This being the first Summer with our new pool, having guests and barbeque happens quite often at the Shepherd household. I thought I’d share with you an appetizer that my Sister’s Husband turned me on to. This wonderful Shrimp dish always gets rave reviews at our cook-outs. I cook them on the side-burner of the grill so they can be done on the stove as well. It takes a bit of “prep-time” so here is how it works…

1. Fresh shrimp, good sized at least U-15’s
2. Remove shell and tails, just the meat left.
3. “Butter-Fly” them by using a serrated knife and cutting along their back.
4. De-Vein them.
5. Squeeze the juice from a lemon over them.
6. Let sit for several minutes.
7. Whip up 1 egg in a bowl.
8. Fill another bowl with Progresso Breadcrumbs.
9. using tongs, dip each shrimp in the egg, then roll in the breadcrumbs.
10. Fill a pan with 1/2 inch of Olive Oil
11. Cook on medium heat each side till golden brown.

Yummy I tell you! They are great with cocktail sauce and stick a toothpick in each one for easy handling!

O.K. folks, I’m off my W.o.W. addiction long enough to finally update my blog! Here’s a pix Wendy took of a Black-Snake in our front yard. I think most people have an irrational fear of snakes, I grew up in the Arizona desert and snakes of all sorts were an everyday occurrence in my youth. I therefore became accustomed to them and learned to differentiate between the harmless and dangerous ones.

Snakes are not aggressive and will only bite when they feel threatened. Most snake bites happen when a person doesn’t notice a snakes presence and “Invade its space”.

So I will pass along to you a rule that I’ve lived by concerning them. Every single poisonous snake which makes it’s home in North America with one very rare exception ( the Coral Snake) is what is called a Pit Viper. These include Rattlesnakes, Copperheads and Water-Moccasins. They all have different colors and markings but all these poisonous critters have ONE thing in common, the shape of their head. A dangerous snake will have a “Heart” shaped head due to the venom sacks. A harmless snake will have a “tubular” shaped head. Below is a pix of a Rattlesnake’s head, compare it with the photo Wendy took of our Blacksnake and I think you will be able to understand what I’m talking about.

Class Dismissed!