You Want College Game Day Appetizers

It's so much fun to have traditions...

And I'm not even talking about the big ones, like always doing Christmas Eve at Grandma's House.

Because the small ones can be just as comforting.

This time of year I wake up to the same sounds every Saturday morning.

First thing, it's the roar of Premier League soccer.  Which is shortly followed by the screams of eager college football fans during ESPN's Game Day.

These sounds remind me that Fall is officially here, and puts me in a sports kind of mood, right out of the gate.

And where there are sports, there's an implied demand for tasty and indulgent food.

And where there's fun food like that, there's a perfect opportunity to try out lots of new recipes!

But first I need to come clean with you today...

Last week was a total bust on the recipes!  Everything new I tried just didn't quite do it for me.  And I wouldn't dare compromise the list of "WhatoCookWhen.com Approved" recipes!

But if you're new to cooking, there's a good lesson here for you.  Not every recipe is good.  Even when you follow the directions to a "T."  So don't beat yourself up when you hit a dud.  Just throw it away, and move on to the next one. 🙂

So now back to my latest sports recipe ...

Even though last week was a bust, on Saturday I finally hit a winner:  Coconut Shrimp with Apricot Dipping Sauce.

And while I don't normally fry anything (if you don't either, make sure you read my tip below), I just love coconut shrimp and think these babies are totally worth it.

So the next time College Game Day puts you in the mood for an indulgent treat, pull out that bag of coconut you should always have on hand.  You have the perfect recipe for coconut shrimp that will match even the best restaurants.

Until our next meal,

Rebecca

Coconut Shrimp with Apricot Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 Egg
  
  

  Coconut Shrimp

• 1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour
• 2/3 Cup Beer
• 1 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 Cup Flaked Coconut
• 1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
• 2 Cups Flaked Coconut
• 24 Large Shrimp
• 3 Cups Canola Oil for Frying (Less if you pan fry)
• Wax Paper and Paper Towels

Apricot Dipping Sauce

• 1/2 Cup Apricot Jam (Can Also Use Orange Marmalade)
• 2 Tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 Tsp Prepared Horseradish

Directions:

1. Clean the shrimp, leaving the tail in tact.
2. In a medium bowl, beat the egg.
3. Mix in the flour, beer, baking powder, and 1/2 cup coconut.
4. Place the 1/4 cup flour and remaining 2 cups coconut in two separate bowls, and set up an assembly line of flour, batter, and then coconut, followed by a plate covered in wax paper.
5. Hold shrimp by the tail, dredge in flour; dip in batter, and let excess drip off;  and then roll in coconut.
6. Place on the plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes before frying. (Do not skip this step, as it will keep the coconut attached to the shrimp!)
7. Meanwhile, mix the ingredients for the apricot dipping sauce and set aside.
8. When ready to fry, heat oil to 350 degrees F in a deep fryer.  (Use a thermometer to test!)  You can also use a frying pan but you'll need to flip the shrimp a few times while cooking.
9. Fry shrimp in batches, turning once, for 2 minutes.
10. Using tongs with silicone or nylon tips and handle, remove the shrimp from the oil, and place on a plate lined with paper towels.
11. Use another paper towel to blot any additional oil, and serve warm with apricot dipping sauce.

Tip: If you don't have a lot of experience frying (and I didn't before I made this!), make sure you use a thermometer to measure the oil temperature.  Too hot and the coconut burns, too cool and the shrimp will absorb a lot more oil.

If you don't already have one, below is the one I'd recommend getting, because it hangs on the side of the pot, and doubles as a candy thermometer, which you'll need for all of those holiday treats just around the corner!

Taylor Classic Candy and Deep-Fry Analog Thermometer