I’ll never be able to do enough cardio to exercise off the deep love I have for the food of my Daddy’s Alabama family.  Shrimp & Grits are, by far, the one dish I can never say no to, as my jeans will attest…

This Food Network recipe from Tyler Florence tabs itself the “Ultimate” and I have to say, he’s not just tooting his own horn.  This dish is pretty damn good & it satisfies my 3 recipe musts:

• Must be quick
• Must have ingredients that are easy to find
• Must not require culinary school skills to make!

Tyler Florence’s Ultimate Shrimp & Grits

• 3 cups milk
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup stone-ground white cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Place a 3-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add the milk and cream. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal. When the grits begin to bubble, turn the heat down to medium low and simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. Allow to cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and thick. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, thin it out with a little extra cream. Season with salt and pepper.

• 2 TBLS extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic chopped (1 tsp pre-chopped in the jar)
• 1 pound Andouille, or spicy Italian sausage, cut in chunks
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 to 3 bay leaves
• 2 pounds raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
• pinch cayenne pepper (to taste)
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 TBLS finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• 4 green onions, sliced

Place a deep skillet over medium heat and coat with the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic; saute for 2 minutes to soften. Add the sausage and cook, stirring, until there is a fair amount of fat in the pan and the sausage is brown. Sprinkle in the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to create a roux. Slowly pour in the chicken stock and continue to stir to avoid lumps. Toss in the bay leaves. When the liquid comes to a simmer, add the shrimp. Poach the shrimp in the stock for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are firm and pink and the gravy is smooth and thick. Add the cayenne pepper, Tabasco and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper; stir in the parsley and green onion. Spoon the grits into a serving bowl. Add the shrimp mixture and mix well. Serve immediately with crusty bread and ice cold beer. #ThisGirlLovesToEat