No time to cook (much)...

Jury duty and scouts on Monday, and scout activities of some sort all day yesterday have not left much time for cooking.  Monday night I cooked up some pasta and tossed a salad to accompany the leftover spicy stuffed peppers, while last night we had our own version of the Double Decker Taco, accompanied with a simply seasoned rice.  Ben did note that he really liked the "taco meat."  I used ground pork instead of the usual ground turkey and he thought it more flavorful (although Chris said he liked the "regular" meat better).
With not much real cooking happening here I am going to share an old favorite that I really want to get in the recipe file, Shrimp and Grits. This southern comfort food combines shrimp and bacon over a creamy base of super rich grits...who could ask for more?  Look soon for another southern favorite, Low Country Boil.



Shrimp and Grits

1 lb. med. to large shrimp, peeled & deveined, shells reserved
1/2 cup cream
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups shrimp or chicken stock
4 tbs. butter
1 cup quick cooking grits
3 tbs. lemon juice
coarse salt & fresh ground black pepper, to taste
6 thick slices of bacon, thinly sliced or small dice
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 of a small onion, finely chopped
1/2 of a small red bell pepper, thinly sliced or a small dice

Place the reserved shells in a small saucepan with enough water to cover.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Strain the liquid into a measuring cup and add enough stock to make 1 1/2 cups total.
Bring the cream, water, stock, butter, salt, and pepper to a boil.  Slowly add the grits, stirring constantly so that they do not stick or clump.  Reduce the heat to med-low and cook until thick and creamy, and all the liquid is absorbed.  If they are too thick, or are not quite creamy and tender once the liquid is absorbed, add a bit more water or stock.
Sprinkle the shrimp with the lemon juice and some salt and pepper, set aside.  In a large saute pan, cook the bacon over med-high heat until crispy; remove to a paper towel using a slotted spoon, reserving the bacon fat in the pan.  Add the garlic, onion, and bell pepper to the reserved fat; saute until the onion is soft and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.  Add the shrimp and bacon, saute until the shrimp are cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes; remove immediately from the heat so as to not overcook the shrimp.  To serve, portion the grits onto individual plates or shallow bowls and top with the shrimp and bacon mix.  Eat.  Enjoy.