Okay so husband HATES and has always HATED grits. Coming from the south and New Orleans I might add, you would think this boy would love him some grits especially in a dish such as Shrimp and Grits but he never has attempted to try the dish until yours truly stepped in and put an END to the insanity. I am trickier than I get credit for at times!
Think Grit Muffins! Yep, I said muffins. Grits in the shape of a huge muffin but upside down. By using this method you get the flavor of the grits but not the creamy grainy texture- which is what he doesn’t like about them. I made regular old butter grits and added in a few twists of cheddar cheese, jalapeño and Cajun seasoning then poured into greased muffin tins and baked them at 350 for 35 minutes or until nice and golden brown on top. They were a hit and now he requests them all the time! The lesson here ladies and gentlemen is be creative with ingredients and you can change even the pickiest eaters!
Think Smothered Pork Chops meets Fresh Shrimp! I just used the word smothered and shrimp together:) I made a great incredibly flavorful silky seafood gravy using fresh herbs, chicken stock and cream then smothered the shrimp in it and allowed them to cook for another 6-8 minutes until they turned nice and pink. One Word- YUM!
You could actually serve this dish as an appetizer if you use mini muffin tins and a tiny shot glasses to hold the appetizer or as a main dish. No matter how you do it just do it because it this just screams Fresh!
- 1½ pounds peeled and deveined shrimp, tails on
- 2 TBSP oil
- 2 TBSP butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 TBSP flour
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 tsp salt and pepper each
- 1 tsp cajun seasoning
- 2 TBSP fresh basil, chopped
- 2 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ bunch green onions, chopped
- For the Grits:
- 6 cups water
- 3 cups of grits
- ½ tsp cajun seasoning
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Panola Spicy Sweet Jalapeno juice (just stick your spoon into the jar and use the juice)
- ¼ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 stick butter
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven heat the oil and butter. Saute the onion and garlic for 5-6 minutes. Add in the flour and stir til combined. Slowly incorporate the chicken stock until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps. Season with salt, pepper, cajun seasoning and herbs. Bring to a boil and add in the shrimp and green onions. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the shrimp are pink and firm.
- Meanwhile, to make the grits. Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pan over medium to low heat. Bring to a boil then simmer for 10-15 minutes until the grits are smooth but still thick. We want them still thick in order to make the muffins. Grease a standard 12 cup muffin tin or a large 6 cup muffin tin and pour the grits into each cup ¾ full. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes until nice and golden brown. Allow to cool completely before removing them from the pan. I typically slide a knife around the grits and then invert them onto a plate. Serve with the shrimp mixture and enjoy
Call me crazy, but I’ve never tried grits, lol…..you are totally making me think outside the box with your recipe posts!!! I like how this dish looks, that’s for sure:)
What do they taste? a thicker Cream of Wheat kinda thing going on over here?? hahahaha
Happy Friday Lady!
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Yummy! I love shrimp and grits. I’m printing this one recipe to try during Lent! How are the boys??
yum, shrimp and grits is comfort food at its finest for me! i love the idea of a grits cake… definitely trying this soon!
You have outdone yourself in the sneaky department! Those grit “muffins” look delicious. I grew up in the mid-south and didn’t have grits until I moved to the deep south. Love them!
Best,
Bonnie
That is just brilliant.
Doesnt like grits??? Whaaat?i didnt know shrimp and grits could get better but this looks awesome
Believe it or not I have never tried grits before. I’m from the Northeast so maybe that is why. So what’s the verdict, did your husband like the grit muffins?
The first time I had grits I was at the UT hospital in Knoxville after giving birth to my daughter. I thought it was a bowl of cream of wheat. Grits with milk and sugar are NASTY, btw. 🙂 I hadn’t been in Tennessee very long and nobody in Maine ate grits!
This dish looks wonderful. All your food looks great. Majorly jealous of your talent.
You’re amazing..and so are these ideas you come up with! I only recently was introduced to grits, it almost reminds me of polents (they are cornmeal in a way). I can’t get my son to eat grits so I like this idea! And of course, the shrimp dish is awesome!!
Oh you sneaky ladies…my wife pulls the same tricks on me with food. I’m always happy and annoyed at the same time. Nonetheless I’ve gained something new to enjoy in the world of food. 😉 Great recipe.
Oh what a great idea! I love the idea of grits muffins. Have you tried polenta? You can slice it (like an english muffin) and that way it’s thickness avoids that creamy, grainy texture as well. I’m bookmarking your recipe – can’t wait to try these!
HHHHmmmm, not gonna lie, I am wondering about this one. =) I am very picky about my shrimp. The pictures are beautiful! I just don’t know if I could pull this one off! And I know I would never order it in a restaurant. but I would try it if you want to come over and make it for me!! 😉
I’m with your hubby, Jessica, not a huge fan of grits (or polenta for that matter!) but you have up-scaled it and made this dish simply beautiful. The flavours must be incredible. Very nice indeed.
Even though I grew up in the South, my parents raised me on oatmeal, so I didn’t have grits at all. It wasn’t until I was an adult when I first tried them, and I love them, especially with shrimp. Your dish looks fantastic!
Some southerners don’t like the grainy taste of grits.. but I was raised by southern women and I love grits just as they are :). So delicious. And your shrimp and grits recipe is a new way to make it. I LOVE IT
You are going to be shocked when I tell you….I have never had grits!! gasp
I had to come back again, if only to see those beautiful shrimp.
I love anything goes with prawns. I always dream about travelling different places to try their food, one day when I go to the southern part of US, I should know many dishes learnt from you. 🙂
Holy Moly, this looks delicious! I have never seen Shrimp n’ Grits done in such a classy way. Bravo!
i was expecting to see a grit as an just an ingredient here but i think now you outdone yourself by making it your own way. Brilliant! looks great, the picture tells it all! Have a fantastic weekend!
I love it! I have to sneak some foods on to my husbands plate too. 🙂 I think I might even be able to get him to eat grits this way. Thanks for sharing this recipe (and tip) with the Gallery of Favorites.
I had to Google what Grits mean and now I got it. =) Come to think of it, I think I learned so much from you about Southern food. I’ll be pretty knowledgeable about Southern food when I go visit the South one day, thanks to you!!!
You are an absolute genius! What an incredible and flavourful meal!
🙂 Mandy
Very interesting, This looks DELICIOUS. It actually made me salivate just looking at the picture
What kind of a man did you marry? I love me some grits…but I could get down with grit muffins. What a fabulous meal!
These look delicious, even to a northerner! But, where are the grits? How much do you add?
Brilliant! I can’t wait to try your clever muffin technique with my Falls Mill grits! Thank you!
Oh my God, you have outdone yourself and you know what I’m going to do and you know that I’m going to steal this. I’m still trying to get over the shock of some of your commenters never having tried grits… Although, I find I can still make my way into the kitchen for another cup coffee. Dangnation, dangnation, dangnation – I am so impressed. Come visit when you can.
I love how comforting this dish looks! Yum.
Clever idea! Looks delish too, so gourmet! I like the idea of appetizer’s, going to keep that one in mind!
Girl, you are a genius! I’ve never had grits, but I’ve had polenta, which I hear is similar, texture-wise, to grits. It’s that texture that my husband and I both don’t really like. But put them in a muffin, and heck yes!! This looks delicious, as usual!
I want to see you on Chopped Jessica. I think you would rock that show. So creative!!!! 🙂 This looks delicious.
I love grits but your innovation for they who don’t is great. I love the way you adapted.
When my daughter was a schoolgirl she got sick of rice because it was at school lunch daily. I made a brown rice patty with sage and she asked for more because it tasted like pork.
A couple years ago she casually mentioned not liking tofu. I made her some stuffed giant shells using tofu with a little ricotta. She loved it and said “I wish you would make this more often”.
So good on you k belle.
Those shrimp look so delectable and I almost want to just grab them for a quick bite when no one is looking! 🙂
But this is beautiful!!!! He is one lucky man and you are one clever woman!!! delicious recipe
Mary x
looks delicious. I have to try this one. My husband loves grits and I love shrimp
Shrimp & Grits is something that I NEED to try!!! That looks so delicious 😀
This is the best looking shrimp & grits, ever! I’m so trying the shot glass presentation!
Mmm! Love shrimp and grits and yours looks and sounds fabulous! I love the addition of Cajun seasoning 🙂
I love it. I haven’t made this dish in ages either.
I love this “grit cake” its such a wonderful idea!
Grit Muffin….. Love you Girl!!!!
My kids kind of run away from grits, now I know exactly how to feed them…
This looks fabulous, you know I had my first official shrimp n grits around 8 yrs back. My friend’s mom who is from south made them…. And I from that day worship this dish….
Beautiful!!!!
I have not eaten yet tonight so this looks amazingly wonderful. Grits are just one of my favorite things in the world. Thanks.
am I crazy or am I missing the amount of grits needed? I don’t see it in the recipe??
What a great idea. Personally we love shrimp and grits and often serve a simplified version for breakfast to house guests. It’s a Carolina thing.
Sam
I’m not sure I can get grits here in England but I sure am going to try! This looks amazing! If I can’t get grits I will find another way to serve your wonderful shrimp at the very least. Thank you for sharing this scrumptious post – and a great idea for the grits too – with the Gallery of Favorites.
I have been seeing so many recipes lately for shrimp and grits, and I’m so craving it now!! Wonderful idea with grit muffins! Great way to serve it, and a great way to adapt to your picky eaters!
Can’t remember when I last time tried grits…must have been ages. Yours looks scrumptious with those saucy meaty prawns!
I learned to appreciate grits late in life but, have total delicious respect for them now. This looks really delicious. The flavors and textures are stunning.
Velva
Gorgeous dish. You are so clever! You could have fooled even this ole Southern girl 😉
Sam
Is it strange that I grew up in the South but am not a grits fan? Your dish looks amazing though!
You know I recently moved to the South right? Well, in Charleston this dish is a well known staple dish and I haven’t tried it yet in their local restaurants. That’s because there are so many Fabulous dishes here to try its mind boggling. But I LOVE your presentation with the grits – its restaurant worthy! And I love the added cheddar, jalapeño and Cajun seasonings for extra flavors – YUM! Girl you rock!!
Brilliant! I love that you baked the grits – I’m a “GRITS” – girl raised in the south 🙂 My husband eats everything but I still love this idea. Sounds spicy and delicious.
Oh this shrimp dish looks amazing!!
What a great way to dress up a classic, such a good idea!
Brilliant! My mouth is watering as I type. Love the ingredients and the clicks! So going to try this!
You go girl! I love how you can change a grit hater into a grit lover. I’ve never had grits myself, but that’s normal being that I grew up in upstate NY and now live in Cali, right? I love the savory sauce your slathered the grits in, it looks so creamy and delish! I so wish I lived closer to you so that you could turn me on to all of your seafood dishes! I have to get over my fear of cooking with raw fish and shrimp! Wimpy girl here 🙂 Have a great weekend. I hope it’s full of soccer games and blue skies~ xoxo, Jackie
I have a picky “tweener” that won’t eat grits. I was going to try it with rice or cornbread but now this is just the ticket to try…sans jalapeno juice, of course. Kids have such finicky ideas of what to try. God love ’em!
Oh my gosh does this look amazing! Not sure if I have ever tried grits-isn’t that ridiculous!?
Now this is some good southern cookin’! I love, love, love shrimp and grits and your muffin trick is just fabulous. That will surely solve Miss A’s texture issue with the grits. She loves anything in muffin form. 🙂