Shrimp

Shrimp is an all-around favorite in our house. Whether it be fried, steamed, grilled, sauted or simply added to an Etoufee, shrimp is certainly an easy to please protein. This dish is a wonderfully easy dish and I suggest you use 16/20 shrimp or at least 21/25 size (denotes number of shrimp per pound). They should be cleaned and deveined with the tail left on. They should also smell of the ocean and not the least bit fishy or ammoniated. If they smell strong or feel and look slimy then move onto to the next location to pick up some fresher shrimp.

Potomac Valley Fire Co. in Dargan will hold a ham and shrimp dinner at the fire hall Saturday starting at 4 p.m. The meal will consist of ham, one pound of shrimp, parsley potatoes, green beans, coleslaw, homemade rolls and iced tea. The meal costs $15. Museum to hold Fun Day The Washington County Rural Heritage Museum and Washington County Ag Expo and Fair will hold a Heritage Fun Day Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Visitors can...

3 limes 2 pounds raw shrimp, peeled, tail on 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes Use a fine grater or zester to remove and reserve the zest of 1 lime. Juice all the limes (about 1/8 cup juice). Place the shrimp in a large, zip-close plastic bag. Add the coconut milk and three-quarters of the lime juice, then seal the bag and gently shake to coat the shrimp. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth, divided use 1 1/4 cups water 1/2 cup half-and-half 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided use 3 slices already-cooked bacon (see cook's note) 3/4 cup quick (not instant) grits 2 tablespoons butter 1 small onion (for about 1/2 cup finely chopped) (see cook's note) 2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 pound already-peeled medium raw shrimp, defrosted if frozen (see Cook's note) juice from 1/2 lemon hot pepper sauce, a few drops to taste, optional 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese, or more to taste Pour 1/2 cup chicken broth into a 1-cup measure and set aside.

BOONSBORO - American Legion Clopper-Michael Post 10 will hold a shrimp feed Sunday, March 26, from 1 to 4 p.m. The price is $13 per person and includes one pound of steamed shrimp, ham, beans, coleslaw, crab soup and "Legion milk. " Tickets can be purchased in the Post 10 bar through March 19. Clopper-Michael Post 10 is at the intersection of Alternate U.S. 40 (Old National Pike) and Md. 68 (Lappans Road).

Participating chefs and restaurateurs and their menus include: Roger Tappen (Flavors of the Caribbean: Island slaw, West Indies festival cake, shrimp and yellow rice and Caribbean jerk barbecued pork drumsticks); Tom Boock of The Cottage (original, gold fever and chicken wings, Fat Tommy's and other dry rub styles of ribs); Grayson Bowman (flavors of New Orleans: shrimp, chicken and andouille jambalaya, crabmeat creole, red beans and rice, crawfish and corn macque choux, bourbon pecan pie)

The night before Barack Obama's inauguration, the hotels in Hagerstown were full. What were the chances of getting a meal without a long wait? Good, if my friend and I went to Pacific Ocean Buffet on U.S. 40, Dual Highway, in front of Days Inn. Expecting crowds, we were surprised to find the restaurant just pleasantly filled. The patrons were road-weary travelers, groups of families and sets of young men. The restaurant easily sat more than 100 people and had a selection of foods that would appeal to many.

By OMNI VORE The night before Barack Obama's inauguration, the hotels in Hagerstown were full. What were the chances of getting a meal without a long wait? Good, if my friend and I went to Pacific Ocean Buffet on U.S. 40, Dual Highway, in front of Days Inn. Expecting crowds, we were surprised to find the restaurant just pleasantly filled. The patrons were road-weary travelers, groups of families and sets of young men. The restaurant easily sat more than 100 people and had a selection of foods that would appeal to many.

Fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy diet. Fish and shellfish contain high-quality protein and other essential nutrients, are low in saturated fat and contain omega-3 fatty acids. A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fish and shellfish can contribute to heart health and children's proper growth and development. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend two 3-ounce servings of fish per week. Unfortunately, according to a 2005 national survey by the Center for Food, Nutrition and Agriculture Policy at the University of Maryland, more than half of Americans eat seafood only twice a month or less.

By E.T. MOORE MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - On a recent cold and wintry day, a Connecticut couple who was no doubt visiting Towers Restaurant for the first and probably, only time, assured the young waitress that the weather in their home state was a good deal colder than in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. But beyond the usual friendly restaurant banter, they also had a lot of good things to say about their meals at this Martinsburg mainstay, which has been serving home-cooked fare at the same location at the intersection of South Queen and Wilson streets for 57 years.

This wonderfully easy dish is something your guests will enjoy time and time again, and they'll think you spent extra time in the kitchen. You most certainly can prepare the main ingredients a day ahead and have this ready to serve when your guests arrive, giving you more time with them and less time in the kitchen. The keys to this dish are fresh bright ingredients and less than seven ingredients, not including salt and pepper. I will add the serrano or jalapeno pepper in optional, so you can take it to eight ingredients, if you so desire.

Potomac Valley Fire Co. in Dargan will hold a ham and shrimp dinner at the fire hall Saturday starting at 4 p.m. The meal will consist of ham, one pound of shrimp, parsley potatoes, green beans, coleslaw, homemade rolls and iced tea. The meal costs $15. Museum to hold Fun Day The Washington County Rural Heritage Museum and Washington County Ag Expo and Fair will hold a Heritage Fun Day Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Visitors can...

Sandi King is a member of the Singer Society, a volunteer organization that leads tours and helps at events at the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts in Hagerstown. King brings dishes to society events, but she confessed with a laugh that, in her family, her husband is the cook with the esteemed reputation. "I used to be known for my lasagna, but now I'm known for not cooking," she said. "I passed that on to my husband. He's a good cook. Whenever there was something the kids wanted for school, like, for a bake sale, they didn't come to me. They went to their father.

When thinking about what to have for dinner, fish is a good choice. Fish is low in saturated fat and can benefit the cardiovascular system when replacing other meat that is higher in saturated fat. Also, omega-3 fatty acids in fish are considered a "good" fat that benefit heart health and is essential in pregnancy and infant development. ChooseMyPlate ( www.choosemyplate.gov ) recommends that twice a week seafood (fish and shellfish) be the main protein food on your plate.  Seafood contains a range of nutrients, including healthful omega-3 fats that can help prevent heart disease, so choose to eat a variety.

Participating chefs and restaurateurs and their menus include: Roger Tappen (Flavors of the Caribbean: Island slaw, West Indies festival cake, shrimp and yellow rice and Caribbean jerk barbecued pork drumsticks); Tom Boock of The Cottage (original, gold fever and chicken wings, Fat Tommy's and other dry rub styles of ribs); Grayson Bowman (flavors of New Orleans: shrimp, chicken and andouille jambalaya, crabmeat creole, red beans and rice, crawfish and corn macque choux, bourbon pecan pie)

After a recent Wisconsin cheese and White Hall Vineyard wine tasting, I came away with an incredible urge to begin cooking with wine as we head into the summer season. Bright, fresh flavors and sweet tones of citrus abounded in the Gewurztraminer wine I sampled, so I excitedly pulled out an old recipe and set forth to create and sample in the kitchen. A true etouffee takes hours to cook, but I pared down this recipe to a mere two hours, but two of the most worthwhile hours you can spend in preparing my all-time favorite recipe.

By ANNE CHOVEY - Special to The Herald-Mail Nick's sits in the bend of the road on Pennsylvania Avenue near Hagerstown Regional Airport, north of Hagerstown. It is a modest-looking building with ample parking around it. Inside, the décor is tastefully upscale. The restaurant is divided into a number of rooms: two fairly large dining rooms, a greenhouse area, a bar and numerous smaller private dining areas. My dining companion, Pap Ricka, and I were greeted immediately upon entering and given our choice of seating.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- The weather wasn't the only thing cooking at the Big Bad Burger Contest on July 24. Despite record-breaking heat, nearly 20 contestants concocted burgers of all makes in an attempt to win over the judges and crowd at the second annual Big, Bad Burger Contest. Among beef, venison and chicken burgers, the Crispy Korean Shrimp Burger reigned supreme. Ryan Horst of HMS Technologies Inc. earned $1,000, a trophy and bragging rights for having the region's Biggest, Baddest Burger of 2010, according to a news release.