Shrimp and Grits...

I know what you are thinking....Grits? and yes, grits...creamy, white buttery grits...They are so good, kind of a new love of mine. I can eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. They cook up quickly and are true comfort food. They are like polenta, but quicker...After all polenta is made from yellow cornmeal and grits are from white corn...I think they are cousins! Add the flavorful Shrimp and you have something right out of Bubba Gump's.

You need very few ingredients. A couple strips of bacon, a pound of raw shelled shrimp, a cube of butter, 3 cloves of garlic, a couple of green onions, cilantro, salt and pepper, half and half and grits...

I made 4 cups of grits following the directions on the package, I used quick cooking but long cooking is fine...

The trick of good grits is to always salt and pepper as they are cooking, after they are done, put a big tablespoon butter and a 1/4 cup cream or half and half.....whip with a wire whip in the pan...

You will have the creamiest, nicest, white grits...this is a good time to add a little shredded cheese if you want, make the cheesy grits....mmmmm

after you fry the cubed bacon until crisp, set aside to drain and in the crusty good bacon pan add a couple tablespoons of butter and melt over medium heat....

add your chopped onion or shallot and press 3 cloves of garlic or mince very fine...

cook over medium heat, stirring often until onions are soft...scraping the bottom of the pan and incorporating all the bacon goodness..

this is where you can add a splash of white wine, if you like...

add your shrimp and cook, just until starting to turn orange

then turn and cook just until done...remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside....

add a 1/4 cup of the half and half  to your oniony, bacony, garlicy sauce and stir and cook until bubbly...

add the shrimp back in and the chopped green onion, cook for another minute...and finished!

Place a pool of grits in the bowl, add some shrimp, spoon some of the sauce from the pan over the top of the shrimp. Sprinkle the chopped crisp bacon over the top and garnish with the cilantro leaves..

Heaven........ I found heaven!

Cheers to Happy  !!

Brother Chuck was walking through at just the right time....He was hesitant, but he loves Shrimp and Grits!!!!  At least he does now!!!