Shrimp and Grits...OMG....

I LOVE grits especially cheese grits. I had ordered shrimp and grits at a fancy restaurant in Key West that is one of the most memorable dishes that I have ever eaten. So when I found this recipe online, I was in heaven. Cheese grits topped with bacon and shrimp fried in bacon fat! How can you go wrong? I made this for our Valentine's night dinner (Chris had made multiple reservations at restaurants all over the place, but I told him that I had no desire to spend dinner with all the couples that are forced to be romantic one night a year). The dish was AMAZING! It's easily one of the top three best dishes that I have ever made and I still can't stop thinking about how great a dish it is. Absolutely fabulous!!!!

Shrimp and Grits

Note---DO NOT use instant grits--they won't work in this recipe! I used stone ground grits that I found at Whole Foods. Number 2 note- DO NOT use nuclear orange colored Kraft chedddar cheese for this. Buy a very nice sharp cheddar from the deli case and grate it yourself. It will make all the difference in your cheese grits!

A Recipe From My Friend

Amy emailed me this recipe after making it a couple of times for her family. I forgot to take a picture of it, but it was wonderful. If you like shrimp and rice, give this recipe a try. Thanks Amy for the recipe!

Cajun Shrimp Casserole

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Fra Diavolo (means "Brother Devil" in Italian) is a spicy sauce for pasta or seafood. This is a quick pasta sauce perfect for a weekday meal.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo from Quick From Scratch Pasta by Food & Wine Books

Serves 4

2 tbs cooking oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (one 16 oz can)

1/4 teas dried red pepper flakes

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

3/4 teas salt

1 lb med shrimp, shelled

3/4 pound vermicelli (or other thin long pasta)

1) In a large frying pan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 30 seconds longer. Stir in the tomatoes, red-pepper flakes, water, parsley, and salt. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook, covered, just until the shrimp are pink, about 4 minutes.

2) In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta and toss with the sauce.