Although it still feels like mid-summer here on St. Simons Island, the date on the calendar shows summer coming to a close. With August just around the corner, children are watching “back to school” commercials on television and spotting mom’s “back to school” shopping list lingering on the bulletin board.

But just because school is near doesn’t mean the last bit of summer can’t be enjoyed! One fantastic way to spend summer evenings together is by hosting family night–a time to rope the kids in from the pool and have quality time together. Because finding a time in between various sport practices and birthday parties can be a task in and of itself, serving a delicious dinner is one great way to round up the troops!

A Low Country Boil is always a hit, both with the kids and kids at heart. It has five simple ingredients and can be prepared in a snap. One of our favorite ways to enjoy a Low Country Boil is serving it family-style, with all of the ingredients on a large platter. That way, everyone can help themselves to their favorite pieces of the meal. Serve French bread and a pitcher of lemonade alongside the main dish and voila – dinner in a snap!

After dinner, a fun game keeps the camaraderie alive. Charades is family-friendly activity that flexes a creative muscle. The rules are simple: divide into two teams (no need for them to be even!) and write down imaginative titles to be acted out on slips of paper. It can be a book, movie, silly saying, or even a television show. Put the slips of paper into a hat and the fun begins. One team member draws a slip from the hat and acts out the title to his or her team members. The observing team members have 1 minute to guess the title and then it is the opposing teams turn.

To make your family night even more exciting, we’re giving away twelve (12) Kodak Playtouch Video Cameras so you can capture all the fun. To enter for a chance to win, comment on this blog post and tell us what SeaPak recipe you think would be best to serve for family night. Twelve winners will be randomly selected Monday, August 1 at noon EST. Good luck!

Low Country Boil
1 (12 oz) package SeaPak Shrimp Scampi
2 lbs small red potatoes, quartered
16 oz spicy smoked sausage (andouille or kielbasa), cut into pieces
2 Tablespoons crab boil (like Old Bay)
1 package of frozen 6 mini nibble corn cobs (or 3 ears of yellow corn, husked and cut in half)

PLACE quartered potatoes and sausage pieces in large pot with enough room temperature water to cover all the ingredients (about 10 cups). Add crab boil.

PLACE pot with potatoes & sausage on high heat and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes.

ADD corn. Continue simmering for 10 minutes.

ADD frozen shrimp scampi. Continue simmering for 3 minutes or until shrimp are fully cooked.

DRAIN and pour into serving dish. Serve hot.

Congratulations to the ten randomly selected winners of SeaPak’s iTunes gift card giveaway!

We loved hearing about your favorite beach must-haves and learning about all of the fun items you take to the beach. From sunscreen to beach towels, good books and delicious snacks, you have thought of everything!

The ten winners will be notified via email. They are:

T. Polly
T. Kopp
M. Joyner
D. Jacobs
S. Edwards
K. Bell
C. Hacker
A. Warren
M. Gramaglia
L. Carr

Be sure to visit our blog again soon for more fun prizes and delicious ways to enjoy SeaPak. If you’re looking for a way to spice up your weekend, check out these Sassy Saucy Buffalo Shrimp. Pair them with fresh, crusty bread and a colorful garden salad to bring the coast to your table this weekend. Enjoy!

Sassy Saucy Buffalo Shrimp
1 (12 oz) package SeaPak Shrimp Scampi
1/2 cup cayenne pepper sauce (like Frank’s Red Hot Sauce)
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
5 oz. crumbled blue cheese (about 1/2 cup)
Dash of garlic salt
2 Tbsp milk

MIX cream cheese, sour cream, blue cheese crumbles, a dash of garlic salt and milk together in a bowl to make dipping sauce. If desired, add extra milk to make a thinner sauce.

SAUTE shrimp scampi in large skillet for 7 minutes.

ADD red hot pepper sauce and sauté for another 2-3 minutes or until shrimp are fully cooked.

SERVE with dipping sauce.

By now you know we’re lucky to live on the coast – on an island to be exact. We try to make sure to always have our bags packed and ready to go at a moment’s notice for a day of sun, sand and salty breezes. With a little help from our Facebook fans, we’ve pulled together some summer must-haves to make packing your bags easier and help you have the best day at the beach yet. But don’t worry, this list can be used for any of your fun summer plans, whether it is a trip to the coast, a day at the lake or an outing to any other body of water, for that matter!

And, in honor of the perfect day at the beach, we’re going to give away ten $25 gift cards to iTunes so you can create your own coastal playlist. We’ve shared our favorite summer mix below for your inspiration. All you have to do is comment on this post sharing your favorite beach item, and remember to include your email address so we can contact you. We’ll announce the winners this Friday at noon EST!

Top 10 SeaPak Must-Have Beach Items

1. Cooler: We’ve fallen in love with these Polar Bear Coolers. The Polar Bear will keep ice for 24 hours in 100 degree heat! That means all of your favorite items will stay icy cold for a whole day on the beach. We also love that they’re easy to carry!

2. Sunscreen: Of course we’re big fans of Coastal Living magazine.  This month they have an entire article dedicated to the savviest sunscreen picks. Check it out to make sure you have the best coverage.

3. Sunglasses: Let’s be honest, everyone has the perfect drug-store sunglasses that you wouldn’t lose sleep over if they were carried away by a wave.  But, if you’re up to investing a bit more into a pair of shades, we think you should buy a pair of TOMS new sunglasses. For every pair you purchase, TOMS will give sight to a person in need.

4. Water: Looking to save money and protect the earth we love? We recommend investing in a plastic water bottle that you can refill time and time again. They’re safe and the kiddos will love them!

5. Chairs: We “Islanders” like to think we hold the secret to the best beach chair and, this is just the type. It can be carried as a backpack (leaving hands free for other items) and it comes equipped with both a cup holder and a headrest!

6. Beach Towels: They are a must for lounging in the sand and soaking up the sun. Our friends at Real Simple suggest these towels for adding “sizzle to summertime fun.”

7. Beach Reads: Good Housekeeping always knows the “goods.” Check out their list of top summer reads!

8. Sand Toys: These are the best beach toys because they are biodegradable! Not to mention they are super cute!

9. The Perfect Bag: We’ve tried and tested a lot of beach bags here on St. Simons and we always come back to these awesome canvas totes. They come in a variety of sizes and colors and they’re extremely durable!

10. Good tunes! At SeaPak, we LOVE listening to beach music to help us brainstorm for projects, get us through long work days and help us stay in the coastal spirit. Here’s what we’re jammin’ to these days.  Enjoy!

Where the Boat Leaves From – Zac Brown Band
The Sound of Sunshine – Michael Franti
Southern Cross – Jimmy Buffett
Coastal – Kenny Chesney
Three Little Birds – Bob Marley
Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond
Swimmin’ in Sunshine – Billy Currington
Carolina Girls – General Johnson & The Chairmen of the Board
Who Loves You – Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
Come Sail Away – Styx
Miami – Will Smith
Something Like That – Tim McGraw
Sittin’ On The Dock of the Bay – Pearl Jam
California Girls – Beach Boys

Don’t forget to comment below with your favorite beach item for a chance to win one of ten $25 iTunes gift cards.  We’ll randomly select the winners and announce them on Friday at noon. Good luck!