Beach Blanket Birthday!

So, this past week was my birthday and, as is my tradition during my birthday week, we go on vacation (I feel so lucky to have a summer birthday!). One year we went to Puerto Rico, which was absolutely fabulous (I will never forget the bioluminescent bay), but most years we go to the shore, Ocean City or Cape May, NJ. This year, we went to the beach...Delaware’s Rehoboth Beach. For those of you unfamiliar with the distinction, I will explain…in Jersey, it’s the Shore, in Delaware it’s the Beach, and in Maryland it’s the Ocean…I don’t know what it is in California, probably the surf or something groovy like that. Being a Philly girl and we have always gone to the shore, so that’s what it will remain to me, regardless of the location. Whatever the moniker, sitting on the beach and watching the world go by – including dolphins – is pure heaven. The multicolored mix of umbrellas, the crash of the waves, the chatter of families, and the laughter of happy children all affirm that yes, we are on vacation and, at least for the next seven or so days, we don’t have a care in the world….unless a seagull shits on our heads or steals our lunch. I know for a fact that seagulls like PB&J!

On Sunday, we watched a storm roll in from the north, and although it was windy, very wet, and a bit scary, it was amazing and I share “before and after” photos with you.
We had lots of visitors…my sister, my cousin and his wife from Maryland’s Eastern Shore, daughter’s boyfriend, and little daughter’s little friends (little daughter had to leave early with sister to attend Drum Major Academy). The architect and the foodie also visited and, on my birthday, foodie made a fabulous dinner…Sautéed Shrimp with Lemon Basil Pasta. This was a variation on a recipe she shared with us from The Pioneer Woman featuring grilled chicken.
Ingredients
15-20 shrimp, grilled or sautéed
1 lb of penne pasta, cooked al dente
½ stick butter
3 whole lemons, juices
¾ heavy cream
¼ cups half & half
1 ½ cups grated parmesan cheese
20 whole basil leaves chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Cook pasta, reserving 1 cup of hot pasta water after you drain…set pasta aside in a colander. In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Squeeze in the juice of 3 lemons, whisk together. Pour in cream and half & half, whisk until hot. Dump in cheese and wish until melted. Add basil and salt and pepper. Check consistency, adding some of the hot pasta water to loosen the sauce if too thick. Pour pasta and sauce in a large serving bowl, toss, add the shrimp (or grilled chicken, sautéed scallops will work too!) and serve.

After dinner, we went to the boardwalk and rode the bumper cars, took a parachute ride (just a little boardwalk ride in case anyone from BCBS is reading this) and visited a haunted house….it was a delightful birthday…for me and foodie, whose birthday is the day after mine! A great week down the shore and I'm looking forward to a fabulous year!