Life in The Mountains in Late February

After the last two winters our heroine is happy to have a not so very cold and snowy winter. On the other hand she needs to plan for the really crummy weekends so she can enjoy spending the better portion of a day playing in the kitchen.

On this particular weekend our heroine made a cherry pie, a great sandwich for lunch and Broiled Marinated Shrimp with Garlic & Rosemary. What a great weekend.

The morning started out with making a cherry pie for dessert. I cheated and used canned pie filling but always,,,,and I mean always a homemade crust is the only way to go. I have no idea how old this cookbook is but I got it when I was about 18. It is a Better Homes and Garden New Cookbook. I wonder how many "new cookbooks" Better Homes and Gardens can put out?

For a two crust pie you need:
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup shortening
5-7 tblsp water

Mix together the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender until crumbs form. Add the water 1 tblsp at a time, tossing the mixture with a fork. Repeat until dough forms a ball.

Place half the dough on a floured surface and roll out to fit the pie dish. Trim the edges, fill, add the top. Seal and crimp the edges, bake per recipe instructions.

When I mix my crust I use my favorite bowl, it is from Pampered Chef. I love the handle.


I have a Pampered Chef silicone mat which I use for rolling out my pie crusts. It is marked at 1" increments so it makes it easy to roll the crust out to the correct size.


I used another Pampered Chef item to make the really neat edged on the lattice top. I love my daughter for buying me the above mentioned bowl and the pastry cutter I used for the top.


Before I got started on the dinner portion I took time out to make myself lunch. I made a very bacony grilled cheese with homemade bread and butter pickles on the side. Between the butter, bacon and the cheese I swear I could hear my cholesterol singing the song from the Jefferson's,,,,,,"movin' on up to the eastside, to a deluxe apartment in the sky"


For dinner I used a cookbook I got from my ex-husband which I cannot remember ever using. Then again there is a first time for everything. I thought about shrimp for dinner and found this recipe.



Broiled Marinated Shrimp with Garlic and Rosemary

16 extra-large shrimp, about 1 lb, peeled & deveined
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsps dried, crushed rosemary
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 lemons, cut into wedges (we don't use lemons on our seafood)

Place shrimp on four long metal skewers, threading through tails and body.

Combine oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Place skewered shrimp in a dish and turn to coat well. marinate shrimp, turning several times, 2 hours in refrigerator.

Preheat broiler. Set skewers on a baking sheet 3 inches from heat and broil, turning once, until lightly browned and just opaque inside about 5 minutes. Brush with any remaining herb oil just before serving. Pass lemon wedges on the side.

For starters I marinated the shrimp before I put it on the skewers. I, as usual, used almost twice the garlic but Richard said it still was not enough garlic.


When I skewer shrimp for broiling or grilling I use two skewers so it is easier to turn the shrimp.


For dinner I served the shrimp on a bed of angel hair pasta I tossed with olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Even though there was not much of a garlic taste this was still really good.