Shrimp and Grits

I love Shrimp and grits, I love to order them out, I love all the variations on them, how everybody does them differently and I really love how it makes me sound like a country girl from Georgia when I say "I'm makin' shrimp n' grits!"  Ha! This week I saw Texas Gulf Shrimp on sale at the store so I picked up a pound. This recipe is loosely based on a Bobby Flay Shrimp and Grits Recipe that I have. Except mine has 1/2 the calories and all the flavor, go me! Really the secret is cooking the grits in stock instead of water, gives them tons of flavor without added fat!

Ingredients:
4 cups (1 32 oz box) chicken stock
3/4 cup quick grits
1/3 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1 t butter
1 lb shrimp, cleaned & de-viened
3 slices bacon
2 scallions
1/4 of a red onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lemon, just the juice
1 t Creole/Cajun seasoning

Directions:
Add 4 cups of stock to a sauce pan and bring to a boil, whisk in the grits stirring to make sure they don't clump. Return to a boil then reduce the heat and cover for 5-7 minutes or until they are cooked. (You don't want them thick, at this point they should be a little runny, they will thicken as they sit, so just remove from the heat add the butter and cheese, stir to combine and let sit).

Add 3 slices of bacon to your non-stick skillet, cook until crisp, remove from pan and let the bacon drain and cool on a paper towel, once cooled crumble the bacon. Then add the onion and garlic to the bacon grease (there shouldn't be much grease with only 3 strips of bacon but if it is a lot then dab with a paper towel). Mine wasn't bad so I just threw the garlic and red onion right in the pan and cooked for 2-3 minutes then add the shrimp and the Creole seasoning. Cook until pink about 3-5 minutes. Finally, squeeze the lemon juice on top add back in the bacon crumbles and the scallions. Cook for 1-2 minutes then serve on top of the grits! YUM!!!

I sprinkled some seasoning on the shrimp before I threw them in the skillet

Sauteing the garlic and onion...

These grits are ready for the cheese...

Pour into your dish, I used my pie pan...

Once the shrimp is cooked, add the bacon and scallions, mmm the house smells good!

Pour on the grits and eat it up!

Weight Watcher Friends: This recipe makes 4 servings at 7 points per serving.

Source: Bobby Flay