NOLA inspired recipes. This first recipe embraces one of the best things about the costal South- fresh seafood. Anyone who has tried it knows it is leaps and bounds better than that frozen crap farmed in Vietnam or where ever. Fresh off the boat is the best! The sauce created by the butter and spices is so delicious. Be sure to have some good crusty bread to sop it up. This is one of the best seafood recipes I have tried in a while. And it’s so dang easy!

Barbecue Shrimp (from Southern Living Sept 2002)

• 1 pounds unpeeled large fresh shrimp
• 1/8 cup butter
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp chili sauce
• 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 lemons, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 tbsp Creole seasoning
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
• Hot sauce to taste
• French bread

Spread shrimp in a shallow, aluminum foil-lined broiler pan. Combine butter and next 12 ingredients in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until butter melts, and pour over shrimp. Cover and chill 2 hours, turning shrimp every 30 minutes. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20 minutes; turn once. Serve with bread.

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The Sights of Charleston, SC

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Charleston, romance, sightseeing, South, South Carolina, summer, vacation

We spent last week in Charleston, South Carolina on vacation. It is the home of my great aunt. The place where my parents went to college and married. The state where my mom’s family lived since the 1700s. It was my husband’s first visit to the Low Country and I was so eager to show it to him.

There are many things to do in Charleston, SC. So many things that we had to make a list. I am not one of those people who plans out every second of the trip. But if I don’t have a rough guide, I will end up site tracked or sleeping too late to do anything. We had a list of about 20 things to see and managed about 10 of the most interesting sights of Charleston.

At the tip of James Island is a park with gorgeous view near the Yacht Club. We went there are dusk and the views were stunning.

We took a boat tour to Ft. Sumpter, where the first shots of the Civil War were exchanged between Union troops at the Fort and Confederate troops on Battery of Charleston Harbor. It cost $17 per adult, $10 for kids and lasts about 2 hours and 15 minutes. Plenty of time to enjoy the sights and not get bored.

The boat ride over was a great way to see the Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge. Designed by Parsons Brinckerhoff, it is the third longest among cable-stayed bridges in the Western Hemisphere and reminds the viewer of the sails of a boat. It is one the most beautiful bridges I have ever seen. I confess, I took nearly 30 photos of the bridge from several angles around the harbor. The best place to view the bridge was from the deck of the Ft. Sumpter tour boat.

We stayed with my aunt, who lives on James Island. When you travel to James Island, you have to drive across the James Island Expressway, which connects the peninsular Charleston with the island. The view from the bridge is stunning. You can see the marsh, Charleston Harbor, and the gorgeous sailboats. Unfortunately, there isn’t a good place to stop and take a photo. So you will just have to see it for yourself.

We saw the Angel Oak on Johns Island. Estimated to be 300 to 400 years old, the oak is thought to be the oldest living organism east of the Mississippi River. It is located in an unassuming little park and was a nice quiet break from the hustle and bustle of the city. It was astounding how HUGE the tree is!!! You really should visit!

There were several beautiful churches like this one….

And this one….

There are the cobblestone streets in parts of downtown. These are just so Old South to me!

We had a wonderful time in Charleston. It was so wonderful to reconnect with each other and to relax. It is hard to believe that in less than a month we will have been married 3 years (and have known each other 7 years).

I could list a million things
I love to like about you
But they all come down to one reason
I could never live without you