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Shrimp and Grits

They say that crazy times call for drastic measures but sometimes all you need is a little comfort food.  Today I'm sharing a comfort food recipe for just that reason. It's shrimp and grits and it will make you happy.

What's wonderful about this recipe is that unlike many comfort foods it is also quick and easy to prepare. You can make this dinner in about thirty minutes.

Comforting Shrimp and Grits

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Shrimp and Grits

Shrimp and grits is a flexible recipe.  You can make any number of adjustments to suit your tastes.  Consider my recipe a starting point and make it your own.

Bob's Red Mill Yellow Corn Grits make delicious grits. It was the only brand I was able to find on a very brief shopping trip but I recommend this brand for this recipe.  The corn flavor in these grits is perfect. The back of the package has a number of alternatives for cooking he grits you can try, but I did it my way.

I used two kinds of cheese.  Cream cheese was one choice for its creaminess and bit of tang.  The other cheese was Cabot's Extra Sharp Cheddar, which I grated with a box grater. This combination was delicious but feel free to substitute any cheeses you prefer.

Shrimp and Grits
Jumbo shrimp are my choice for shrimp and grits. I had a two-pound package in my freezer.  They were the 16-21 shrimp per pound size and were perfect for this dish. I like to use my Southwest seasoning mix to flavor the shrimp but Emeril's Essence or any Creole seasoning would be delicious, too.

You Can Make You Own Southwest Seasoning Mix



Any leftover grits are delicious for breakfast, topped with a fried or poached egg.  Yummy! You might want to double the grits recipe so you'll be sure to have leftovers.

Cooking Shrimp

Comforting Shrimp and Grits

Printer Friendly Recipe
Serves 4

Grits
  • 4 cups of water
  • 1 cup Bob's Red Mill Grits
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
Shrimp
  • 1-1/2 lbs-2 lbs shrimp (I like the 16-21 size)
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
  • 1-2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 1-2 tsp Emeril's Essence, or Southwest seasoning, or Creole seasoning
  • 3 scallions, chopped, both white and green parts (or chopped chives)
Directions
Toss the shrimp with the seasoning mix and set aside.

Heat the water and salt in a medium pot over medium-high heat.  Bring the water to a boil.  Add the grits, stirring to avoid clumps.  Reduce the heat to cook the grits gently for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the cheeses and stir until all the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Heat the olive oil in a 10-12 inch frying pan over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until soft.  Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the shrimp to the pan, spreading the shrimp out evenly.

Cook until the shrimp turn pink and start to curl, about two minutes.  Turn the shrimp and cook the other side, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, about two minutes more.

Combine the shrimp and onion mixture.  Scoop the grits into serving bowls and ops with the shrimp mixture.  Garnish with chopped scallions or chives.

Enjoy!

Here's another fun shrimp recipe, Coconut Shrimp

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