How You Know Kellye is Special...

So Kellye, Andrew, and I are all sitting in my bed killing time on a rainy, tropical storm Lee day when Kellye says, "I'd like to have some shrimp scampi."  (I bet you know where this is going...)  We loaded up the car and made a quick run to Publix.  I got home and got to work.  Now, I've never made shrimp scampi before, so this was purely experimental.  



Shrimp Scampi
Serves 4 (*if you eat a giant sized portion!  If you eat normal human portions, I'd say you could get 6-8 servings.*)
1 Pound of Medium Shrimp - Peel it and remove the vein.
1 Tbsp of Pure Olive Oil (don't use extra virgin oil)
2 Tbsp of Finely Chopped Garlic (you can also use some already prepared chopped garlic from your local grocery store)
11/2 Cups of White Wine (preferably a Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay will work fine) *But you know I don't drink, so white "cooking" wine, it was*
A 1/2 cup of Fresh Lemon (use the juice only)
1 Tsp Italian Seasoning mix
A 1/2 a Cup of Butter (preferably softened)
1 Tbsp of Fresh Parsley (chop it up fine)
Flavor with Salt and Pepper
1/2 a Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese (if you want to garnish dish)


Instructions
1. Heat a heavy bottomed skillet and then add in the olive oil, and do not allow the oil to smoke. Add the shrimp and cook it until tender and it's no longer translucent.

2. Next remove the shrimp from the pan and decrease heat slightly. Add the garlic and cook it for 2-3 minutes. Try not to brown the garlic as this will render a slightly bitter flavor. Once the garlic is cooked, add the white wine.

3. Squeeze some juice from the lemon into the pan, and reduce the wine by half. After it is reduced, next add the Italian seasoning blend.
4. Now reduce the heat to low, and slowly add in butter, 1 Tbsp at a time. The butter should slowly begin to dissolve into the sauce and create a nice creamy texture. If the pan is too hot the butter will separate.

5. As soon as the butter is assimilated, add the shrimp back into the sauce, sprinkle the parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. Serve the dish with the garnish of fresh cheese if so desired. For a great accompanying dish to Scampi add fresh pasta. **We chose fettucini.**

It was fabulously delicious!  If When I make this recipe again, I'll use more garlic.  I would have added more this time, but as you know, we're still in the apartment with minimal utensils.  I do NOT have my chef's knife with me and mincing garlic with a steak knife is not the easiest thing ever....so I got tired after about 5 cloves.

Mmmmm....looking at this picture makes me want some more.  Good thing there are plenty of leftovers!

So, Kel, I hope you enjoyed your spur of the moment scampi!  I had fun making it!