Shrimp and Grits
Y’all: Make. This. Now. You will not be sorry! You know I would never lie to you! Side note, I don’t know where the cutoff is in the Midwest where people stop saying “y’all” and use another word or phrase for a group of people, but I always say “you guys”. It seems less appropriate for the South though, so we’ll go with “y’all”. “You guys” sounds like I should live in Queens but who knows? I’ll have to research that for another post.
Ok, back to dinner. This was totally kick ass! I made the grits in the Instant Pot! Another HUGE IP win! They were completely cooked, not a bit sticky, and perfectly creamy without using anything other than some butter. You could do a lot with this recipe. Use white grits instead of yellow. If you don’t want the heat, skip the hot sauce (I used Tabasco but there is ALWAYS Frank’s in my pantry too) and add cheese and some whole milk and make them even creamier. Skip the cheese and just serve them up with some butter and maple syrup for breakfast (my absolute FAVORITE way to eat grits!), the possibilities are endless.
The shrimp was extremely easy to throw together. I used a bit of regular ham steak and some baby portobello mushrooms. I got already peeled and deveined shrimp from the deli counter because nobody has time to stand there and do that nonsense. Eww. I used my large cast iron skillet, which I am in love with. It’s a Lodge brand, they are so great, I don’t know how I’ve gone this long without having one. Chalk it up to a learning experience, I guess, just like the wok. Who knew??
(Another) side note on the beer: Sam Adams Cold Snap is my favorite beer. It’s seasonal and usually doesn’t come out until February, but I found some last week at Meijer. Score! I’ll have to buy a case or two before it’s gone and squirrel it away, it’ll last me until summer when the Kolsch comes back. (I don’t drink that much beer, too many empty calories.)
Anyway, make the grits, spend the money on fresh shrimp, and pretend like you live somewhere where the air doesn’t hurt your face this time of year!
Cheers! ~ Jen
