ginger's shrimp and grits

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 3 1/2 cups skim milk
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup stone-ground white grits
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons bottled hot pepper sauce
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
• 2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, drained
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Recipe

Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 28 mins Ready Time: 1 hr 10 mins


• pour the milk into a large saucepan with the salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. sprinkle in the grits, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.
• uncover the grits, and add 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese and the hot pepper sauce, beating the mixture with a spoon until the cheese melts and the mixture is smooth. cover the cheese grits and set them aside to firm up.
• heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, and cook and stir the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent. add the shrimp, and toss them in the hot oil for about 3 minutes, until the shrimp just turn pink and opaque. stir in the garlic powder and diced tomatoes with chile peppers, and set the shrimp mixture aside.
• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c), and spray a 7x11-inch baking dish with cooking spray. place about 1 cup of shrimp mixture in the bottom of the dish, followed by 1 cup of cheese grits in a layer. continue layering shrimp and grits, and top the final layer with 1 cup cheddar cheese.
• bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until the cheese topping is bubbling and beginning to brown. let the casserole set for about 10 minutes before serving.