Smoky Shrimp and Gouda Grits

My mom spent a couple days with us, helping supervise our fledglings while we juggled a few appointments. She stayed one more day than she originally planned, citing that she wanted to be available if the boys were sick the next day and unable to go to their sitter. I personally think my husband's Tequila Sunrise Margaritas are the real reason she stayed ...

Regardless, I decided to make this recipe from How Sweet It Is the last night she was here. My mom is a huge fan of seafood and Southern food, so it worked out perfectly (since my husband omitted the shrimp and used leftover chicken to make chicken and grits ... yeah, that's not the next big thing). The shrimp pack a lot of flavor, and the grits are fantastic. I cannot wait to combine the leftover grits with a fried egg this morning for breakfast.

Smoky Shrimp and Gouda Grits
Gouda Grits
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup quick-cooking grits
8 oz. gouda cheese, freshly grated
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper 
Smoky Shrimp
1 pound raw peeled and deveined shrimp
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
4 Tbsp. butter
2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed

Bring the stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Once boiling, add the grits, and whisk constantly until they are fully mixed into the stock, about a minute or two. Reduce the heat to low, and cover, stirring once or twice more, until the grits are thicker and creamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the grated cheese, salt and pepper.

While the grits are cooking, pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels. Once dry, season them  with the salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder and cumin. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add the butter. Once the butter begins to sizzle, add the shrimp (in batches to avoid overcrowding), and cook on both sides until pink. When the shrimp are finished, stir in the garlic, and cook for a second. Remove shrimp from the skillet, and pour the remaining butter into the grits. Stir to combine.

Spoon the grits into a bowl, and add the shrimp on top. Makes 2-4 servings.