Grilled Shrimp with Garlic

  We started a new couples study for the month of July, and it involved doing meaningful, on-purpose relationship-building projects . One of them last week was to cook with your spouse. So let me just lay the facts on the table right now...I usually do the cooking in our family and am used to having full-control over the meal making process. It was REALLY hard for me to let some of that control go to another person, even (or especially) my husband! 

But I got through it, and we had a blast. Besides, when it's all said and done, it's a lot easier to make dinner when you have help, especially when it comes to clean up time! We have even committed to making at least one meal together once a week. Hurray for new beginnings! 

 My husband found this shrimp recipe online, and man was it good! We usually don't eat a lot of shrimp because it can get kind of pricey, but this recipe was worth it. Plus, the shrimp cook super duper fast, so you don't have to wait long for them. 

  **The recipe is a Bobby Flay recipe . You can find the original recipe here.   Also, check out a video of Bobby Flay making this recipe here.

 Shrimp Recipe 

Serves: 4 Prep: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes

 3/4 cup olive oil
3 TB fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 1/2 TB ancho chili powder
6 cloves garlic, chopped coarsely
24 large shrimp, shelled and deveined
Salt and pepper
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 
wooden skewers soaked in water

1. Heat grill to medium.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 oil, 2 TB thyme, ancho powder and chopped garlic. Skewer the shrimp and brush with marinade.
3. Add remaining 1/2 cup oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, add sliced garlic, and cook until the garlic is lightly golden brown. Remove garlic with slotted spoon . Reserve oil.
4. Increase grill to high. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and grill until golden brown on each side, about 1 1/2 minutes.
5. Transfer shrimp from the skewers to a platter and drizzle with some of the reserved garlic oil and sprinkle with garlic chips. Sprinkle with remaining thyme.

------------------------- 

Plan and Prep Ahead 

Here are some helpful techniques to make life a little easier once dinner time hits. These tips will especially help those that work full-time and don't have a lot of time to prepare dinner. 

~Stir together oil, thyme and ancho chili powder and set aside.

------------------------- 

Who likes to CHANGE IT UP? 

~Swap out the ancho chili powder with smoked paprika or regular chili powder.
~Try chopped ginger instead of garlic. 
~Instead of thyme try oregano or basil.

-------------------------