I Love A Good Southern Lowcountry Shrimp Boil! :)

There are few meals that I enjoy more than a shrimp boil. There always seems to be a different atmosphere that comes from eating with your fingers and being messy, and I love it! :)

I found two really good recipes. The first is from Martha Stewart, I love this one because she has a video tutorial and recipe for a spice mix on her website. However, she doesn't include the andouille sausage in her recipe, so I also wanted to share Guy Fieri, of the Food Network's awesome recipe as well.

So, how to serve it? Traditionally, newspaper is laid, and everything is eaten straight off the table. Pretty rough. If you're like me, you always want to add the extra touch or two to tie everything together and possibly even put a themed spin on the meal.

This is why I absolutely loved Martha Stewart's suggestions for turning a casual shrimp boil into a cute dinner party. She gives these tips:

• Serve your country-style dinner as a buffet so you'll have time to spend with guests.
• Skip the tablecloth; newspaper is simple and makes clean up easy.
• If you decide to go with a buffet, pile seafood high and separately on large enamel platters.
• Use bandannas for napkins.
• Add a distinctive touch; serve beverages in mason jars.
• Keep it traditional; ladle iced tea from a wide-mouth jar.
• Don't save the best for last. Display your dessert on the table, and give guests something to look forward to.
• Spice up your meal, and put a dash of color on your table.
  
  

This is a great meal, fun for a summery family dinner, or even an event. I feel like this could be a fun idea for a casual rehearsal dinner or something like that. Just fun to gather around and have a good time with family and friends :)

I absolutely could not be finished with the letter "S" without mentioning a Shrimp Boil!

And, technically Autumn doesn't start until tomorrow, so we can still celebrate summer for now at least :)