Party Dip & Grilled Shrimp

Nacho Cheese/Queso Sauce

1 pound pasteurized cheese (Velveeta)
8 ounces shredded Cheddar
8 ounces shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 (14-ounce) can tomatoes with green chilies (Ro-tel)
1 tomato, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
1/2 red onion, finely diced
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ancho or Chipotle (or other) ground Chile pepper

Combine all ingredients in a double boiler and stir until melted and well blended. Pour into a bowl and serve with chips.


Grilled Shrimp with Horseradish Dipping Sauce

1 1/2 pounds jumbo shrimp, about 20 shrimp,
de-veined, peel intact

1 teaspoon coarse salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs, 3 handfuls
1/2 cup prepared horseradish
1/2 cup half-and-half or light cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper sauce (or)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish
4 leaves Romaine hearts

Preheat a grill to medium high heat.

Loosen shells of shrimp and butterfly them cutting down the de-vein line of the back of the shrimp. Toss shrimp with 1 teaspoon coarse salt. Combine melted butter with lemon juice and zest. Using a pastry brush, cover shrimps with lemon butter and set on hot grill. Grill shrimp 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until pink and firm.

In a bowl, combine bread crumbs, horseradish, cream and salt. Let the cream soak into the bread crumbs 2 minutes. Loosen bread crumbs with a fork. Stir in cayenne sauce or cayenne and combine with sour cream. Spoon equal amounts of sauce into small bowls on individual plates or a dip bowl in the center or 1 large platter.

Arrange 5 grilled shrimp down the center of 1 leaf of romaine lettuce. Serve shrimp with seafood forks alongside dipping sauce.