I was in a restaurant in downtown Atlanta this past weekend, and a waiter passed by me with a gorgeous shrimp cocktail. I thought to myself, "I can make that at home!" It's such a simple thing to put together and I think it's an absolutely gorgeous appetizer! My family felt very special when I made this for them :)

SHRIMP COCKTAIL

16 to 20 jumbo shrimp with shells on (this is about  1lb.)

1 (3-ounce) box Zatarain’s extra spicy crab boil in a bag

1 large lemon, quartered

4 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons vinegar

1 cup zesty cocktail sauce

2 heaping teaspoons prepared horseradish

Parsley and lemon for garnish

In a large pot, place 4 quarts of water, crab boil bag, salt, lemon (squeeze juice of quartered lemon pieces into the water and throw the quarters in the water) and vinegar.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium and let simmer for about 15 minutes.  This will really give the water a great flavor for the shrimp.  Meanwhile, mix the cocktail sauce and horseradish together and place in the fridge.  Next, place the shrimp into the boiling water and boil for exactly one minute.  Remove from heat, and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid for 10 minutes.  Pour water and shrimp from the pot into a large colander.  Drain well and discard crab boil bag and lemon.   Once they cool down enough to touch, carefully peel each shrimp.  At this point you are ready to assemble.  I prefer my shrimp chilled so I place them in the fridge for a little while or leave overnight.  Take 3 martini or wine glasses, place a few tablespoons of sauce into each glass and place parsley on top of sauce for garnish.  Assemble shrimp around the rim of the glass and place a lemon wedge on the glass for garnish.   This recipe yields about 6 – 8 shrimp per person, so I can get 3 servings out of this recipe.