Growing up as one of four kids, our respective birthdays were all celebrated the same way: dinner in the dining room instead of the kitchen, a cake of our choice and, if we were lucky, staying up late to watch Donny and Marie Osmond on television. I didn't realize it at the time, but my parents are wise people.

Alas, it's too late for us to go the simple route. TV and cake isn't going to cut it after we've given our kids a birthday bash from year one. This season, our son, like many young hipsters, is bringing in year No. 5 at a cicada-themed celebration.

Having never lived through a cicada invasion, he can't wait. In fact, he's pushing their emergence by spending his free time in our yard, shovel in hand, digging up the little buggers, hoping to watch them molt. (Don't worry; we gently place them back in the ground so the fun can start all over again the next day.)

But, one little fact has my boy worried. He knows cicadas are edible and he knows I like to try new ingredients. ... Now's my once-in-a-17-year chance!

And if other parents suspect I might be serving cicadas, that might reduce our expected cicada party guest list and my expected headache.

I think tonight we'll discuss his party menu over garlic shrimp, with crusty bread and salad. I'll point out that it seems to me shrimp are basically bugs. So, if you'll eat shrimp, why not cicadas? And then, I will probably agree to just serve pizza.

My garlic shrimp takes a lot of butter, which is part of why it's so good. Some butter has inexplicably added fake butter flavor, which will ruin your cooking. Read the label to be sure your butter's ingredients are just cream and maybe some salt. And feel free to substitute freshly molted, boiled cicadas, wings removed, for the shrimp. I double-dog-dare you.

Garlic Shrimp with Rice

21/2 cups water

11/4 cups long grain white rice

6 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup finely diced shallots or onions

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup each chopped red, orange and yellow peppers

6 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced

3/4 cup of your favorite white wine

1 pound frozen, peeled, precooked, deveined shrimp, any size, thawed

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

Bring water to a boil in heavy pot, add rice slowly, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.

While rice is cooking, melt butter in large skillet. Saute shallots and garlic until just soft over medium high heat. Add peppers and mushrooms, stir and cook for 1 or 2 minutes.

Stir in wine and shrimp, cooking until just heated through. Finish with lemon juice and adjust seasoning. Serve, with plenty of liquid from the pan, over fluffed rice.

Sprinkle with parsley. Makes 4 servings.

E-mail maryjo@saucycook.com