Cheesy Shrimp and Grits - Heart & Stripes

My husband and I both grew up in Florida. We love seafood but also love traditional southern “comfort” food. Our last duty station was in Georgia and I started making Cheesy Shrimp and Grits during the cooler months while we lived there. Once we PCS’d to Europe, it fell off my rotation of meals for some reason. That is until just a couple of weeks ago. The weather was cooling off and it was the day before I was scheduled to make the trip to the commissary so all I had left was shrimp. After doing my usual search on Pinterest, I remembered this recipe and after a quick “what do you want for dinner” options talk with my husband, it was decided to make cheesy shrimp and grits. We’ve eaten it a few times in the past couple weeks and it’s without a doubt a favorite!

Ingredients

3 Cups Chicken Broth

1/4 Cup Butter

1 Cup Milk

1 Cup Uncooked Quick-Cooking Grits

2 Cups (8 ounces) Shredded Cheddar Cheese

6 Slices Bacon, chopped

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

2 Pounds Medium Shrimp, peeled and deveined
Smoked Paprika (to taste)
Chili Powder (to taste)

Salt & Pepper (to taste)
6 Green Onions, chopped (optional)

Preparation

Bring chicken broth, butter and milk to a boil over medium-high heat; stir in grits. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes or until thickened. Once the grits are done cooking, stir in the cheddar cheese and garlic. Mix well until cheese is melted.

While waiting for the water to boil cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until crisp; remove bacon from pan and set aside.

Cook the shrimp in same pan over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until almost pink, stirring occasionally. Season with the smoke paprika, chili powder, salt & pepper, and cook 3 minutes. Break the bacon into bits.

Once the grits are done, spoon them onto individual bowls; top with bacon bits, shrimp mixture and green onions if you choose. Serve immediately.

I hope you enjoy it! I’d love to hear your feedback. <3