Chili, Lime and Garlic Grilled Shrimp

In the South, nothing says summer like shrimp.... you know Forrest Gump: Lemon Shrimp, boiled shrimp, BBQ Shrimp, Shrimp Etouffee.... do I need to go on? You can make a marinade for your shrimp out of just about anything. Toss it in a Ziploc bag and let them swim around for a while, then grill those babies up.... nothing better! Here's a quick summer shrimp recipe that you can make for a party or for supper for two on the deck.... it will make you feel like you've taken a trip to the beach, even if you didn't! I like to serve this one with a super cold beer with a lime squeezed in to cut the heat of the chili. Sooo good!

CHILI LIME & GARLIC GRILLED SHRIMP

Ingredients

6 limes (zest and juice 3-4, save the others for garnish)

4 cloves garlic , minced

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

1/8 teaspoon chili powder

Dash cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes

2 pounds large shrimp , peeled and deveined (I leave the tails on-- or you CAN leave the peel on)

1/4 cup cilantro , chopped

Directions

Zest three limes and juice them.  You'll want about 1 tablespoon of lime zest and one 1/2 cup lime juice.  Place all ingredients into a large Ziploc bag. Toss and refrigerate 30 minutes. Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before grilling. Thread skewers with 4 to 5 shrimp each. Remember- if you use wooden skewers, you need to soak them in water for an hour before you put them on the fire. Shrimp are DONE when they just turn pink. Any more heat will make them tough! Light your grill or heat your grill pan to medium. When coals are medium-hot or grill pan is heated, put the shrimp on a paper towel to absorb the excess marinade. Place the skewers on the heat. Grill 2 to 3 minutes on each side, just until curled and pink in color. Remove from grill and slide off skewers. Serve with a squeeze of lime over cilantro lime rice or just with some nice crusty bread.

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