Beer Battered Coconut Shrimp

I have never been a fan of seafood. My husband, on the other hand, loves it. Thankfully, I do like shrimp, so when he gets a craving for seafood, this is my go to recipe. The shrimp come out with a crispy coating that's just delicious!

Ingredients:

1 egg
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup beer (any)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups flaky coconut
24 shrimp
oil for frying

Directions:

In a medium sized bowl, combine egg, 1/2 cup of flour, beer, and baking powder. Place 1/4 cup of flour and coconut in separate bowls.

Hold shrimp by tail, then dredge through flour. Shake off excess. Dip in beer batter mixture. Shake off excess. Roll shrimp in coconut. Place on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat oil to 350 degrees in a deep fryer. Fry shrimp in batches. Fry for 2 - 3 minutes on each side, or until shrimp starts turning golden brown. Remove shrimp, and let oil drain on paper towels.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

*If you don't have a deep fryer, I used to use a heavy 3 qt saucepan with hot oil that fried them just fine.

Please, Thank You, & Two Way Streets

It’s getting to be that time of year again where summer gatherings are in full swing. This is also the time of year that huge life events take place and invitations start pouring in for celebrations. I like parties, family gatherings, and almost always attend any event that I am invited to. Yet, I was thinking the other day that last summer I went to a wedding, college graduation, and a baby shower, all of which I gave very nice monetary gifts. Do you know how many "Thank You" notes I received? None! I find this very rude and offensive! I feel that if you have time to send out invitations, then you have time to send a quick thank you as well. This really irks me too on the invites that I feel I received just because I would be another gift giver. You know what I am talking about. Those people you never hear from until they have a party where gift giving is the norm. The college graduate did post an informal "Thanks to all who attended my graduation" on his Facebook wall. I don't want to be collectively grouped into a tacky Facebook shout out when I took time out of my day to attend your event and gave a nice gift. It doesn't have to be hand written either. With all the technology out there to reach people today, I think it would be ok to send a quick text, email, or even a Facebook message acknowledging the gift and saying thanks. It doesn't matter how it's delivered, just make it personal. I know there are those who say they don't gift give for a thank you. I guess I feel differently. If I give you a gift, I expect a thank you. It’s good manners. If you can't find the time to say thank you, I will not be finding the time to attend any more of your future events.


I have also had people expect me to do for them without a polite request. I had one person say, "There is a family at my church that is struggling. I'm going to need all the clothes your girls have out grown." And since I am a sahm, "I need you to watch my kids on xxx day." Look, I love helping people, but please ask, don't demand.


Also, my mom and I were discussing how we have attended every event of a certain family member for the past few years, yet she has not been to one of ours. Functions and communication are two way streets. I like to feel like I am a valued part of someone’s life, so when it starts feeling a little one sided, it’s time for me to move on. If relationships are important to you, you need to learn to give as well as take. 

If you are sending out invitations for any life events this year, do remember that a little please or thank you will go a long way!

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Wordless Wednesday~ Broken Swing

Last year storms broke a branch off one of the trees:

And down it came, right through the swing set:

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

When the weather starts warming up, I get smoothies on the brain all the time. The only problem is, there aren’t many places to get one around here, unless you want to go to Dairy Queen. Paying $4 for a smoothie just doesn’t sit well with me. So, I thought I would share my favorite homemade smoothie recipe today. This recipe will make enough to serve 2.

Ingredients:

12 Frozen Strawberries

1 Peeled and cut up banana

1/2 Cup Skim Milk

1/2 Cup Vanilla Yogurt (I don’t use light. I like the full fat yogurt. I think the light varieties give this a weird flavor)

3 Tablespoons White Sugar

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Blend all ingredients together in a blender until smooth. Top with whipped cream. Serve.

*The smoothie will be thick. If you like yours a bit thinner, add more milk. If you prefer fresh strawberries over frozen, use 12 fresh berries and 7 cubes of crushed ice in place of the frozen berries).

Hot Chocolate Popcorn

One of our families favorite things to do on the weekends is family movie night. What family movie night wouldn't be complete without popcorn? Plain popcorn just doesn't work in this house. It always has to have a little something sweet thrown in, like M&M's or Reece's Pieces. Nothing is yummier than that salty and sweet combo! This is one of my all time favorite sweet popcorn recipes. Be warned, it is very addicting!

Ingredients:

2 bags regular or lightly buttered microwave popcorn, popped and kernels removed

2 cups mini marshmallows

1 packet powdered hot chocolate mix

1 12oz bag Wilton vanilla candy melts

1/4 cup melted semi sweet chocolate.

Directions:

Mixed popped pop corn and marshmallows together in a large bowl. 

Melt candy melts according to package directions.

Pour melted candy over popcorn/marshmallow mixture. Stir to coat popcorn.

Spread mixture over waxed paper and immediately sprinkle with powdered cocoa mix.

Drizzle melted semi sweet chocolate over top. 

Let set until all candy and chocolate have hardened. Serve. 

Store in an air tight container.

Frozen Yogurt Dots

Yesterday was the first day where it felt unbearably hot this year. As soon as the girls got home from school, they immediately started asking for ice cream or popsicles. Of course, I didn’t have any. I had no desire to run to the store for any either. And where the heck is the ice cream truck when you really want it around? I usually cringe when I hear that stupid “Pop Goes the Weasel” music blasting around the neighborhood, but yesterday, I would have gladly ran to the truck with open arms.

I started tearing through the fridge looking for something cool and refreshing that would satisfy my kids, when I noticed I had a few yogurts sitting there. *Ding!* A light popped on (in my head, not the refrigerator) as I recalled seeing frozen yogurt dots on Pinterest once. Yep, it’s Pinterest to the rescue again. What ever did mothers do before that gem of a website was around? 

We filled a pastry bag with the yogurt, then squeezed dots onto waxed paper. Popped them into the freezer. An hour later we had our cool and refreshing treat that is much healthier than ice cream anyway! 

8 Year Olds & Phone Etiquitte?

My 8 year old has a new found love of the telephone. These past few days I have been thinking that we need to round up all the 8 year old phone users and teach them proper phone etiquette.

The phone has been ringing way too early on the weekends. When I answer, I get, “Who is this?” What ever happened to “Hello, may I speak with xxx?”

When I send the neighborhood kids home because we need to start getting ready for bed, the phone rings not even 5 minutes later. It doesn’t matter that they have just spent all day here, or they heard me tell the girls it’s bedtime. They still call.

Oh, my child is not a perfect phone user either. She was speaking with her friend the other day. I said “Allison, wrap up your call. We are getting ready to eat.” *Click* Just like that, she hangs up on her friend. No goodbye, no nothing! “Did you just hang up on your friend?” “Yes. You told me to get off the phone.” Now, I don’t talk on the phone a lot, but I am pretty sure she has heard me say good bye every time I end a call.

The real kicker. A boy from her class called while she was out. When she returned home, I told her she could return the call. She puts on her plastic high heel play shoes and took the phone out on the deck. Um, he can’t see you and your fancy shoes, and excuse me, but you are 8. There is no such thing as a private phone call in this house at your age.

While I have never been a big fan of the phone, I am really not enjoying it here much lately.

Are your kids big phone talkers? What age did they start making their own calls? What limitations do you set on phone use in your house?

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