Summer Lovin'

It has been very chilly in Philly and my approaching trip to Costa Rica (105 days - thank you iGoogle countdown) has me dreaming of warm weather. Growing up on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, summer meant fresh, local seafood in grocery stores and any restaurant on the beach. Here in Philly, beggars can't be choosers, but I was in the mood for shrimp. To me, shrimp and tropical fruits go perfect together. My favorite is pineapple - I could probably eat an entire pineapple in one sitting if I were left alone with it ;) Here was my shrimp dinner on a budget - so filling I fell asleep for an hour after I finished it!

From the store:
1/2 pound of medium shrimp - on sale for $4.99/lb.
small can of pineapple chunks, on sale for $.94

From home:
generous helping of Old Bay seasoning
butter for melting and dipping shrimp

What you do:

• A common mistake is to add the Old Bay and shrimp to the pot of water at the same time, then boil. Here's a hint: add your Old Bay seasoning and boil water for 10 minutes - then add the shrimp and cook until pink.
• Melt the butter in a microwave-safe glass dish for 10 seconds at a time so it doesn't get too hot and splatter - cleaning out a greasy microwave is not fun...trust me.
• Drain the pineapple