Kiss my (shrimp and) grits from the Skinnytaste Cookbook by Gina Homolka

The Skinnytaste Cookbook. I checked out this beautiful cookbook from the library this week. Libraries, I recently discovered, are a cookbook lovers paradise. At my local branch I can get the latest books for zero dollars.

The cover photo grabbed my attention, so I selected it as my first recipe test. It was fabulous! The grits were creamy and shrimp perfectly spiced. The meal tasted decadent, like something you’d get at a nice restaurant. Very impressive for 300ish calories.

Grade: A+

Recipe as I made it (some minor changes from original recipe):

Grits:

• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/4 cup 2% milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup quick cooking grits (not instant)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup Havarti cheese
• 2 Tbsps Pecorino cheese
• 1/2 Tbsp butter

Shrimp:

• 1 lb raw shrimp
• Old Bay seasoning
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 large shallot chopped finely
• 2 oz deli ham, chopped up
• 1/2 cup canned fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 2/3 cup chicken broth
• 2 scallion chopped

Grits instructions: Bring milk, water, and broth to a boil, stir in grits, cover and reduce heat to low. Every 5 minutes or so, stir the grits and add water if grits aren’t smooth. I ended up adding about a cup of additional water. Cook for about 30 minutes. Stir in butter, cheese, and salt.

Shrimp instructions: Add 1 tsp of olive oil to frying pan, heat to medium high, add shrimp and sprinkle liberally with old bay seasoning. Turn shrimp after 1-2 minutes. Cook until shrimp are pink on both sides (~4 minutes). Add shallots, ham, and 1 tsp of olive oil. Cook 2-3 minutes. Add canned tomatoes and broth. Cook until most of the liquid evaporates, 5-10 minutes.

Dish up 1 cup of grits and about 6 shrimp. Sprinkle with chopped scallions.

Makes 4 servings