shrimp & grits

I absolutely love shrimp.  They are one of my favorite foods and my most often requested birthday supper item.  I like them anyway you cook them.  And I've always liked shrimp cooked with tomatoes.  But (surprisingly) I'd never had shrimp and grits until fairly recently.

The May 2009 issue of Southern Living included a few recipes for shrimp and grits and I had to try them.  The first time I made it I followed one recipe by the letter.  But after that I started combining the three of them to come up with my own recipe.  There were pieces of each recipe that sounded good to me:  sausage, green beans, tomatoes, mushrooms.  So I discovered the combination that my family and I like best and I've stuck with it.

Good, good, stuff.  In some areas this is traditionally a breakfast dish and I've been known eat leftovers for breakfast the next day.  

shrimp & grits

1 pound unpeeled medium-sized raw shrimp (I use frozen sometimes)
1 tablespoon flour
2 cajun sausage links
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 pound fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces (or frozen)
1 can diced tomatoes (or 1 fresh tomato, diced)
2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion.

Peal shrimp.  Toss with flour until lightly coated.

Slice sausage.  Cook sausage.  Remove from pan.  Cook onion and garlic.  Add mushrooms and green beans.  Cook until green beans just begin to get tender.

Add tomatoes.  Cook until heated through.

Return sausage to pan.  Add shrimp.  Cook until shrimp are pink.  Add hot sauce and salt.  Add lemon juice and turn off heat.  Test for seasoning.  Add salt and pepper if needed.  Garnish with green onion.

Serve over creamy cheddar cheese grits

1 tablespoon butter
2 cups milk
2 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
dash of hot sauce
1 garlic clove, pressed or finely minced
1 cup uncooked old-fashioned grits
1 cup sharp white cheddar cheese

Bring first six ingredients to a boil in a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat.  Gradually whisk in grits, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes.  Stir cheese into grits until melted continue to cook (just a minute or two) until grits have thickened.