Shrimp and Grits

Since I've lived in the South my entire life, I always wanted to make a shrimp and grits recipe. After a lot of research, this is what I have come up with, and it is delightful! 

Ingredients:

5 Tbsp butter

5 Tbsp flour

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic OR 1 Tbsp prepared garlic

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

4 cups water

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 Tbsp parsley flakes

2 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 Tbsp Old Bay

1 Tbsp mustard

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 small bag frozen corn

1 package Turkey sausage

1 or 2 packages of extra large or jumbo shrimp, shell on

Prepared Grits Recipe 

Put the butter and flour in a pot on medium-high heat. Cook for about 7 minutes until incorporated.

Add onion and garlic. Cook till translucent--about 7 minutes.

Add salt, pepper, water, bouillon cube, parsley flakes, red pepper flakes, paprika, cayenne pepper, Old Bay, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for about 10 minutes.

Cube the sausage, and add it to the pot. Add the shrimp and cook till pink, about 3-5 minutes.

While the pot simmers, prepare the grits.

Yumkins! You will have to peel the shrimp as you eat, but it is worth it! The taste is so yummy; I just can't help myself. Sometimes I put more or less sauce in my bowl depending on how I am feeling, but it always tastes fine! Cody is about to get home and eat, so I'm sure he'll be excited when he finds out what's for dinner! Ha! 

God Bless You and Your Food!

Spicy Turkey Burgers

A while back, Cody and I were trying to cut back on red meat, so I put together a spicy turkey burger that will knock your socks off. These are also great left-overs! It's one of Cody's favorite original recipes that I've created, so check it out! You'll like the way you cook...I guarantee it!

Ingredients

About 1.2 lbs ground turkey

1/2 container button mushrooms

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 onion

1 green bell pepper, diced

1-2 jalapenos

1 egg

1 Tbsp barbecue sauce

1 Tbsp ketchup

about 8 oz pepper jack cheese grated

1/3 c bread crumbs

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp Italian seasoning 

Cook the onion and garlic on medium high heat.

While the onion cooks, dice the green bell pepper.

Dice the mushrooms.

Once chopped, add each ingredient.

Cook for about 10-15 minutes until vegetables are soft.

Dice the jalapeno. I use a plastic bag so that my hand does
not burn. I'm just so delicate... 

Add jalapeno(s). I only used one here.

Cook for another 5 minutes.

While the mix is cooking combine the egg, barbecue sauce, ketchup, red
pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.

Mix it up! If you want super spicy, you can add a tsp of cayenne pepper.

Add in the turkey, and mix it with a fork.

Once cool, add the vegetable mix. You may not use it all. I use about 1/3 cup.

Add bread crumb. If needed, add extra so that the mix is not too wet.

Grate and add the cheese

Shape into burger patties. I usually make 6 to 8.

I don't have a grill, so I use my grill pan. OIL the pan. Because of the cheese,
the burgers will stick, so oil it! Cook about 5 minutes on each side.

While cooking, you may want to cover with a lid. This will help cook the turkey
and help them not to stick. Remember turkey must be cook through. No rare here!
165 degrees internal temperature!

Yum! Any crispy part tastes like crunchy cheese! 

Delicious! Seriously try this one!

God bless you and your food!

Grit Fritters

You made some grits? You have some left over? I'll tell you what to do with them.

Put some parchment paper or plastic wrap on the bottom of a container. Close the container and put it in the fridge. Once it is solid, cut some into small rectangular pieces.

Put some parchment paper or plastic wrap on the bottom of a container. Close the container and put it in the fridge. Once it is solid, cut some into small rectangular pieces.

Put a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan on medium-high heat. Fry each of the four sides until golden brown...about 2 minutes. These are good by themselves, with more grits, or with marinara sauce.

Cheese Grits

Cheese. I love it, and you do too. Grits are THE south. Put them together, and a miracle of magic happens. Delicious. When I was a kid, my Grandma Lee used to make baked cheese grits. Then when I started growing up, I realized most people's grits were a lot more creamy. They are just one of the best bases for all additions: cheese, jalapenos, or sweet stuff like cinnamon sugar. Anyway, I make them and eat them.

I use the Alton Brown recipe. Things you need to know: 

The pictures show me making a half batch of this recipe, so if stuff in the picture looks smaller, that's why.

Get the cornmeal that says coarse "stone ground" and use whole milk. Don't try to make substitutions...just don't. Seriously. Don't.  

Ingredients

2 cups water

2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 cup cornmeal

4 Tbsp butter

4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese(I like mild...personal preference...that's a fourth of the block in the picture)

Add the water, milk and salt together. Bring to a boil.  Immediately when it starts bubbling/boiling, start whisking in the cornmeal very slowly in batches. Adding in batches is important so that each grain gets covered in liquid...long story short, helps with lump management. Turn the heat to low. 

 

Once you have incorporated all the cornmeal, cover and let it cook for 15-25 more minutes. Whisk about every 3 minutes to prevent lumps. Then, add the pepper and butter. Melt the butter completely. 

Add in the cheese in two batches so that it can melt in better. 

Put some cheese on top, and let the magic happen. Yumkins.

What to do with the leftovers? What Cody and I like to call Grit Fritters.

God bless you and your food!

Roasted Tomato and Bell Pepper Gouda Bisque + BLTs

This past weekend I went to a little restaurant on the town square with my mother. We had a roasted red pepper and Gouda bisque that I had to try to recreate for Cody to try. Yummy! Plus, BLTs are tasty, so I had to make them too!

 What you'll need for the bisque:

6-8 tomatoes

8 oz of Gouda cheese

Parmesan cheese, grated

2 bell peppers

10 baby carrots

tomato paste

8 oz sour cream

2 jalapenos

8 cloves of garlic

1 jar of roasted red peppers in oil

1 shallot

32 oz chicken broth

Spices (1/2 tsp each): paprika, dried basil, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, rosemary, thyme

2 bay leaves

 Cut all the vegetables and place them on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil.

 Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Cook for about 20 minutes and then broil for about 15 minutes.

 When the vegetables come out, remove the tomato skins, and place all the vegetables in a pot. 

 Add the spices, and cover with chicken broth.

 Add in the roasted red bell peppers from the jar.

Bring to a boil and cook until the carrots are soft--about 20-30 minutes.

Turn off the heat, and remove the bay leaves.

Use the hand mixer to blend everything together.

You may want to leave it a little chunky.

Add in the tomato paste.

Add in the sour cream.

Slowly add in the Gouda cheese in batches. 

Add in about 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

 While the soup is boiling for the 20-30 minutes, there is plenty of time to make the BLTs.

What you'll need:

Bacon

Roma tomatoes

Green Leaf Lettuce

Dinner rolls

Provolone (or left-over Gouda)

 Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

 Place the bacon on a sheet pan and cook for 15 minutes. You may want to put foil on the pan for easy cleanup. While the bacon is cooking, slice the tomatoes and chop the lettuce.Slice and toast the rolls. 

 I like to put a little mayo and pepper on the top with bacon on the bottom. Then, add the tomato and lettuce. Last, add the cheese. Eat it! 

 Wow! This is a yummy dinner. I hope you try these out. 

God bless you and your food!