Today is National Maine Day, French Fried Shrimp Day and Humbug Day. Today also marks the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere. Just what does that mean?
We could get all fancy and technical and talk about the spinning earth and the tilt and a bunch of other stuff that will get all our minds to spinning. Or just say that it is a astronomical phenomenon that occurs twice each year, depending upon which side of the equator you’re on. For those of us on the north side, there are more hours in darkness than in light on this day. The closer you are to the north pole, the more dramatic the difference. If you were in Toronto, there would be just under 9 hours of actual daylight. Head down to Miami, and you’d have just over 10-1/2 hours of fun in the sun. While at the north pole, the sun does not rise at all. And there you have it.
People say we need the sun. And I’m not saying we don’t. It warms us, it promotes plants to grow and gives birds a reason to sing in the morning. Yet there is something oddly comforting about winter, too. It’s that twilight time, when the world is not yet awake. It is peaceful. At least, to me it is peaceful. When we take vacations to the Oregon Coast, even summers are cold. I like that. I like waking just before the sun, making a cup of tea and sitting all bundled up on the beach, listening to the world slumber. My soul is at peace in the stillness just before dawn.
This has been a sad year all the way around. The loss of those in the past for some reason seems more acute, closer to the surface this year. We’ve had to say too many goodbyes over the years. Each time God calls someone home, it leaves a hole in our lives that can never be filled again. And yet life goes on somehow. It’s all we can do to trust in God, to offer up our sadness to Him and let Him turn it into something perfect.
Yeah, let’s end this little get together on a much happier note. Today is National French Fried Shrimp Day. With the holidays upon us, we’re all looking for some fun, easy and delicious ways to serve up a little something special to our guests. How about Air Fryer Fried Shrimp?
Air Fryer French Fried Shrimp
Spicy Remoulade Sauce
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Pickled Jalapeno Peppers, chopped
2 tablespoons Whole Grain Mustard
1 tablespoon Ketchup
1 tablespoon Louisiana Hot Sauce
1 Green Onion
Place mayonnaise in a small bowl. Finely dice jalapeno, add to mayonnaise. Whisk in mustard, ketchup and hot sauce. Trim onion, dice and fold into the Remoulade Sauce Cover and chill well until ready to serve.
Fried Shrimp
1 lb (16-20 count) large Shrimp
Kosher Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1/2 cup Flour
2 large Eggs
1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
Cooking Spray
1 Lemon
Rinse, devein and peel shrimp, leaving tails attached. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels, season with a little salt and pepper. Set shrimp aside.
In a shallow bowl, whisk the flour with about 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and a few twists from a pepper grinder. Set aside. In another shallow bowl, whisk eggs with a pinch of salt until just frothy. Use a third shallow bowl for the breadcrumbs. There are the dredging stations. At one end are the shrimp, at the other a large rimmed baking sheet.
Holding by the tails, dip shrimp in the seasoned flour, shake off excess, then dip in egg, again shake, then dredge in Panko until evenly coated. Place shrimp on the baking sheet, repeat with remaining shrimp.
Heat air fryer to 385-degrees. Set timer for 14 minutes. Heat baskets for 4 minutes. Pause. Arrange shrimp in a single layer, spray with cooking spray. Air fry for 5 minutes, pause, turn, continue to fry for remaining 5 minutes. Transfer to a baking rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Hold in a warm oven. Repeat until all the shrimp has been fried.
Arrange fried shrimp on a serving platter. Cut lemon into wedges, tuck near or around fried shrimp. Serve with chilled Remoulade Sauce and enjoy.
Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to Him a new song
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