Each year The Leukemia Society nominates high profile Houstonians to compete for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Man or Woman of the Year. Their challenge is to raise the most money in order to win. My money is on Amber Willis!
Amber is an incredibly talented news producer at KPRC TV (NBC). After a long, hectic day of juggling deadlines, dealing with cranky reporters and managing breaking news, Amber still has energy left to volunteer for various nonprofits around town. She recruits supporters, helps with PR and attends numerous fundraisers day in and day out.
Amber is also quite the foodie. Just ask the firefighters at stations 51 and 68 about her homemade cookies…they’re actually legendary!
Amber will tell you the true way to a man’s heart is more about your kitchen skills than your bedroom skills. I didn’t ask her about the latter, but hear she’s got the kitchen thing down. I asked her to share a recipe for our Goodtaste viewers, and she chose to share one of her favorite date night menus…Grilled Shrimp with Cilantro Dipping Sauce.
From Amber –
This is the casual recipe I use to really impress a guy without scaring him with saffron or other fancy ingredients.
They get really impressed when you make sauces from scratch. Of course I could make the sauce (or aioli) from scratch. But if he hasn’t put a ring on it…why go to all that trouble? Gotta save something.
If you’d like to support Amber as Houston’s Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Woman of the Year, you can donate here: http://www.mwoy.org/pages/txg/houston14/awillis
Amber’s Grilled Shrimp with Cilantro Dipping Sauce:
- Shrimp
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
Sauce:
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar (I replace this with lime juice)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Dash cayenne pepper
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the cilantro, oil, and garlic. Add the shrimp; seal bag and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
In a blender, combine the sauce ingredients; cover and process until blended. Chill until serving. (I like to make the sauce the day before and just reblend it before serving)
Thread shrimp onto four metal or soaked wooden skewers. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side or until shrimp turn pink.
Serve with sauce. Yield: 4 servings.
I like serving this with orzo and grilled corn for a complete meal.
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 garlic clove, smashed and diced
- ¼ cup diced white onion
- 1 lemon
- Dash of red pepper flakes
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Cilantro
Sautee the tomatoes, onion and garlic. Season it with the red pepper, salt and black pepper. In the same pan throw in your dry orzo and let it get turn “California tan”. Then cook your orzo according to the package in the same pan (leaving your veggies in the pan). Top with a squeeze of lemon juice and cilantro.
You can also grill from sweet corn on the cob in the husks for a little something extra. For more delicious recipes and fun food and wine pairing ideas, subscribe to my newsletter.
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