Almost as good...

They were called shrimp kisses....the best little fried balls of goodness you could imagine.

We ate them at a little hole in the wall on the west end of Galveston.  It's called Nate's.  You know...one of those restaurants that is kinda questionable on the cleanliness level...but, you don't care because the food is THAT good.   The patrons were good entertainment too....

As we ate the kisses...I was imagining if I could make them at home.....I gave it my best shot last night...and they were ALMOST as good.  I think the "someone else made it" factor made them taste better in the restaurant.

Here is how I did it.

8 small to medium shrimp *fresh, with shell on, and wild..I won't buy farm raised shrimp.  yuck

1 jalapeno

4 swiss cheese slices

4 slices of bacon

milk

egg

flour

veg oil

salt & pepper to taste

Clean and de vein the shrimp...leave the tail on the shrimp.  Slice almost like you are butterflying the shrimp down its back.  This is where the jalapeno goes.

Slice THIN strips of jalapeno and put it in the back of the shrimp.  

Wrap swiss cheese around the shrimp...just enough to cover it.  It will be all messy looking....

Then slice all the bacon strips in half...making 8 strips.

Wrap the shrimp with bacon.  Stretch the bacon out so it gets longer and thinner

Make an egg wash...a little milk with 1 egg beaten in it.

Wet the assembled shrimp in the milk then gently put in the flour  mixture.

Make sure your oil is hot enough and that there is enough in the heavy pot to cover the shrimp.

To test the oil, simply drop a tiny amount of flour in the oil...if it is hot enough...it will sizzle

Gently drop each shrimp into the oil and watch them turn golden brown.  They will cook QUICK!  

Remove them from the oil and drain on a paper towel.  A dash of salt when they are hot.

Serve with ranch dipping sauce or something else yum.

If you make them...let me know if you like them.

SO heart healthy.  Defiantly something I won't make often.  

This is just an appetizer portion.  Might be a little rich for dinner.

Enjoy! :)

I just can't even imagine....

Imagine this....you are standing on the beach looking at the ocean.  The mud like sand is caked all over your body, the smell of dead shrimp is in the air, the ocean breeze feels like you have your hairdryer pointed right into your face, and you are experiencing all this delight under a black blanket covering you from head to toe.  

On our weekend trip to paradise, I noticed 4 Muslim women standing in the surf in full on Burqas.  They were about 100 yards down the beach from us...so, I could stare all I wanted without being noticed.  They were there with their husbands and children.  The children were playing in the ocean and the shirtless men were surf fishing.  I got irritated just watching them.  The women were 100% responsible for the wet and gritty kids while the men caught 1/2 pound catfish.  I just can't even imagine what they must have felt like.  And top it off...one of them was about 9 months pregnant.  

I know..."that is all they know, it is how they grew up."  Well, I am going to have to call a "BS" on that one.  How could any human being accept those circumstances?  Really?  Especially being here in this country.   As far as I am concerned, it is torture.  Mental and physical torture.  

We all know I wouldn't have made it very far as a Muslim woman.  I am sure my father or husband would have traded me in or gotten "rid" of me.  I would have been too much of a hassle.  So thankful I was born in this country.  Another thing we forget to be thankful of everyday.     

Bait...

It's hard to see what my precious little sweet girly girl is toting around with her.  If you look real close...you can see that it is a live shrimp.  Whatever happened to "Sugar and spice and everything nice?"  

We were at the beach and Shorty was getting ready to do some surf fishing.  I had finally relaxed about having my baby girl at the beach...she wasn't going to get some strange funk from the Galveston water in that bug bite on her leg...I had to tell myself that 100 times.  I'm weird like that....

Our kid was a thousand times more interested in playing with the shrimp than finding shells...she made them talk and tried to set them free in the water.  Uh oh, hope I don't have a future PETA member on my hands...

Shorty caught 2 fish....little Miss learned to love the sand....and I finally relaxed...mission accomplished....

Paradise...

Galveston Island vs. Paradise......

This is my favorite spot ever.  Well, at least a spot that I have been to.  It is in Playa del Carmen.  The bluest water you could imagine...sand as white as the clouds, and to top it off....it has some of the best people watching...even better than the airport!  

We spent our vacation in Mexico last year...lived it up.  Best trip ever.  This year, seems as if we will be skipping a lavish trip....much to my dismay.  But, isn't that what everyone is doing?  Skipping out on stuff?  Don't get me wrong, we would love to hop on a plane and go stay at a 5 star hotel for 99 bucks a night...but, I'm just not all that comfy with all the ruckus going on down there.

So, needless to say,  I'm disappointed....really disappointed.  I guess our trip to the exotic Galveston Island will have to do this year.  They need the money down there anyway....

Lets just hope for the best next year.  A recovering economy, no cap and trade, no nationalized health care, a rebounding housing market, and a trip to Playa del Carmen.   

This little light of mine....

No pictures, recipes, ideas, or funny stories to share today.   

Finished Vacation Bible School today...brought back tons of memories about VBS when I was a kid.  I have "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine...." stuck in my head....such cute kids.  

Don't think there is anything sweeter than little ones talking about Jesus.  

Need to remind ourselves to be thankful for every blessing in our lives.  Especially our health. When you don't have that...its hard to do anything else.    Take the time to take care of yourself...I need to be reminded of that too.  

IT'S A CURSE!

This picture makes it pretty clear I have NO IDEA what I am doing with my camera...or with photoshop for that matter....

The subject is cute as could be but the photo itself is one that should be shoved into a back drawer. ;)

I was taking a picture of the little one in her favorite spot in her new shoes.  My intention was to make the picture have that 70's look...it's what all the cool kids are doing these days...and it didn't come out.  Oh well...I will figure it out in a few years.

I wanted to take a picture of my kid wearing her new shoes...when I put them on her today...it gave me flashbacks.   And the some of the flashbacks weren't so happy!  My child has my feet.  And, it is a curse.  She has no heel and they are narrow as toothpicks.   Or "picknicks" as she calls them.

Go look in most of my friend's closets and you will be amazed with their shoe collections...come look in my closet and you will find 4 pairs of shoes.  I'm not Carrie Bradshaw...I would never go into debt for a pair of Jimmy Choos.   I stick to simple, black, plain, boring, get the job done footwear.  Don't get me wrong, I have some HIGH black stilettos, but, they are black.  They go with everything.  Think I never developed that love of shoes because they never fit me.  NEVER.   

All throughout school...I had Keds....and whatever other shoe came in a "AAAA"  Never got to wear jellies in 1st grade,  Kappa's in the 4th grade,  and my memory can't recall any of the other life or death fashion musts I missed out on.  Clearly shows how important all of that is.....

My baby girl only has 3 pairs of shoes.  2 are exactly the same...different color and the other pair are her pool shoes.  Simply because nothing fits....I was hoping she would inherit my thick beautiful hair...not my feet.  Joking...again.  

I can just imagine the shoe shopping trips with my baby girl.  If they are anything like the ones I had with my Mom...she will remember them for the rest of her life....the good and the bad.

Praying for a foot widening growth spurt.  

Cookie Monster!!!! MMMMM!

Since I shared a dinner recipe with you yesterday...thought I would share a healthy, low fat,  low calorie dessert with you.    RIGHT!  There is NOTHING low or free about this one...but is sure is YUM!!!

Not much better than an ice cream sandwich on a hot summer day...and if you live Texas...its HOT!

This is basically a dressed up ice cream sandwich.  My kid LOVED them.  

Here is the deal...

Ice Cream Sandwiches

1 package slice and bake cookie dough (yep, I'm a slacker)

6 oz semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 tbs  shorting

Vanilla ice cream

Crushed toffee bar or substitute any other crushed candy or sprinkles.

Bake the cookies as instructed on the package, let them cool.  

In the mean time, melt 6 or so ounces of chocolate chips in a double boiler or in a sauce pan on low.  Stir constantly so the chocolate does not scald.  Then add the shortening.  Stir well.

This gives the chocolate a shine.  Take the cooled cookies and dip the tops in the chocolate mixture.  Place the dipped cookies on a cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with candy of choice and put them in freezer for 30 minutes or so to set.  Once they have set,  scoop vanilla ice cream onto one cookie and take another cookie and press it on top to make a sandwich.  

Put back in the freezer to set for 15 or so.  They can be stored in the freezer for a day or two.  Let them stand on the counter for about 5 minutes or so before serving.  So they soften a bit...just enough to bite into one.

They are delectable!  

*note - these recipes are true variations from things I have read.  This is all from memory.  Things I have made before in the past....so, Im not a copy cat. ;)

STAY COOL!