Shrimp and grits. I’m not a southern born gal, but I do like me some shrimp and grits! The BEST shrimp and grits I’ve ever had was at a restaurant called “The Frog and the Redneck” in Richmond over 10 years ago. Wow, I can’t believe I still remember that name, but with a name like that, it’s hard to forget! It’s closed now and I barely remember what it even tasted like anymore, but ever since then, I’ve been a fan. So here’s my stab at it. I made it for the hubby and Goompa and Gooma (hubby’s dad and his wife) as well as the girls and it was declared a hit by all! Would I dare post something that wasn’t!??!
Anyway, as fancy as it sounds (well, at least to me), it’s actually pretty easy to make. I used the grits recipe from one of my favorite recipe sites: Epicurious.com’s Creamy Shrimp Grits with Prosciutto. These are the grits that turned Little Sis into a grits lover. It’s good stuff. The shrimp part, well, I just kinda threw together. Bacon on just about anything tastes better. And the veggies were a recent addition to this dish. I had some I needed to use up, so I sauteed them and tossed them on top. Makes for such a pretty meal, too, doesn’t it?
Shrimp and Grits with Bacon!
Ingredients
Grits (with a couple changes from the original recipe):
- 4 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 5 Tbsp butter
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 cup corn grits
- salt and pepper to taste
Shrimp (my version):
- 2 lbs uncooked large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 Tbsp dry white wine
Veggies
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil olive oil or avocado oil work great
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 onion, sliced and quartered
- 1 bell peppers, quartered and cut into strips
- 1 zucchini, cut into half circles
- salt, pepper and Italian seasoning to taste
Toppings:
- 4-6 slices bacon or more if you’d like!
- Shredded Mexican cheese or grated parmesan
- BBQ Sauce (optional)
Instructions
Grits:
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Bring chicken stock, whipping cream, butter and garlic to boil in heavy large saucepan.
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Gradually whisk in corn grits and return to boil, stirring constantly.
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Reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered until grits thicken, whisking often, about 15 minutes.
Bacon:
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In a separate pan, fry up bacon cripsy.
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Remove from heat, let cool for a few minutes and then crumble into a bowl.
Veggies
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Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
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Add garlic and veggies to skillet and season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning to taste.
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Saute until onions and bell peppers are translucent. Remove from heat.
Shrimp:
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Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat and add garlic and saute until tender, about 4 minutes.
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Add shrimp and saute 2 minutes.
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Next, add wine and simmer for another 2 minutes or until shrimp is cooked. Be sure not to over cook the shrimp as it can get rubbery.
Finishing:
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Spoon corn grits into shallow bowls and sprinkle some cheese on top of grits so it melts.
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Add shrimp to each serving, dividing it equally (or not!) and sprinkle some bacon crumbles.
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Top with sauteed veggies (if using) then squirt some BBQ sauce (get fancy with it!) over the entire dish. Leave some out for people to add more if desired.
Makes 4 servings.
So here it is, my earlier versions of this meal, dinner for 4 adults…
…and two kiddies. Little Sis LOVED it and asked for more.
Big Sis liked it well-enough and preferred hers de-constructed. 😉
Thanks so much for stopping by! Feel free to make my day by leaving me a comment, following my blog via email, on Facebook or on Instagram – the more the merrier!
Christine, aka happyvballgirl 🙂
To check out some of the items used in this post or see a full list of my favorites, simply visit the “Products I Love” page. Any purchases made through these links earns me a little extra cash to support my bento habit, which my hubby would really appreciate. Haha! So, THANK YOU, should you choose to purchase any of ’em!
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You've reminded me so much how much I miss grits! 🙂 I've never had grits and shrimp, though! Thank you so much for linking up with me this week at Tasty Tuesdays! I’ve pinned this & shared it with my followers! Please be sure to stop back by the party and check out some of the other links!
Ok seriously you could come make these for me every day. It is one of my absolute favorite dishes! I pinned this one! Thanks for linking up and coming back to All Things Pretty.
This sounds like a great recipe for me to try my hand at cooking Grits! Looks great – pinning right now. 🙂 Thank you for sharing at Tasty Tuesdays!
Yum! I'd totally eat this dish, as I am a grits fan. The rest of the folks in the house? Not so much. They just don't know what's good for them (though my son would eat the shrimp–he grilled shrimp for his first 'improve your cooking over the summer' adventure). I'm delighted to have followed you on Tasty Tuesdays!
I'd like to invite you to my Friday Flash Blog, where you can share your best blog entry of the week! The party goes on ALL weekend at thejennyevolution.com. And who knows, you may just get featured next week.
Jennifer
thejennyevolution.com
thanks for the invite and stopping by! All linked up! 🙂
I don't know about this. I think the bacon & shrimp are great but I am not sure about the grits. Although this probably makes the grits yummy!
Haha. i take it you aren't a fan of grits, Diana. Well, gotta say, neither was my little one, until she tried this recipe. Now she LOVES them (even plain), just sayin'. 🙂
I adore grits and bacon- genius combo! Thank you for sharing with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop this week- I hope you'll join us again!
Cheers,
Kathy Shea Mormino
The Chicken Chick
http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com
My pleasure! 🙂
Looks yummy! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Thanks for stopping by, Bento Days! 🙂
Yummy! I think I'll make this Friday night for dinner!! Love shrimp & grits!! Thanks Christine!!
Kelly
Awwww, thanks Kelly! You're SUCH a sweetie! Hope you guys enjoy it! 🙂