If you’re looking for a recipe that is easy and inexpensive, this is NOT it! But please don’t let that scare you away, because this looks and tastes SO good that it is worth it!

I originally found this recipe in a Williams-Sonoma catalog, and adjusted it to fit my family’s taste. Living in Louisiana, this dish is on the menu at just about every restaurant down here, and I’ve tried just about every version of it. This version is BY FAR my favorite!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 cup white grits, uncooked
• 1 tsp Tabasco sauce
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 tbs butter
• 2 tbs flour
• 1/3 cup chicken stock
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 lb bag frozen shrimp, already cooked and peeled, thawed
• 3-4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled with grease reserved
• 1/3 lb sliced mushrooms (I use portabello for the color and taste)
• 1 diced red bell pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions
• 2 diced plum tomatoes

Make your grits according to the instructions on the package, then stir in 4 tbs butter, both cheeses, and salt and pepper to taste. I think adding both kinds of cheese is what makes this dish taste so good. (And the bacon grease, of course!) Cover to keep warm and set aside.

Pat shrimp dry with paper towels, then toss in a bowl with the flour seasoned with salt, pepper and Tony’s seasoning. Warm 2-3 tbs of the reserved bacon grease in a skillet, then brown the shrimp in the grease. This only takes a minute or two since they are already cooked. Remove shrimp to a plate, then add bell pepper, garlic and mushrooms to the same skillet. (You may have to add another spoonful of bacon grease if the shrimp soaked it up.) Once the vegetables start to become tender, add the shrimp back in, along with the bacon, green onions, tomatoes, chicken stock, lemon juice and Tabasco. Stir everything together and let simmer a few minutes, until everything is heated through, then serve on top of the warm grits.

 This is one of my favorite things to eat, and it is perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. It looks so pretty with all of the colors from the vegetables, and tastes just as good as it looks!