Hibiscus House: Shrimp and Cheese Grits!

We love them and I don't know why we don't have them more often. Maybe just maybe I should have called this Shrimp Bacon & Cheese Grits! I do so love bacon!

I like the fact that you can add just about anything you like to your Shrimp & Grits and it's always delicious!

Ingredients

1 pound small to medium shrimp peeled and deveined

Optional bacon you choose amount you want to use cut into 1" chunks

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or Real Lemon juice

1 cup sweet onion chopped finely or fresh scallions chopped

3 cloves minced garlic

1 teaspoon chopped chives

1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill or 1/2 teaspoon dried

2 tablespoon fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried

Salt and red or black pepper for seasoning

Grits

1 cup grits

4 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)

1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

Cook grits:

Bring water with salt to a boil. Add grits using a whisk carefully whisk the grits in the water to prevent lumps. Turn heat down to medium-low, but continue whisking until smooth. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Add water if they become too thick.

I have detailed directions for cooking grits here if you don't cook them regularly and need a tip or two.
When 20 minutes is up add the butter and the cheese. Stir and serve soon.

While grits are cooking:

Chop bacon and brown in a frying pan. Remove bacon set aside in a medium bowl.
Saute sweet onion or whites of scallions and garlic in the pan. When onions are translucent add to the browned bacon sitting in reserve.
Cook shrimp add lemon juice. *Cook just until they start to turn pink. In a hot pan, this will happen almost immediately* so be watchful turn and then remove add to bacon reserve.
Turn the pan down to low to cool down add the bacon onion garlic and shrimp back to the pan. Stir in the Chives, Dill,Parsley, and green cuts of Scallions if using. Let all warm a little then serve over hot cheese grits.

Options:
You can add any number of seasonings or ingredients, peppers of all kinds, vegetables you like. The choices are endless.

The shrimp I bought from Sea To Table. These are Wild Gulf Shrimp. I really like this company and have had no trouble with any products received from them. (guess that is a little product review) Seriously they send fresh-caught quick frozen and give you the location of the catch. I really like that about this company. Check it out.

Cooking the bacon and simmering the grits

Hormel thick-cut bacon

I'm still using the little Black & Decker cooktop and it's working pretty good in a pinch. Good news I have purchased a new range. It is on backorder but can't wait to get it in the house. I do believe I've gained ten pounds while sitting and researching appliances!

The grits appear to be swimming in fresh creamy butter. That could be because they are! We love real butter around here. This was before I added the freshly grated cheddar cheese. We love cheese too!

I was so glad to get them during this time my favorite Jim Dandy Grits have been scarce. Carly found these for me!

You can read more about Shrimp and Grits at Wikipedia. They are good at any time. On this day we had them for an early supper! They were so very good.