Five on Friday

1.  Shrimp Salad- another great recipe from Cook's Illustrated.  Serve with French bread and sliced tomatoes for a perfect summer supper.

Ingredients:

•              1.5 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
•              1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (2 lemons), plus 1 additional tablespoon, spent halves reserved
•              5 sprigs fresh parsley leaves, plus 1 teaspoon minced parsley leaves
•              3 sprigs fresh tarragon leaves, plus 1 teaspoon minced tarragon leaves
•              1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns plus ground black pepper
•              1 tablespoon sugar
•              1/3 cup mayonnaise
•              1  shallot, minced fine
•              1 stalk celery, minced

Directions:

                        1. Combine shrimp, 1/4 cup lemon juice, reserved lemon halves, parsley sprigs, tarragon sprigs, whole peppercorns, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt with 2 cups cold water in medium saucepan. Place saucepan over medium heat and cook shrimp, stirring several times, until pink, firm to touch, and centers are no longer translucent, 8 to 10 minutes (water should be just bubbling around edge of pan and register 165 degrees on instant-read thermometer)..

                        
2. Meanwhile, fill medium bowl with ice water. Drain shrimp into colander, discard lemon halves, herbs, and spices. Immediately transfer shrimp to ice water to stop cooking and chill thoroughly, about 3 minutes. Remove shrimp from ice water and pat dry well with paper towels.

                        
3. Whisk together mayonnaise, shallot, celery, remaining tablespoon lemon juice, minced parsley, and minced tarragon in medium bowl. Cut shrimp in half lengthwise and then each half into thirds; add shrimp to mayonnaise mixture and toss to  combine.

DIVINE!

2.  Dresses:

Isn't this dress from Vineyard Vines darling?

I love this one, too!

 This one from Land's End is darling, too- especially for $99.  Now to transform my children into the types that allow their mother to wear white or linen.  And transform myself into someone who doesn't spill things all over my clothing.

3.  HYDRANGEAS!!!
I have been closely watching my budding hydrangeas with bated breath.  They are massed all along the front of my house.  Expecting white or Limelights, I squealed with excitement when I spotted PINK AND BLUE!!!!!! Oh, I am just thrilled.  Even better?  Pink and blue on the same bush!  Oh, it is just too exciting.

4.  Baby Gorillas, squee!

Two mama gorillas just gave birth, for the first ever gorilla babies born at our zoo.  It's soooo exciting.  I can't wait to take the kiddos once the excitement dies down a bit.  The zookeepers have had the area roped off for a little privacy for the new mamas, but everyone is following the babies via the news outlets.  That's the beauty of living in a small city/big town.  You have a zoo with gorilla babies, and not too much else is going on to eclipse them in the newspaper.

Look at that mama smiling at her baby and try not to smile yourself.

5.  VBS
Today is the last day of Vacation Bible School.  It's been a wonderful week corralling five year olds, but I'm exhausted, and so are my kiddos.

Deeds was completely uncooperative for this photo, by the way. Looking forward and smiling until the camera (phone) came out.  Stinker.

You can tell my brain is gone from repeating "Hands to yourself!" ad nauseum for a week- look at this post.  Shrimp salad, white dresses, flowers and apes.  I'm ready for a nap!

As always, thank you to the Five on Friday ladies for hosting the link up!  Bullet points are about all I can manage right now.  Or most of the time, if we are being honest.