Recipes from our Friends: Jody's BBQ Shrimp

Our friend Jody W of BirminghamI had the great pleasure of meeting Jody from our mutual friend Jessica Cooley- you might remember Jessica as our gorgeous, blonde bombshell RV driver from the Martie Knows Parties tv pilot we filmed last year? Anyway- since then, I've gotten to know Jody better and found out that she's quite the cook. We worked on a tornado clean-up effort together last week and I'm her biggest fan! She talked about this BBQ Shrimp recipe and I told her could not wait to try it. As luck would have it, perfect timing, she sent it to me on National Shrimp Day! Thank you for sharing your recipe with us, Jody! Can't wait to dip that bread in and take a bite! Yummmyyyy!

JODY'S BBQ SHRIMP

Makes enough for 4-6 depending on how hungry you are. I say 4... they are that good. 

Ingredients

4 lbs unpeeled large fresh/frozen shrimp
2 lemons cut into wedges
2 bay leaves
1 cup of butter, melted
1 cup of ketchup
1/2 cup of Worcestershire sauce
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning (find it in most spice aisles or near the seafood counter)
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme 

Place the shrimp in a 13x9 inch pan; top with lemon wedges and bay leaves
Stir together butter and the next 6 ingredients. Pour over shrimp. 
Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until shrimp are pink. Stir every 10 min.  Discard bay leaves.

Serve with lots of fresh French bread for dipping.

FOLLOW MARTIE ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE RECIPES, COCKTAILS, IDEAS, CONTESTS, AND FUN!

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.

FOLLOW MARTIE ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE RECIPES, COCKTAILS, CONTESTS, AND IDEAS!

Martie Knows Grilling: Cedar Planked Salmon

Perfect for easy entertaining, this salmon recipe will be one you go to when you really want people to think you've fussed... and you'll be smiling because you know you didn't!  You can plank and grill any fish, but salmon delivers the best results to me. Enjoy!

Cedar Planked Salmon

Cedar Planks ( I like one for each guest-- I serve right on the plank-- make sure to put something underneath because it will be charred on the bottom)

4 Salmon fillets (make sure any bones and skin are removed)

1/2 cup Olive Oil plus 1 tablespoon for the planks

1/2 teaspoon each salt & pepper

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Coleman's Dry Mustard

1 tablespoon butter, room temp

Get cedar planks from your favorite culinary store, Lowe's, World Market or even Target. Look in the BBQ section. Soak your planks in water at least two hours before grilling. I've added a little bourbon to my soak and once I even added Tabasco. Didn't seem to do much to the flavor.

Next, while your planks are soaking, get your trusty Ziploc bag; add all ingredients except the salmon. Squish all of the ingredients around and add the salmon about an hour before grilling. Keep it chilled until grilling.

Heat coals to medium-high heat (hold your hand over for a 3 count) Remove the planks from soaking. Place on the grill to dry slightly and then lightly rub planks with a little olive oil to keep fish from sticking. Remove the fish from marinade and place on the planks. Top with a lemon slice if you like. Grill with the top closed for 12-20 minutes (despending on the size and thickness of your fish) or until the salmon flakes easily. Mist any flare ups or if the edges of the plank start to catch fire.

FOLLOW MARTIE ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE RECIPES, IDEAS, AND CONTESTS!

Martie Knows Parties: 4th of July Recipes: My BBQ Rib Rub, Mixed Grill with Cilantro Pesto, and more

Looking for party ideas for your gang this 4th of July? Me too! I'm so busy this week that I'm just now making plans. If you're still looking for ideas for your get-together, here are some of my past and present favorites that will help you make your holiday entertaining a breeze!

THE FOOD

Put some of these easy salads and grilling all-stars on your Fourth of July menu.... yum!

START WITH FRESH TOMATOES

This Grilled Flatbreads with Tomato and Basil recipe from MyRecipes.comlooks wonderful and easy. Try it as a spin on a typical Caprese Salad or try one of my easy tomato salad recipes below:

TIPSY CHERRY TOMATOES

CAPRESE KABOBS

MINI BLT BITES

READ MY BLOG POST ON EASY PARTY STARTERS FOR MORE TOMATO RECIPES THAT ARE PERFECT FOR SUMMER ENTERTAINING!

FROM THE GRILL

I'm going to try this new recipe from MyRecipes.com this 4th of July: Mixed Grill with Cilantro Pestosince I'm always looking for something new to add to my grilling repertoire. But, you can't go wrong with the classics either. Here's a rerun of some of my own favorite grilling recipes:

BEER CAN CHICKEN

BBQ RIB RUB

GRILLED SHRIMP & SCALLOPS

CEDAR PLANKED SALMON

Will post some drinks, desserts, and decorating tips next.... stay tuned!

Replay: Host a Patriotic Memorial Day Party, Beer Can Chicken and more!

Since I'm on the road this week and my schedule is a little off; I completely forgot that Monday is Memorial Day! Since this post has been one of the most popular that we've ever done, I thought I'd rerun it for you in case you're like me and need a few last minute ideas for the weekend's festivities. 

In a salute to the troops and in honor of our country's struggle to get back on our feet financially, let's all fly the flag and throw a classic backyard Memorial Day party this year! I love going old school-- and although I love keeping up with the trends, I am really old school at heart. This backyard BBQ is a blast from the past. From the music, to the decorations, to the backyard games and the dogs and burgers on the grill, this one goes back to Memorial days past but with a few new traditions that you'll love!

To read more, go to our original blog post: Back to the Classics: Host a Patriotic Memorial Day Party!

If you want a real crowd-pleasing recipe and a great presentation, too, try my Beer Can chicken recipe. You can do two or three of these for a big crowd and they are great for a party because they require little effort... more time with your guests!

For more ideas and great supplies for your party, go to Oriental Trading Companyand for recipes, how-tos and more, try our great friends at MyRecipes.com 

Or try our Backyard Asian BBQ... it's a great way to entertain. Your friends will love it! See the slideshow or watch the video now!