When gloomy, gray, damp days hover around too long, I crave for buttery, rich dishes. Try as I may to stay away from such things, sometimes I just gotta have them! Such was the case last week when all I saw out the window was leafless trees, patches of grass burned by the recent freezes, and dead banana trees hanging limp in the stillness of the morning. A few crows flew ominously overhead as I went to fetch my morning newspaper. That did it! I needed something to lift my spirits. For dinner I had planned grilled boneless, skinless chicken breasts, brown rice and steamed broccoli, but that seemed too dismal. What about something a bit more exciting and satisfying? I gave some thought to a big pot of spaghetti sauce. Or, what about a creamy Alfredo sauce and pasta?  And then a thought congealed in the gray matter of my brain—buttery, lemony, garlicky barbecued shrimp! I called the seafood shop and ordered a few pounds of fresh shrimp. And I happened to have a pound of butter—real butter—in the fridge. I felt instantly better.  To get me in the mood, I put on a CD—Beau Joque is a favorite Zydeco artist and we have other CDS right here on this site that might suit your fancy. BARBECUED SHRIMP, MY WAY Makes about 4 servings

• 6 pounds large shrimp, unpeeled with heads on
• 2 sticks butter
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons cayenne
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt (more or less to taste)
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Rinse the shrimp in cool water and drain. Spread the shrimp evenly in a large baking pan. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Remove from the heat and cool a bit. Pour the mixture over the shrimp and let stand for about 20 minutes. Bake, stirring once or twice with a spatula, until the shrimp just separates from the shells, about 15 minutes. (It may take a bit longer depending on the size of the shrimp.) Serve in soup bowls with lots of the butter sauce and pass French bread. For dessert after such a rich meal, check out our No Pudge! Mint Fudge Fat Free Brownie Mix—Wow! If you don’t have to count calories and want to splurge, by all means order a box of Creole Delicacies Rum Pralines.