It's all a mystery!

Today I bring you a mystery, that’s because for the most of the rising hours this morning I thought of one thing. Last week I posted a recipe that I thought was pretty good. Now, I am not by any means any one who has training in the kitchen, no culinary degree, no title, no big hat, not even a cute little chef shirt. I am a simple cook who likes to eat. And that is what I give to you, recipes that I enjoy. You may not cook it and you may not want to eat it. That’s okay with me and if you have something to say, someway to improve on it, I want to hear it. To many of you the recipe was pretty good too. As I write this, it is rated a buzz of 91 over on Foodbuzz and has held second place under its category for the last 3 days. This reinforces that, for many of you, it’s not only edible but enjoyable. What bothered me you ask? I noticed that the star rating dropped. Nothing wrong with that, every one has an opinion. But out of curiosity, I looked to see who had viewed and maybe for a posted comment. I found no such comment but I did see who gave it a ‘poor’ rating. That would be okay, if only I knew what the problem was with the recipe. What I found was a rating from someone, out of the blue, never seen this blog or person before, no official web page (not that you have to have one) and no identity. The photo shows a guy holding knives, thrusting out in front of a belly hid behind apron strings – and faceless. Now, what kind of picture is that? Finally, my parents gave me broad shoulders and taught me the values of criticism, building blocks as my mother said. What ponders me is the unknown. To the faceless person out there, if ever you read this, send me a message and tell me what on earth was bothering you. I will understand if you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, if your granola chipped a tooth, or if you didn’t get enough praise in your last post. What I really need to know, what is it with the recipe that you found so terribly wrong for my viewers and why the ‘poor’ rating. To my friends still reading this rambling, I say, no need to comment on this, just comment on today’s recipe. -9/30/09  

Now on to today’s post. This is a dish I came up with a long time ago, but it has no name. Send me your best and I’ll post the winner next week.

Shrimp of the Week

No Name Dip
the winning name:  
Creamy Creole Shrimp Dip 
serves 8-12

2 -8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup chili or cocktail sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise -not salad dressing
2 teaspoons horseradish (I like 1 tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp -cooked, deveined, chopped
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh green onions
1 large firm tomato, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup grated Monterey or Pepper Jack cheese

Combine the first 6 listings together blending well. Fold in the shrimp, add salt and pepper to taste. Spread mixture on a large 12 to 14 inch serving dish. In a medium bowl, combine the green onions, tomato and bell pepper. Toss with the lemon juice and scatter vegetables over the shrimp mixture (or mix it in as I have done before and place in a bowl). Sprinkle the cheese on top right before serving with crackers.